Aging - The Opportunity of a Lifetime
It’s a bittersweet story of Aunt Camille. Born in the Bronx, New York in 1925 to Italian immigrant parents she was a rebel for her time. Camille was a gritty, New Yorker, Yankee fan, (the baseball audio file is Camille talking about the sport, and meeting Joe DiMaggio after he retired while at an Italian American parade in Scranton, PA, she also mentions her brother-in-law, my father with whom she was good friends) a Frank Sinatra lover, and she appreciated innovative music. Aunt Camille turned me on to Art Tatum, one of the great jazz pianists of her time. She is part of a bygone era. She could have been a member of the Rat Pack if they had female members.
The always independent Aunt Camille, no husband, no kids, no siblings or parents left, was getting on in years.
Camille taught me a few things,
1) People need other people to care, not just be there, not their money, but to take a stand and care.
2) Age is a state of mind
3) Get people out of their comfort zone with a gentle push and a pair of strong shoulders
4) Our remarkable American society is pretty cruel to the elderly
5) Children should be around old people and visa versa, it builds character and gives credibility to being silly
6) It is easy to do the right thing, no matter how hard
This journey started in May when I visited Aunt Camille and realized she couldn’t do life on her own. The two flights of stairs in her apartment, making meals, even paying bills were becoming unbearable. “Aunt Camille, let’s go to Minnesota and see what happens. It will be our little adventure,” I said. That plane ride with me had to be a frightening experience. Leaving all she knew, but what the hell, if the Yankees can play in a new Yankee Stadium, surely Joe DiMaggio’s greatest fan can take a few at bats in Minnesota.
Hanging Out
We did a lot together, in part because we both needed to be around each other; she out of fear of being alone and me out of fear of losing her before we could determine if the adventure was a success. I am
We would have coffee just about every morning, and when we didn’t, we’d have lunch together. Aunt Camille found a new friend in our dog Torrie. It is amazing how much love dogs can give. Aunt Camille talks about Torrie in the audio file named Torrie.
I also knew that Aunt Camille can teach my family something about giving, caring, sacrifice, and time. Yes, time, and the ability to perceive it as a youth is a rare gift. To perceive that time is relative to each individual. My time is not someone else’s. Perhaps that is why our family spent so much time with Aunt Camille without breaking much of the routine of the Maruggi family. Yikes, that meant Aunt Camille was at the soccer field, over to the little league field, in the office, at the house, eating at McDonalds, Cosetta’s, shopping at Target and Lunds, (God I’m exhausted just recounting this). All of the kids and my wife all took their time with Aunt Camille, some of it was to listen to a story told for the 5th time, some of it was their sharing a highlight from the day or their school.
One of my favorites was the trip to take Eddie to drum lesson’s at Ellis’ Drum Shop. Aunt Camille and I waited for Eddie spending time playing some of the instruments in the store.
These pictures were taken the day before she had a stroke, last Friday. The heart failure and reduced kidney functions didn’t help her case any and Aunt Camille passed away. When she first came to Minnesota I recorded a conversation with her, just old stories. When she was in the hospital I played that conversation back and even though she could not respond, I believe it brought her joy and peace.
Aunt Camille you are a great gal and a wonderful Aunt. The adventure was shorter than what I thought it was going to be, but that was on my time. This was the right thing to do, and the right thing is easy to do, no matter how hard.
Say hi to everyone for me, Love,
Albert
the top player is a soundbite about the dog, It is mislabeled on the player baseball.
