One of my favorite uncles had a saying that goes, “Sometimes in life you start with a left foot forward and stumble all the way home.”

I just had such an experience. When I thought things couldn’t get more screwed up, I was proved wrong.

Nancy and I have enjoyed good health for the almost two years we’ve lived in our life care community. We’ve made friends, enjoyed the facilities and settled in comfortably. A week ago, however, we were diagnosed with RSV, a highly contagious bug that can be hard on the elderly (which I ruefully confess we both are). As a precaution, we were quarantined for two weeks, which means we can’t visit the main buildings, including the dining areas.

Our Wellness Center said that, as quarantined people, Nancy or I would get a call each evening asking what we wanted delivered the next day for lunch and dinner. No such calls arrived during our first two nights of quarantine. So, I called the Wellness Center each following morning with these results:

Morning one — “They should have called. I’ll call them. Someone will call you back.” A male voice did, asking what we wanted for dinner. I asked, what about lunch? Oh, that too? OK. So, we ordered lunch and dinner, which were delivered in a timely fashion.

Morning two (Saturday)– “They should have called. I’ll call them. Someone will call you back.” A female voice called about 11 AM, asking what we wanted for dinner. I said we don’t want dinner. We are preparing our own. We each want an omelet with toast for lunch. What kind of toast? We described it. OK.

When no lunch had arrived by 2 PM,  I called the Wellness Center again.  “It should have come. I’ll call them. Someone will call you back.” A female voice soon called back, and I asked about lunch. “Lunch??? Oh, I see. No, it’s too late for omelets now. What else can I get you?’ We settled on soup and a sandwich, which soon arrived.

 At about 5 PM our doorbell rang. I sprang to answer, but the person had disappeared. There was a white bag by the door. It contained lunch. I had no way of giving it back.