03
LOST AND FOUND DIVISION?
The plans had been laid for weeks. Michael Birdsong would spend a few days of his Christmas holiday with us, his parents. Every day the phone calls got more intense as we discussed the menu, the sleeping arrangements, the time of the church service…
When the big day arrived for him to come home we arrived at his sheltered workshop right on time. His suitcase was near the door, as was he, greeting us with wild anticipation for his big, exciting, excellent adventure.
Ah, but the fly in the ointment was that Michael Birdsong was NOT wearing his glasses. When I asked him about them, he turned pale, because he had no clue where they were. Worse, he panicked at his imaginative idea that his forgetfulness might mean missing out on his Christmas trip!
His staff was sure those specs must be around the workshop someplace…but upon searching, none could be produced. We loaded the suitcase, and Michael, and drove off. He was very quiet on the ride home.
We had a lovely holiday, the menu suited everybody, the decorations were to their liking and the candlelight service on Christmas Eve produced tears of joy for all. Even the weather was cooperative.
We returned him to his Group Home, with the admonition that he and his staff should surely find those glasses. By now, the staff was sure they were at another workshop. Or, it was suggested, they might be in another van. OR…they COULD even be in that disastrous bedroom, which was almost bad enough for the City of York to condemn! But no one would know definitively until the room was THOROUGHLY cleaned.
Did I mention Michael Birdsong is not your average neatnik? Not even close!
His State Services Coordinator got involved in the search. Everyone on the administrative staff was on the hunt…for a whole week those glasses had not appeared! The agency was worried about having to buy another pair of glasses. SO WAS MICHAEL BIRDSONG, with good reason.
Some brave staff member, Jeanie, took it upon herself to oversee the cleaning of that bedroom. No telling what they might find, eyeglasses notwithstanding. The job could not be finished in one day, so when Linda came in on Day Two, she and Michael finally got everything clean. Well, he still had an old, unused prosthesis, but they did manage to stash that on the van so it could go to the maker to be recycled for parts!
Yes. They DID, indeed, find the missing glasses. Everyone at the agency and everyone in Michael’s family, especially Michael, heaved a collective sigh of relief. You may have heard it.
His glasses were on the counter in the bathroom!
Connie Baum
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January 3rd, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Being a guest blogger is a little like washing dishes in your friend’s kitchen! NO PRESSURE!
I hope this will bring a smile to your readers’ lips.
If there are no special needs people in our lives, we are short changed on joy!
Hugs,
Connie
January 3rd, 2009 at 5:57 pm
hi connie,
what a wonderful fresh start michael gets for the new year ! funny how things work out !!! tell him i said hello and think of him often .. and will never look at my glasses the same way ..
love carol