I enter Mrs. Needale's room. One of my many jobs at the home is to collect the laundry from the residents.

"Hello, Jennifer," I say as I enter the room.

"Hello, Sam."

"Have any laundry for me today?"

"Always."

I only need to collect the laundry every two or three days, so there is always something left in the hamper.

"Great. How are you feeling?"

"Meh."

"I see."

"And yourself?"

"I'm feeling very good. I'm going on vacation in the next week."

"Where are you going?"

"Nowhere actually. I'm going to stay around the house and relax."

"Oh, have fun."

"I will."

Jennifer Needale, at 82 years old, is a dignified and graceful woman living in a quiet nursing home. Her once jet-black hair has softened into silver strands, which she wears neatly pinned back, revealing her sharp blue eyes that still carry a spark of intelligence and wit. Time has slowed her movements, and arthritis bends her fingers, but her mind remains sharp, and she often delights the staff with stories of her younger days as a schoolteacher. She dresses impeccably, always preferring soft cardigans and elegant scarves, even in the nursing home. Jennifer spends her afternoons by the large window in the common room, reading books or working on crossword puzzles, savoring the sunlight and the occasional visits from her children and grandchildren. Though age has brought her physical limitations, Jennifer maintains a sense of quiet resilience, facing each day with a mixture of patience and wisdom earned from a long, full life.

I pick up Mrs. Needale's laundry and set it aside from the other apparel I have collected. Once I am done with the floor, I hide Mrs. Needale's laundry in my locker before dumping the rests for pickup by the service.

At the end of the day, I take her laundry with me. No one asks any questions as I leave. Why should they?

My heart leaps into my throat as I drive home. Soon I will be pretending to be her. I don't know why I want to pretend to be an elderly woman. It's not for the money or glamour. It's just something I want to do. I can't explain it. Besides I'm not going to hurt anyone. No one will now what had happened, not even Mrs. Needale.

I pull out the apparel from the pag and look through it. Let's see three pairs of white cotton panties, two front snap bras, a knit cotton skirt with an elastic waist, two polyester roll sleeve blouses in a navy floral print and a soft pink color, knit pajamas with a V-neck in a mint chevon print.

All of the clothes are designed for the elderly. They are soft and easy to get on and off by either the resident or the staff. All the apparel has Jennifer N sewn in to indicated who the garments belong too. One of my jobs is to resort the apparel after they have been returned from the laundry.

Since I intend to keep this clothing, I have to buy duplicates and return them to Mrs. Needole. If I do that while sticking in a new name tag before the clean laundry is returned to the home, no one will know anything is missing.

I know where she purchased these items. There isn'y much of a selection of stores that carry these type of products. I look up what I need and order them. They'll be here tomorrow.

The whole next day I can't wait to get home. My new apparel should arrive. I need to 'process them'. I have to sew in the Jennifer N name tag and then wash all the apparel several times so they don't look new anymore. One washing is not enough, I suppose I'll need ten, which will take about five hours. Once I am done I just have to include it with whichever batch of clothing came in that day from the laundry. No one will care if it arrives a bit early.

My plan is coming together, I'll need a few things, the first thing I have to do is to arrange care for himself. I checked on the internet for a nursing agency and called one up.

Sam: (dialing the number, then waiting as the phone rings)

Agency Representative: "Good afternoon, Caring Hearts Nursing Agency. This is Linda. How may I assist you today?"

Sam: "Hi, my name is Sam Needale, and I'm calling because I need to arrange for someone to stay with my mother for a couple of days. I'm going out of town, and she can't be left alone."

Linda: "Of course, Mr. Needale. We can definitely help with that. Could you tell me a little more about your mother? What kind of care does she need?"

Sam: "Sure, her name is Jennifer Needale. She's 82, and she's been staying with me at my house. She's mostly independent, but she has arthritis and needs help with some daily tasks---getting dressed, preparing meals, and moving around the house. She doesn't need medical care per se, just someone to be there, assist her, and keep her company."

Linda: "Got it. So, she'll need more of a companion and caregiver to help with her daily routine. Is she on any specific medications or does she have any particular needs we should know about?"

Sam: "Yes, she takes a couple of medications for her arthritis, but they're pretty straightforward. She knows when to take them, but I'd feel better if someone could remind her and just keep an eye on things to make sure she's taking them properly."

Linda: "Understood. We can make sure the caregiver is aware of that. How long will you be out of town, and when do you need the nurse to start?"

Sam: "I'm leaving on Thursday morning, so I'd need someone to come by early Thursday and stay until Saturday evening when I get back. Two full days, essentially."

Linda: "Okay, so that's a live-in situation for two days. We can arrange for someone to stay with her the entire time, making sure she's comfortable and has everything she needs. Let me just check our availability... brief pause Yes, we have a few caregivers available for those dates. Would you prefer someone who has experience with elderly clients or anyone specific?"

Sam: "Definitely someone experienced with seniors, especially because she can get a little stubborn about accepting help. She's used to doing things on her own, so I need someone who's patient and gentle."

Linda: "Absolutely. We have several caregivers who specialize in elder care and are used to working with independent seniors. I'll make sure we match you with someone who's a good fit. We usually send over a brief profile of the caregiver ahead of time. Would that be okay?"

Sam: "Yes, that would be great. I'd like to know who'll be staying with her before they arrive."

Linda: "Perfect. Just to confirm, you'll need the caregiver from Thursday morning to Friday evening at your home. Can you provide the address?"

Sam: "(gives address)"

Linda: "Thank you. We'll email you the caregiver's profile later today, and we'll make sure they arrive Thursday morning as requested. Is there anything else you'd like us to know, or any other concerns?"

Sam: "No, I think that covers it. Just that my mom can be a little hesitant to accept help, so if the caregiver can handle that, we'll be fine."

Linda: "I completely understand. We'll send someone who is not only experienced but also compassionate and understanding. If anything comes up, feel free to call us, and we'll be happy to assist. I'll also follow up on Saturday to make sure everything went smoothly."

Sam: "Thanks, Linda. I appreciate it."

Linda: "You're welcome, Mr. Needale. We'll take good care of your mother while you're away. Have a safe trip."

Sam: "Thank you. Take care."