Stroke Survivor being mistaken for an inmate at retirement home when visiting.

As I passed a lift the doors opened, a smiling woman exited, flung her arms around me and greeted me with a kiss like a long lost friend. I had no idea who she was and she didn’t know me.

She was visiting a nursing home and because I was in a wheelchair assumed I was a resident. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I too was a visitor and didn’t reside at the aged care facility. Such encounters leave you feeling rather at a loss. ‘Do I really look as old as the residents who were sitting about and nodding off, or as doddery as those on their wheelers as they struggled to walk down the corridor?’

Such a strange thing to happen but it brightens the day and gives you a chuckle afterwards. Even leaving you with a nice feeling that a perfect stranger would greet someone they thought was a resident in such a friendly manner.

Over the years I have had some funny if not unusual encounters with perfect strangers, like the woman who circled me in a shopping centre when I was attempting one of my ill fated walks. I was obviously struggling and not managing very well but even so the encounter left me some what speechless. This woman had stopped in front of me and about three paces away. She then walked a full 360° around me. All the while looking me up and down, before settling her eyes on my legs for a brief moment or two. Finally she looked me in the face and said, ‘If your leg is that bad I hate to think what the other one is like’. Then without another word she disappeared many other passing shoppers. Strange I thought wondering if this encounter had really just happened.

Then there was the time just prior to me moving into my new home. My new neighbour to be from across the street was curious to know more about me. So she said to a friend, ‘I hear the person who has bought the unit has had a stroke. Why isn’t she going into a nursing home?’ To which my friend replied,  ‘She isn’t quite nursing home material yet’. This curious soul turned out to be a wonderful neighbour who used to bake delicious scones and chocolate éclairs and would leave them for me on my front veranda. To my dismay one day I found an empty plate and wrapping and saw the dog from down the street disappearing out the gateway with its tail wagging. No éclairs for me that day.

I suppose we are all a little strange and to quote the Social reformer Robert Owens, ‘All the world is queer save thee and me, and even thou art a little queer’ Mostly I have found people are very courteous and offer to help in lots of ways for which I am most grateful.

We encounter all sorts of people as we journey through life. Some of whom behave in ways that might seem a little odd or say things which might sound somewhat tactless.

But whatever the situation it is important to remember,  ‘Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.’ Philippians 2:4