LA TRAVIATA

LA TRAVIATA It is absolutely incredible. I sometimes think I have died and gone to heaven. Life in this nursing home is that good. It is probably the best place that I have ever lived. And I am 79 years old, having extended eye surgery, and still recovering from a lifetime of addiction and dissolute behavior. I was recently in a public shelter for four months. I was lucky or blessed to get into here. No one else wanted to take me. It is in an alternative culture neighborhood. I am Caucasian. I have fallen in love with black culture. These people have been so good to me. I fell asleep watching an opera on DVD, on my laptop…a marginal unit that was given to me. I may be the only resident here who has one. The opera was LA TRAVIATA, Puccini’s grand masterpiece about a fallen woman, dying with tuberculosis, comforted by her grieving lover. It was the only one of the six I own that I could get to play with English subtitles. Earlier, I watched Jim Carey in A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE INCIDENTS with my lady friend who is in her 90’s and deaf. I turned on the closed captions, and she could read. She is another miracle in my present life. I have never married, been engaged five times, lived with two different women in California (I am in Texas.), was in love with a woman I met when young, for all of my life, but have not seen or talked to in 50 years. She is married, in Palestine. And I was bisexual. All of that has changed now. I am in love again, miraculously; and I am no longer a radical liberal. I believe in the Bible, rightly understood. So, I woke up from my sleep with the opera ending. It was the death of Violetta, the heroine. The room was otherwise dark. My roommate had been watching basketball when I fell asleep. Now, all but my laptop was Dark. My friend was long gone to her room across the hall…and sleeping, I feel sure. I checked my bank balance which is marginal, and bought a root beer and cupcakes from vending machines. I am writing this down separately from my usual journal so I can send it out and post it. It is one o’clock in the morning. I don’t know if I will get back to sleep. I should. I have an eye doctor appointment in the morning. Gerald Allen George gageorge0245@gmail.com

hello

it's been a while, a couple of years. i moved out of the group home situation, late last summer, after a couple of years. gave up my apartment before that. it was too expensive and awkward. had lost half of my eyesight and much of my equilibrium. extensive remodeling made staying impossible. wanted to go to a nursing home then. could not get a recommendation. theh group home situation also became impossible. did not feed correctly....along with other things. went to the shelter. was not that bad, got good counsel and the price was right. stayed four months. got into here just before christmas...w/o a doctor's recommendation. love it. an excellent nursing situation. intend to stay here indefinitely. getting my eyesight back and other good things. have this computer from a friend at trinity episcopal. been keeping a journal. have a lady friend here. very happy. still in fort worth. was in arlinton briefly. will be posting here now, less on facebook. am still a conservative christian. not likely to change. work writing...and reading, most of the night. may start skipping breakfast in the dining room at 7. does not suit my schedule. i go to sleep around five. they bring a breakfast to my room. not great, but adequate, aquaduck. good morning. g.