Candy Bar, Lucky Stars and Guardian Angels

Arriving at our home with a bouquet of flowers for the dinner table and a large candy bar for Pop, we welcomed our friends, Mike and Mary for our little dinner party. While I put the flowers in water, Pop exclaimed over the sizable gift; 1/4 pound of chocolate to be exact, all for him and him alone to satisfy his enormous sweet tooth.

When it came time to sit down to dinner, Pop preferred sitting by himself at his own table. Not able to follow the dinner conversation anymore, coupled perhaps with the fear of being asked a question he won't be able to answer makes dining with strangers uncomfortable for him. Why waste a great meal feeling uncomfortable must be his line of thinking. In earlier years he would have been gregarious and friendly, often exhibiting his warm sense of humor. I remember him always as the life of the party. Watching him from across the room, sitting alone in his strangely silent world, where he now lives, is almost eerie. Hopefully the ravages of his disease have erased the tendency to compare the present to his past.

In younger years, my dad loved an evening with friends. I recall fondly the many occasions our family spent with my parents friends. As a child I would be off in another room enjoying "kids play" with the other children. But drifting into our space would come an occasional burst of hoots and laughter from the adults, spontaneously erupting from one of my dad's jokes or one of his crazy shenanigans. Listening to the joy, the laughter made me feel safe, happy and a bit proud of the fact that it was my dad who was the hub of all the fun.

Being a busy hostess, I attempted to juggle the needs of our guests along with the needs of my dad, checking on him from time to time. Eventually the delightful conversation at our table got the best of me pulling my full attention toward our guests.

Now, I do believe in guardian angels. And if I understand correctly their job is to protect and warn, among other things. Either mine also has a terrific sense of humor and was enjoying so much what was taking place at my dad's table that he did not want to alert me to the gluttony. Or my dad's angel was sleeping on the job, because there was nothing that drew my attentions toward my dad until his deed was fully accomplished. When I finally turned in his direction, I observed the LAST bite of his 1/4 pound candy bar being popped into his mouth! During the dessert portion of our meal he had consumed all 4.5 ounces in one sitting!

My husband and I, along with our guests quietly chuckled aloud at the scene being played out before us. My dad, off in his own world was not aware that he had once again stirred the warmth of laughter in us and our guests. But he had. Knowing him as I do, I believe he was probably thanking his lucky stars, or his guardian angel for his wonderfully, chocolaty evening. He was content and full!