HELPLESS? - Octover 2009 - El Ojo del Lago

HELPLESS?

By Mel Goldberg

After a stroke left Eddie able to speak but no longer walk or move his left arm, he had to sit in a chair all day while his wife, Alicia, continued to work as an office manager.

One day, Eddie leaned too far back in his chair and fell over on his back. Unable to rise, he lay there for several hours until Alicia came home for lunch to check on him. She was too frail to lift him, and the elderly man in the condo next door was no help.

The old man snapped his fingers. “Hey, there’s a young woman just moved into the condo next to mine. She looks strong. Maybe she could give us a hand.”

He left and returned with a tall, muscular blond woman wearing a tank-top and shorts. She looked at Eddie sitting on the floor, almost in tears.

“No problem,” she said. “I work out with weights every day. This’ll be easy.”

She put her hands under Eddie’s armpits, pulled him back toward her until his head rested between her ample breasts. Then she rocked him back and forth as she lifted him as easily as you could lift a five pound bag of flour. When she set him in his chair, he was grinning.

Alicia was relieved. “Thanks, uh. ..”

“Barbara. Name’s Barbara, and I’m glad to help.”

Now, two or three times a week, when Alicia goes to work, Eddie tips himself over and calls Barbara.