My day with Manny yesterday... that man can EAT!!

Ok so yesterday I took Manny to town with me... He was so happy to have someone else driving... I took him to his bank, we went to my bank and then I asked him to lunch at Sizzler... I told him he would be doing me a favor, because no one in my family likes Sizzler and I crave double Malibu chicken... [Gram Pam and Nurse Pam know this huh!]
So he was all excited... I ordered my Double Malibu Chicken with salad bar and he ordered a salad bar... then he ordered coffee... and then he asked if they had 'Sanka' coffee...
WTH I haven't heard the word Sanka in years... then he changed it to diet Pepsi...

Oh boy... let me tell you... I have never seen anyone eat so much in my life! We were there for 3 hours!!! He had broccoli cheese soup, then ate the french fries off my plate, then he ate 4 plates of spaghetti with meatballs, with chicken wings... then he ate 2 bowls of ice cream... and drank 4 large glasses of Diet Pepsi! WHOA!!!

Two months ago, I would have been chanting 'patience is a virtue' in my head... but yesterday I sat back and enjoyed it all... soaking it in... grateful for the second chance...

A Marine and his son were seated next to us... when they got up to leave Manny says
"Are you a Marine?" the man says "Yes, 13 yrs now" then they start talking Marine tech talk... Manny says "What is your M something or other" the guy says "Recruiting" then Manny says "No your original M something?" the man says "artillery" Manny says "Me too"
The man says "Its all different now... kind of like a video game" "Does your son do the 30 inch walk?" they laugh, I have no idea what they are saying LOL "Where did you go to boot?" blah blah blah... then Manny has to shake his hand... and does that "Go ahead squeeze as hard as you can... not too bad for 83 huh" The man laughs... He clearly enjoyed this conversation... Manny thanks him for serving...

I just sit back and watch... Manny is having a good day... Which I realize is a blessing to see... He tells me its a great day for him "I got to go to town with a beautiful woman, and she bought me lunch! It doesn't get any better than this!!" I laugh..
He calls me 'Kid' a lot...
"You know Kid, life is short... in the blink of an eye its gone... it goes by too fast... enjoy every day!"
"Manny, maybe the other side is pretty good too yanno?"
"Ahhhh... I wanna stay here... I got things to do... the VA says I only have 2 months... I hope they are wrong... what do you think? You think I only got 2 months?"
"Nah... I think you got longer than that... look how good you eat!" he laughs
"I don't wanna go yet... I got things to do..."
"Ya? Like what? What do you want to do?" I am ready to start a 'Bucket List' LOL
the things he wants to do are all home maintenance... [stuff that would take a day to fix]
"Ok so when those things are done... you'll be ready to go then?" I tease and he laughs
He just wants to stay...
He is struggling with his mortality... he is afraid he will get so sick he can't stay in his house...
"For the first time in my life... I FEEL old..." he says reflecting
"Well, I hope the first time I feel old is when I am 83 yrs old, Manny!" he laughs "I know... I keep forgetting I am 83... my mind says I am much younger"
I know the feeling!
In my mind I am much younger and then I pass a mirror and think "OMG I am getting old!!"
"Your not old Kid! You got 40 more years... I wish I had 40 more years!"

He makes me feel young... I like that! He makes me see the flowers on the side of the road... He makes me realize everyday is a gift, no matter the struggle... He makes me enjoy life more...

I am so happy he came back from the dead to teach me about LIFE...