Alpha Babies and Omega Babies

I see them the last week of every month. They slowly enter the building. Some needing assistance and others adamant not to accept any help. They are transported by a youthful black man who appears to enjoy his occupation. Once inside they are off! It is time to shop! Some head to the vegetable market and others dash to the frozen food section. That section is adjacent to the chips and beer isle. Only one of them travels down the spirit section. He usually grabs a 30 can pack of America’s pride of beers.

 *Vintage 1945*

He evidently does not care that Budweiser sold out and abandoned their American owned brand to foreigners. That in itself is a sign of the times and a disappointing indication that America’s Seniors are of little consequence when it comes to commerce e.g. Medicaid reductions, expensive health insurance, the constant threat of social security benefit termination, mental and physical abuse. Evidence of this is within the conversation I purposely overhear.

 “I hope those crooks in Washington get their crap together. I need my social security next month. What is all the fuss about anyway? –Unknown Elderly White Female

“All the fuss is about the president being black. That’ the only reason they hindering progress. May as well me back in the 50’s when I was a young'in at Brown University. –Unknown Elderly Black Woman

They may be of the privileged old - but their stories of a late life struggle is always the subject of conversation while they share one donut among four of them; and drink free sample cups of Starbucks' coffee - while reminiscing with 1960's compliments of Folgers coffee...

"There was a time when a cup of coffee was only ten cents. Those were the days. Folgers and Maxwell House are better anyway."

Their privilege is noted and acknowledged by their place of residency. These men and women of wisdom have the resemblance of a bordering school life in their old age. Dorm style rooms, small efficiencies, fancy cafeterias, and swank great rooms: 

However, the less financially stable have to travel down the hall to relieve themselves…that’s if they are not fitted with a Depends diaper. Of course, when the elder cannot control their bladder he qualifies for a nurse aide.

My mother (not pictured above) was forced into a premature retirement. Many of her friends found themselves thrown to the curb after working for Thomasville Furniture Industries which is another company that sold out to a corporation that eventually outsourced their labor to China. Wonder if we will ever outsource the caretaking of our Golden? Thankfully, Honeybee (mom) was able to recover. She went back to school, and now she is tending to the gems of wisdom, The Old.

There is a guarantee that we have to face, Death. We are going to die one day. The condition you are in when you die should be the way you came into this world, as a Baby. When you need assistance walking, talking, relieving oneself, eating, reading, writing, standing, sleeping, understanding, learning, breathing, seeing and hearing…you are back where you started, The Alpha.

In the beginning, God created us to live a full life. One filled with joy and happiness. Somewhere along the road we make mistake after mistake that hinders the clearing of a path. Leaving us to PathFinding. We search and search until we meet that one element that bonds us all, Love. In most circumstances the battle is to embrace our love within. When we accomplish what appears to be impossible…self love…we with hesitation seek to share it. Therefore, concluding our Temporary Existence. Hopefully, in old age. 

As the surplus of Certified Nurse Assistants provide care for the Baby Boomer Generation who are in need of dignified babysitting we –the recent generations- should remember that life actually begins on two occasions:

When we are Alpha Babies and Omega Babies

*Alpha in the Hands of the Omega*