Cooties.

One night during Smokey's second stint in the hospital, two volunteers came 'round the unit. Both women were on the shady side of sixty-five, and one proudly announced that she was eighty-six. Their energy and enthusiasm and dedication to brightening the days (nights?) of the patients was remarkable, as was the fact that they were both wearing clown costumes. No red noses, though; I asked about that.

Their mission was to offer a pen and small notebook to each patient. Smokey had been wishing for some paper and a pencil earlier that day, so he was mighty pleased with their gift. Their kindness was inspiring to him.

The pen:

"Compliments Military Order of the Cootie Grand of MN"

Comments

[tammy]

That's all kinds of wonderful. :)

[Cookie]

Awwwwwwwwwwwww...

I was really impressed that our local hospital gives each inmate a little gift bag with notepad, pen, earplugs, eyeshades for sleeping and an assortment of toiletries. Always nice when people realize that patients are people, too.

[bullwinkle]

/snicker ... what does that *mean*?? (And who cares - it give you something to joke about (and blog!) but someone had to decide that it was worthy of printing.)

[gayle]

If they really wanted to cheer him up, they should have given him one of the hats...

[Vicki]

That's awesome.

[Erika]

Argh, there is nothing worse than needing a pen and paper and not having either!