My mom works in patient care/customer service for the neurology department of a large university. She does her best to help guide some very troubled people through the University health-care system. She sees it all: schizophrenia, Alzheimers, Tourettes, etc...It's like going to work in an Oliver Sacks book everyday. Many of the patients are elderly and the neuro dept is located on the grounds of a nursing care facility. At Christmas, staff members get wish lists of gifts from elderly folks all over the Atlanta area. Many of these people are old and living in poverty. Ma is buying presents for nine of them.
Five of them, five of them, asked for canned goods.
Here's some potted meat from an anonymous stranger. Merry Fucking Christmas.
Canned goods. Sweet Jesus.
It gets worse.
The other four, all of em, asked for Depends. Yup, adult diapers.
Happy holidays! Pray for death.
Ma is a generous soul: these beloved elders of our local community stand to get both Beefarooni and some Goddamned diapers. Imagine that. I hope I do not have the misfortune to grow old and infirm in America. The next Xmas commercial I see equating diamonds with love is going to provoke a fit of rage with an existential crisis for a chaser.
