Technician Tales: Mistaken Identity

My wife and I work as technicians for Bevy of Birdhomes.  When it comes to cleaning aviaries, we have an excellent system; I clean and maintain the exterior of the wooden aviary and she climbs inside and works her magic. Our teamwork usually gets the job done fairly quickly, but it’s not always smooth sailing.

There was one time we were cleaning an aviary in a client’s assisted living facility, and there was a bit of a hang up.  My wife and I were completing service on a four-footer, and it was time to use the essential device for our post-cleaning cleanup—the shop vac. I left it in the car and had a nurse buzz me out. I made my way to the parking lot, whistling and considering what to have for lunch.

Not long after I left, according to what my wife later told me, the nurses began frantically looking out the windows and began talking to each other in urgent tones. Emergencies and other concerns are not uncommon in assisted living facilities, so my wife was unphased. After a minute or two of dialogue between the nurses, one of the younger nurses sprang out the door at top speed.

Where was she going? After me, of course.

I’m barely pushing fifty-five. Sure, my hair’s tinted gray and my stride’s a bit stiff, but in my mind I’m still as spry as I was at forty-five. Apparently, as I was about to find out, other people might not think so. I heard footsteps rapidly approaching me from behind, and it wasn’t long before a nurse appeared before me and was blocking my access to the car. She grabbed my elbow and breathlessly asked who I was, while simultaneously trying to guide me back inside.

“Don’t you recognize me? I’m the mayor of Disneyland!” I joked.

“Oh, well let’s go back in and get you something to eat. Okay?” She said kindly.

To make a long story short, my wife was summoned in order to vouch for my identity.  The nurse who initially buzzed me out confirmed my identity and I was released to go about getting the shop-vac.

Memory care patients may not get out doors on a daily basis. But the aviary provides a small substitute.  Each one is dressed up with colorful flowers and a small variety of colorful birds bringing the outdoors indoors. But I won’t lie, being mistaken for a resident did slightly hurt my pride, yet on the other hand, I wouldn’t have minded spending a week or two eating the mouthwatering food provided at the facility!