It’s a chilly November in San Francisco, ten days to spend with dad on holiday.  The kitchen counter is stacked with chocolates, croissants, scones, cheese, truffle oil, fruit and a variety of pickles and preserves.

It’s nice to see dad feasting with delight but he sleeps a lot.  I think that old people sleep often.  Before meals, after meals, in the car and while waiting, his eyes are shut.  I wonder if it’s because he’s tired or simply that old people sleep whenever and wherever they can catch a nap.

He’s awake at odd hours too, always having a full meal at midnight and then another meal at breakfast.  I hear him puttering in the kitchen from inside my bedroom.  I can even smell the sizzling bacon.  I am a light sleeper and when he heads back to his room passing my door, I hear his footsteps too.  I fall back to sleep knowing that he’s had his midnight meal. 

It’s almost bedtime now and he’s asleep again.  When he wakes, he’ll say it’s time to go to bed.  Does he realize that he’s been sleeping since after dinner?  Just before dinner he fell asleep while waiting for his meal and when he woke he thought it was the morning after.  He was ready to start his day until he realized that the time was just before dinner.  Maybe it’s the chilly November weather that induces more sleep.  He’s dressed for winter so that helps bring comfort and warmth while he sleeps.

I look at him and wonder?  Is he comfortable sleeping on a chair?  Even if it’s his favorite chair, it does not seem to me that he is comfortable.  But I’d rather not say or suggest how he should sleep.  After all he seems to sleep restfully so many hours in a day and never complains of the lack of sleep.

It’s early morning and I see an 800 number scribbled on pad.  Did he get carried away and order something he saw on television while having his meal at midnight? He used to do this a lot in his younger years.  Telemarketing for the elderly can be entertaining but not always beneficial.  Thank God he held back and waited to ask me to place an order for a seat cushion.

For what, I gently asked.  He said he could carry it around and sit comfortably while waiting.  After a bit of fussing and discussing, he decided against ordering. I’ll have to stay up later tonight and watch television to see what was so special about that cushion he wanted to order.

We just had breakfast and the next order of the day is where to have a nice dinner.  I am wondering what will happen over lunch.