
It's Naomi's day off. She isn't working first, second, or third shift at the Brethren Nursing Home today, and she's excited to go swimming. All summer, it's what she talks about. When her sister Rhoda said they were putting in a pool back in June, Naomi was certain that she'd go swimming many times this summer, but now it's already late July and she still hasn't been. Rhoda's house is an hour away and on her days off, Naomi isn't terribly interested. She wants to rest. And on days she has off, the weather prediction is often poor—calling for overcast skies or hurricane-like rains. She wants to read through some of her favorite sections in her Bible, hang out with Blaze, and read the new romance books she's been meaning to get to. This rarely happens. But today she is prepared to go any distance for a pool.
Of course, inevitably, her mom will call, and today is no different: her mom calls, asking if Naomi can take her grandfather to his doctor's appointment, because her mom needs to go to her own appointment, because her eye is swelling up, and she can't see well enough to drive. I am staying with Naomi because I want to write an in-depth story about her, so I end up driving her grandfather to his appointments. Naomi takes her mother all over the place, from general practitioner for what they think is poison ivy, to a specialist when the doctor worries about shingles. So Naomi loses her day off and it becomes a family day, rather than a work day, yet no less draining.
When she comes home later, she will complain, as any single, childless woman with a big family would; just because she doesn't have kids of her own doesn't mean that she doesn't have plans. "And I feel bad,” she said, “because if I did have a family, I know I'd be busy, but it just isn't fair. What, do I have 'No Life' stamped to my forehead?"
She falls into her easy chair and gets on her phone to text friends and scan Facebook, with her little dog Blaze in her lap like a child.
Of course, inevitably, her mom will call, and today is no different: her mom calls, asking if Naomi can take her grandfather to his doctor's appointment, because her mom needs to go to her own appointment, because her eye is swelling up, and she can't see well enough to drive. I am staying with Naomi because I want to write an in-depth story about her, so I end up driving her grandfather to his appointments. Naomi takes her mother all over the place, from general practitioner for what they think is poison ivy, to a specialist when the doctor worries about shingles. So Naomi loses her day off and it becomes a family day, rather than a work day, yet no less draining.
When she comes home later, she will complain, as any single, childless woman with a big family would; just because she doesn't have kids of her own doesn't mean that she doesn't have plans. "And I feel bad,” she said, “because if I did have a family, I know I'd be busy, but it just isn't fair. What, do I have 'No Life' stamped to my forehead?"
She falls into her easy chair and gets on her phone to text friends and scan Facebook, with her little dog Blaze in her lap like a child.