Cane and Able

She looks so sweet.

She's got a spine of steel.

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Sissy and I took Nan to lunch yesterday. She's using her spiffy new cane to get around and she’s pretty quick with it.

So quick we have to tell her to slow down.

We sat in the booth and started looking over the menus. After a little while, we chose our meals and sat, waiting for them to come out. While we were waiting, we watched the hostess lead an elderly man to the table right next to us. Nan noticed he was using a cane just like hers. She started to give him the eye, like maybe he had stolen her cane. Even though it was right next to Sissy, tucked away in the booth.

She wanted to know where her cane was. We showed it to her and she made a low comment about thinking that the elderly man had taken her cane. No, no, we assured her. Your cane is safe and sound in the booth.

Harrumph, she said. He better not think about taking my cane, thinking it belongs to him.

She gave him the stink eye again. Sissy and I just laughed.

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About five minutes later, the elderly gentleman got up to go to the restroom, leaving his cane at the table.

Nan looked intently at his cane. That’s just like my cane, she said again, narrowing her eyes.

Yes, but yours is purple - his is black, we told her.

I like the purple, she said, and looked at her cane to make sure it was still in the booth.

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The elderly gentleman came back and the waitress served him his soup. We got served our sandwiches. Nan had ordered the chicken salad and it was generously overstuffed. She had to use a fork to eat some of the chicken salad. She took the tomatoes off the sandwich and had a bite or two, then nibbled at some french fries that Sissy gave her.

All the while she kept looking over at the elderly gentleman.

He’s old. But not as old as I am, she smirked. He walks pretty sturdy.

The elderly man had finished his soup and the waitress cleared his bowl when she brought his entree - baked fish, mashed potatoes, and corn kernels. He dug in to his meal.

Nan’s eyes got wide. I thought he was only having the soup, she said. He’s got a pretty good appetite. Maybe that’s why he’s lasted so long.

Sissy and I looked at each and laughed. YOU have a good appetite, Nan! Maybe that’s why YOU’VE lasted so long!

Nan laughed.

Maybe I should give him some of my sandwich?! she smiled. Now that she was sure he wasn’t out to steal her cane, she had warmed up to the man.

He never knew he provided us with so much entertainment that day.