The Book of Leah

Long White Cadillac - Chapter 14

Thursday morning, June 11th,  Sycamore Manor, WI

Jake pulled into the Sycamore Manor parking lot at 9:40 am. A friendly receptionist named Kessie greeted him with a smile.

"Miss Edith will be thrilled you're here," Kessie grinned. "It's wonderful of you to take her for a drive today. She simply adores her Cadillac."

"Right," Jake said, completely clueless and wondering what he'd gotten himself into.

"Since you're here, I'll have Martin bring it around. It'll be waiting upfront for you both when you head out," she said efficiently. "She's right down corridor eight, room 507."

Jake entered the atrium where corridors branched out like spokes on a wagon wheel. He found corridor eight and, halfway down, room 507. A sign on the door read "E. Glass" with a handwritten note taped beside it that said "Knock First."

Jacob gave two light raps.

"Who is it?" came a thin but sharp voice from inside.

"It's Jacob, Aunt Edith. Grandpa asked me to come.." he began, but she cut him off mid-sentence.

"I know what I asked Alvin. Come in, please, we need to get going," she said. He heard a click, and he slowly opened the door.

She wore a light, long-sleeved yellow blouse and brown slacks. Her face was drawn tight, her lightly permed white hair, with her dark gray eyes seemed to pierce right through him. She was about 5'6" and a little hunched over, but not bad for someone nearing 100 years old.

"My walkers are on the dresser if you wouldn't mind getting them, please," she said as Jake took a quick look around the small studio apartment that was her room. He saw the dresser and her Adidas sneakers.

"Thank you for helping me get them on," she said as she sat on the bed.

"Would you like me to call for a wheelchair to take you to the car?" Jake asked as he carefully put her shoes on.

"I already called, dear, but thank you," she said matter-of-factly. There was a pause, followed by two taps on the door.

"Are you ready to go, Miss E.?" came a warm, Caribbean-accented voice.

"Almost, Raymond," Edith said as she got to her feet and moved toward the door as it opened smoothly.

"Raymond's a musician in a Ska band," Edith explained as she made introductions. "This is my great-nephew Jacob; he's going to be my driver today."

"Nice to meet you, Jacob," Raymond said as his large frame carefully maneuvered beside Edith and helped her into the wheelchair.

"Good to meet you," Jake said. "You play Ska, that's awesome. The music has such great energy."

"Yeah, it does, man," Raymond said.

"I play lead guitar in a band with some friends. I also do some vocals, nothing too crazy, just rock and roll," Jake told him.

"That's great," Raymond said. "Ms. E.'s listened to my music; she's pretty hip, you know," Raymond said with a knowing smile.

"I've always been hip," Edith declared. "I danced to Sidney Bechet live in Chicago when I was your age, Jake. If it weren't for people like him, you wouldn't have your rock and roll."

"Wow, that's amazing! You were a flapper girl?" Jake said.

"Damn right I was," Edith said with a twinkle in her eye. "Your whole 'partying like it's 1999' thing had nothing on the 20s," she said with a cackle, and Raymond let out a deep belly laugh.