Dad meets an ipod

Dad’s in a much better mood today. He’s talking a lot and hardly mentions being blind. He’s also being a little silly - seeing some boxes on the floor, he asked “do I have to jump over that?”

Upon being shown the door buzzer by Kate S., he said “Hey, that’s really something! Now I know how to get people in. I usually go downstairs.” Thinking about going downstairs, he remembers his escapade w/ Marie/Obama: “ That was not the first time I went down there bare-assed and someone was very upset about it. They must have thought they were in the house of a lunatic. I guess it got around. People talk about it.”

Later Kate S. and I were discussing dessert “Does chocolate mousse cake need cream cheese?” she asked me, “ No, but we don’t have any rum. We have some Bailey’s,” I told her. Dad, who was listening, asked “bay leaf?” Kate S. responded “Bailey’s, it’s like coffee . . .” “but it’s alcohol,” I interjected. Dad said, puzzled “it’s alcohol disguised as coffee?”

“Dad, would you like some tea?” I ask. “Tea? Tea? I’d like some tea. I haven’t had much tea all my life. Just coffee coffee coffee coffee coffee coffee.” Kate teases him by declaring “Coffee Marches On.” “It certainly does,” says Dad, smiling.

“Where is that music coming from?” asks Dad, tortilla chip in hand. We’re listening to the pan flutes again. “From the cd player on the couch,” says Kate S., brightly. “I know that.” says Dad in a tone of mock annoyance. “Oh,” says Kate, “this music comes from Peru.”

Dad asks Kate S. if she reads on her long commute home. “No, I listen to music,” she says. “I have this little thing,” and she gets out her ipod and shows it to him. “This can hold 4,000 songs,” she says. Dad is shocked. “4,000 songs!” He says “what next?” She lets him listen to it. “I never suspected anything like this! How much do you have to pay for that?” “This was $140,” “That’s all? How do they get that many in that thing?” Kate S. tries to explain digital music, but it’s hopeless. She proceeds to spend the next half hour answering his questions about ipods.