About explaining things

Got urgent telephone call from my one and only great grandson, Novio, last Saturday. Said he had something “’portant” to talk about. The little three-year-old guy was very serious in asking how I was and told me he was fine.

Then I mentioned that we would be seeing each other this Christmas when he flew up to Kalispell. He explained it is a long ways from Santa Cruz to Kalispell, and he liked riding in the big airplanes; however, he implied such a trip was not a completely fun thing to do. That is when he said, “Papa, I want you to come see me and visit my house.”

That honest and loving request touched me, and I started explaining it is harder for me to get around because, “Papa is getting old.” Novio’s instant question was, “Why are you doing that?”

I had forgotten how difficult it is to explain certain things to the very young but told him people who have lived for many years sometime have a harder time walking a long ways on hard places like cement and pavement. He solved that by emphatically explaining, “Papa! You don’t have to walk to the airport.”

Novio’s mother, Tana, was also on the phone, and his logical solution to my ambulatory problem completely broke us up. Our laughter apparently decided Novio he would rather continue the discussion at another time. He hung up.

In the news last week, a Kalispell woman was hauled into court on felony warrants for burglary and theft. Authorities charge she had illegally entered her grandfather’s house and taken $16,000 from his safe. In her appearance before a district judge, she claimed she only took $9,000 and just did it to support her drug habit. “Felony” theft is “felony” theft, regardless of the amount stolen beyond the established level, so it’s doubtful her self-claimed lower figure will do her any good, if the case goes to trial.

That incident reminded me of a similar case out of thousands I’ve reported on down through the years. A man from Lower Valley was once hauled into court for fraudulently receiving $18,000 in disability compensation. He didn’t follow proper procedures of informing authorities after he recovered full health following an industrial accident.

It was his misfortune to be mentioned on my morning rundown of “dingbats, wingnuts and loonytoons.” Within 10 minutes of my newscast, he called the radio station in an angry state. He wanted “that Ostrom guy” to thoroughly understand he had only gotten away with $13,000. Takes all kinds.

These incidents came up for conversation during our Over the Hill Gang’s daily coffee klatch. Longtime member Dr. Hi Gibson told of an incident he heard about at an eye doctors convention some years ago. The doctor involved said a patient came to his office suffering from massive cataracts in both eyes, one of the worst cases possible. The man had to be led into the office. A successful surgery followed within a few days, and the patient’s eyesight was restored to 20/20 with glasses. Wonderful, everyone thought.

A month later, the now visually unimpaired man came raging into the doctor’s office. When he had been calmed down a bit and led to a private room for discussion with the doctor, he was asked to explain the cause of his fury. The man’s answer to the doctor? “Why didn’t you tell me I would lose my disability payments?”

Yep! It takes all kinds.

A final note. Iris and I would like to thank from the bottom of our hearts all the unbelievable people who staff the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls, from the cleaning folks to the nurses, supervisors and doctors. There could not be a more well-managed sanctuary for those who need loving and often times, difficult care. It defies our imagination how thoughtful, caring and organized the entire atmosphere is. Our son Shannon is adapting well and recovering from this summer’s surgeries. They even let him hang his two favorite big-game trophy racks on the wall of his room. What could be better than that?

G. George Ostrom is a national award-winning Hungry Horse News columnist. He lives in Kalispell.