Dominoes

Dominoes are black and white, not rainbow colored. I learned to count by playing Dominoes. Monday, Pa and I played Dominoes and every time I say or write that word I hear it as three distinct sounds just the way Pa pronounces it (Dah-me-noes). In spite of the fog of dementia that was present since it was dinner time, Pa is still the best Dominoes player I know. We split the games 3wins for him, 2 for me.

On of my favorite stories about Pa's life in Key West revolves around Dominoes. Pa was a mailman in Cayo Hueso for 33 years, serving much of the island from the old post office. At the end of every day and every route, he ended near the old fire station near St. Mary's Church. It was here he would stop and play Dominoes and have coffee with the firemen. At some point in this story, Grandma always says this is why she never worried if he was late getting home (and bringing their mail home), he was busy playing Dominoes of course. The games were intense and very serious business.

Friends

Sundowning is a sometimes ferocious beast that can have moments of quiet in the midst of the confusion and fear. Its those moments I'm thankful for Snow, Machi, and Cookie. These men were Pa's best friends and the foursome had some adventures in their day. Unsurprisingly, it is these men that I consider his angels. For in the confusion and anxiety that is sundowning, Pa will often tell me that one or more is with him. I will sometimes arrive at Bluepoint to visit and he will be talking to, in my mind, no one. Yet, when I ask him he's talking fishing with Machi or Snow or Cookie. If its not fishing, they are reliving some other adventure and the details are vague when he tells me.

So to the unseen angels, thank you. And to those who dont believe me, you can argue with those four in heaven someday

Following the stories

Okay so it's time for me to jump into the blog world and start getting all the stories down. Somehow the title of this blog, Reliving the Cayo Hueso I Never Knew, seemed to fit my mission. I've long wanted to get the stories Pa and Grandma share down before it's too late and many of those stories are of a place I hold dear in a time I never knew.

Today was more talk of "runnning numbers" or Bollito as my cousin called it. Pa has developed an obsession almost with who owes who money and how much. For the longest time, I couldnt put it together. It seems that Pa and his friends used to run numbers from the Cuban lottery in the paper and make bets on them. So, today, he owed someone $4.

We moved from there to if the groceries, laundry, and bills were paid. His standard friday questions came a day early this week. And, yes, I have plenty of gas money.

I have to admit for as tough as dementia is on me and my family, Pa seems to be in a good reality for him. He works in his dad's shop some days and others is off to play dominoes at the fire station before going home to grandma. Yet, I'm still his Andrea-Maria today and that is all that really matters.