Lonely Old Ladies

I could never be a Superhero.
I'd get too tired, I'd get too bored, I'd get too frustrated, and I would become jaded.
I don't really like Batman, as far as Superheroes go, but sometimes I can relate.
Batman was a regular guy who acquired some means through an inheritance which he used to try to make other people's lives better.

Since I was a kid, I'd always admired the way the mysterious Magi were portrayed in movies.
When problems would arise, these mythical Magi would swoop in to save the day - only to later disappear without a trace or a need for reward.
I'd always wanted to be Johnathan Hart (of Hart to Hart).
When I asked my mom what it was that the fictitious couple did, "They're philanthropists", she relied.
"What is that?", I asked.
"They help people", she responded.
"That's what I want to be when I grow up", I said.

But life takes some strange turns.
My childhood plan was to join the military (I wanted to be a Green Beret, Army Ranger or Navy Seal), then become a priest, then become a teacher, and finally to become a philanthropist.
While none of these dreams were in the cards for me, I did end up trying to help people.

But sometimes Batman wanted to just chill with Catwoman in an attempt to get some...
well...
cat.
But his progress was often interrupted by a call of distress.
When the Bat signal shone - Batman would have to leave whatever he was doing for another time.

This is often the problem when dealing with people who always seem to need one thing or another. People who always need something,are people who always need something.
From the families I mentor, to the kids I tutor - the lonely old ladies are the worst.
Some smoke too much, some have too many cats, while others are just kind of mean and bossy.

I've been awoken at three in the morning to unclog toilets.
(The woman was scared and lonely on a cold winter night. Apparently, she flushed a towel down the toilet as an excuse to have some one at her home to allay her fears.)
I've had old women call me to help them change their clothes and bathe after they'd pissed in their Depends and none of their family members would answer their calls.
I've had old women call me because they were hungry .
(And I can't cook. But I guess burnt food is better than no food.)
I've had old women call me because they couldn't tell which medicine they were supposed to take because their home health provider had failed to show up that day.
I've been called in the middle of the night because many of these women hear strange noises.

But what I've come to realize is that most of this drama is created to get attention.
Most of these old ladies only have company when things are going wrong.
Most of these old ladies are just lonely.