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46- Diner Dates & Dedicated Volunteers

I entered the gates of Oregon Gardens. I had only been there once.It was on Christmas day a few years ago. We came with the church, they sang and prayed with some of the old people and gave them supper. It was really beautiful.I was just a kid and I didn't really understand the meaning of it until my father explained to me that some of the people's families couldn't make it to see them and so we were trying to cheer them up.
From that day I always had a thing for old people. I liked listening to their stories and what they had to say. Also they were really cute.

I made my way to the front desk to ask for Stanley. There was a lady seated at the desk on the telephone. She spoke fluently to the person on the other end.

"I'm afraid we haven't been able to get through to her family members. She just had a nasty fall though we did manage to give her a check up but results aren't back yet. Yes? I see... Thank you Mr Peter", the lady said as she put the phone down and looked up at me.

" Hi", I smiled.

"Good day, how may I be of assistance to you? ", she asked as she returned the smile.

" I'm looking for Mr Stanley. "

"I'm afraid he's quite busy now, can I take a message? ", she inquired.

" Uhh, yes. Sure", I nodded.

"Okay, what should I tell him? ", she asked as she grabbed a pen from the corner of her desk and scribbled on the note pad in front of her.

" You can tell-"

"Archer? "

I turned to face the older man who was dressed in a checkered suit as per normal. He looked at me with a sparkle in his eyes.

"To what do I owe the pleasure? ",he stretched out his hand toward me.

" Sorry to disturb you Sta-uh Mr Stanley. My mother mentioned that you take volunteers here and I was interested ", I said shaking his hand.

" Ahh yes, darling. I spoke to your mother at the party the other day. I didn't quite get a chance to chat with you, you must have been busy. I did appeal to her that if you were interested in helping out around the centre we would much appreciate it. We aren't taking volunteers but the retirees get lonely and need some company and I know it will look good on your college applications ",

" I am so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you so much Mr Stanley. "

"Your father and I went way back and if you are anything like he was then I should be thanking you. "

He smiled at me, almost as if he wanted to embrace me but he didn't.

"I will leave you in the capable hands of Miss Carla here, she will tell you everything because I have some business to attend to", Mr Stanley said extending his hand once more to me.I gripped his hand firmly to prove something I was uncertain of.

"Thank you again,Sir",I said as he exited.

"May I ask who your father is?",Miss Carla asked me as soon as she saw that Mr Stanley had officially left the room.

"I'm not sure if you would know him,uh Maximilian Archer,he volunteered here and held fundraisers too",I said in explanation.

"I don't think I know him dear,maybe if he comes around and I see him I'll recall",Miss Carla nodded.

"He passed on."

"Oh dear,I'm so sorry for your loss",she said almost embarrassed but in a sympathetic tone.

"Uh Mr Stanley said you would tell me more?",I said changing the topic of discussion.

"Ah yes well you won't be required to do much it's just that some of the people here need companionship. I'm sure you understand that so you would just come in ,talk to them ,get to know them. Maybe you could host an art class or something?What do you like doing in your spare time that you could share with them?",Miss Carla asked standing up from the chair she was seated in.

"Well I'd have to think about that but I'm sure I can come up with something",I shrugged.

"Also you can host bingo,the oldies love Bingo.They're quite the energetic bunch",she smiled.

"I can't wait to meet them",I returned the smile.

"One more thing though Mia,you wouldn't mind helping me if I require you to?"

"Sure of course,I'm yours until Monday",I assured her.

"I usually nag this other kid that comes to visit her grandma,she's the sweetest, actually I think here she comes now",Miss Carla said looking directly behind me.

I instinctively turned and to my surprise I saw the brown haired girl with the hazel eyes approach.

"Mia?What are you doing here?",Sarah's eyes lit up when she saw me.

"I'm a volunteer here actually,well as of today",I replied as I hugged her.

"Seriously?This is so exciting. I didn't know we were taking volunteers Carls",Sarah smiled as she looked at Miss Carla.

"We aren't,but Mia is a special one",Miss Carla said as she returned back to her desk.

"Well I guess that means you're going to see a lot me this spring break because I come here everyday to see my old lady",Sarah said as she took her bag off her shoulder.

"Sometimes it's too difficult to get her to leave",Miss Carla laughed.

"You'll never get rid of me",Sarah rolled her eyes.

"That I know, are you going to show Mia around?",Miss Carla asked.

"Yes, I will Carls,but I wanted to ask. How is Mrs Carson?"

"Not too well I'm afraid. She keeps complaining about pain and I'm afraid to give her any meds without consulting her family members first."

"Did you get a hold of any of them?"

"No,but I'll keep trying,now you girls go ahead",Miss Carla waved us off.

"What was that about?",I asked as soon as Sarah and I were out of Miss Carla's sight.

"Mrs Carson had a bad fall in the bathroom the other day",Sarah answered.

"Oh,I overheard Miss Carla speaking to some Peter guy on the phone and it seemed pretty bad",I shrugged.

"I hope it isn't. Mrs Carson is really sweet",Sarah smiled.

"I didn't know you grandma was here,you never mentioned."

"Must have slipped my mind. I come annoy her everyday after school,and now that it's spring break I get to annoy her even more.",Sarah laughed as I followed her to through a glass door and into an open space.

"That's so cute.I can already tell you two are close."

"The closest. So... this is the garden.I wanted to show you it first because it's really beautiful. Then I'll show you the basics. It's nap time right now so you can either wait for the oldies to wake up or tomorrow when you come I'll introduce you to them",Sarah explained.

"I really want to meet them but I have to be home by three. I want to get dinner started for my mom. She finishes work at four. I kinda wanna surprise her."

"That's really nice of you,I wouldn't even do that",Sarah laughed. "Well actually my parents aren't home right now. My dad works out of town and my mom is at her sister's house because she's sick."

"You know what,you should actually come have dinner with my mom and I tonight."

"Uh"

"Please say yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"Don't ask me stupid questions!You're coming."

"Thanks Mia,as soon as I'm done reading to Nana I'll head to you. Text me your address though."