February 9, 2013
8-8:20
Water for Elephants
Pages: 105-112

Jacob wakes up in the present again to the nice nurse. He gets mad when she opens the blinds without asking because he thinks they think they know better than he does about what he wants. The nurse realizes this and tries to be nicer and asking him things and stuff instead of just doing them but he is sceptical of her genuineness. He eats his breakfast in his room because he doesn't want to smell the feces in the dining hall from the people getting changed. He remembers that today is the day he gets to go to the circus. He talks about how undignified it is to be old since people are always helping him to take showers and go to the washroom. He misses his wife and thinks of how if she were still alive he wouldn't be in this place. How his kid control his money and put him in the place after she died and he misses his house. He has 5 kids who have their own problems and he understands why they didn't offer to let him live with them. He only knows of a few of their problems but not all of them because they don't tell him stuff. He understands because they don't want to upset him like how a teenager distances themselves from their parents in preparation of leaving home. He's happy though because they kept their promise to visit him and every Sunday someone comes. But they only make small talk and stay until 5 when they leave. He thinks all his stories are outdated. The nurse comes back with his breakfast and she snuck some sugar and cream even though she's not suppose to. He doesn't eat though because he sees himself in the mirror and sees how old he looks and gets sad because he's not ready to be old. He's happy though because the sky looks the same.

The part about the undignified made me sad because a lot of elderly people probably feel this way and it isn't right for us to assume they need someone all the time and we should give them more dignity. Also, it made me sad about the visiting because it might make him feel unwanted and like a burden. He also made me scared to get old.

I read alright today because I read at my Nonna's house but I was able to finish a chapter.