On Being Demented and a Jerk

Joe's stayed mostly indoors today and yesterday. He hasn't gotten on a mowing jag today. Thank heaven.

Saturday evening Lola decided the person standing outside in the dark on our porch was friendly, and she sat there merrily waving and smiling. Problem is, there wasn't anyone there, and if there was someone lurking in the night, she should have been screaming for help.

Joe's language skills have been so poor the last 2 days, he's been almost impossible to decipher. A few minutes ago, he asked me if I had had dinner, which I translated as: I forgot that I've had dinner and must have it again. After finishing some taco meat on a piece of bread (because he likes the meat but won't touch a taco shell or tortilla), he came back in and asked me, "Have you found something good back there?" I translated this as: I want an ice cream bar. I got one for him and stupidly asked him if that's what he wanted. He said, "Well, this is the best so if someone else needs it, I don't want it."

I'm throwing my hands in the air over communicating with the man. Do you want it or not???? Because you're not fooling me one bit with that unselfish act.

Now mind you, this all is happening at 8:45 p.m., with 8:00 p.m. being his usual bedtime. By this time I get antsy because I'm just tired of dealing with him and really do want him to simply go to bed.

Lest you wonder, my issue with the communication is not that his mind is slipping, and figuring out what he needs is difficult at times. My issue is selective deafness and that most of what he says is in a tone of voice that conveys irritation, anger, and superiority. In other words, he acts like a jerk. Many years ago, Joe proudly told my husband that when he (Joe) got old he was going to be a shitty old man and an asshole.  He can be proud of himself.

At 9:15 p.m. he finally got himself in bed. I noticed that he had put his partial back in sometime this evening. I have no clue how he was standing to wear that over the sockets of his pulled teeth. I have to trust he could bear it. I got him to put the partial and the upper denture in the denture cup and put a cleaning tablet in there. Whew. Did those uppers ever need it.