Reckless Ruby

 Posted on Facebook 10 years ago:

We took my mother-in-law to JohnBoys yesterday. We try to take her there at least once a week because she enjoys it so. Elderly people seem to be crazy about Johnboy's buffet, because the food probably reminds them of down home country cooking. There is an elderly lady we see there just about every time we go, and I think she might be related to one of Anna's in-laws. Over the years, sitting with her there we got to know her. She told us yesterday she spent the morning reading to the people too old to read for themselves but likes to be read to. I'll call her Ruby because that is not really her name. Ruby always comes by herself.

Before Ruby got there a family came in and got a table across the aisle from us. With them was a man who looked to be in his 90s, feeble and totally in another world, that didn't seem to be aware of his surroundings, tall and slim guy.

Then, Ruby came in. She had her walker and asked if the chair next to me was taken. I said no, and was getting up when she told me, "Don't you dare get up! I can get in with no problem." Which wasn't exactly true, she had a walker and caused me and everybody else on all sides duck her wobbling and pushing, and so on.

When she started edging her way with her walker in between everybody I noticed the old man that looked like he was out of this world - he suddenly came alive and watched every movement and all the havoc she was causing and he was enjoying every second of it. His eyes widened to anticipate her next movement, ready for whatever she was going to do next, and he was going to enjoy it to the utmost. He was having giggling spasms, shaking each time Ruby would accidentally knock somebody which made them bend awkward to let her by..first he was trying to hold it in, then just couldn't control it, he first had his tongue partly out and he trembled with uncontrolled giggles... then his face became red and he opened his mouth showing a big smile of original teeth and laughed and laughed. I was too busy watching him and dodging Ruby to know if the other members of his dining group knew what he was enjoying so much or not.