CHAPTER 1
Dana Paine a 55 year old widow, was having lunch with her three children at the local cafe in Placerville, South Dakota. Two of her married daughters and one in college were the light of her life —ESPECIALLY—her two grandchildren. She was looking out the window at the falling leaves and sighed"
I don't—think—I can stand another cold winter." One of the girls said "Ma" Why not try nursing down south, this winter? Lucy can stay in your house and go to college. Just try once, like take a leave of absence". Everyone chimed in, `Yeah, try it, other people go south every winter, God, how long have you worked at the Care Center?" "Thirty years." "Well there you go, they will let you off for the winter. Call one of those labor places down south. We'll all get on the internet and look. Is your license valid in another state?" Dana's eyes lit up, "You know I think I will find out!"
Driving home Dana thought, why not, I'll start asking on Monday maybe there is some private nursing in Arizona—no—, maybe Texas. I think its warmer there. Lucy riding with her was chattering, like a magpie about college. She could live at home and save lots of money.
Monday morning found Dana at her usual 6:00 a.m. nursing job. It was still warm outside for October, but the winters in South Dakota are bad—20 to 30 below weather and lots of snow. All day while taking care of her patients—her mind was—whirling—on going south for the winter. A lot of her married friends had second houses in—Arizona, Texas and Florida. She knew she could not afford a second house—actually she knew she could not afford even, an apartment, unless she got a job there. The only drawback was Christmas. Dana loved Christmas decorating inside and out, baking, having people over for parties.
People would drive by her house at night and honk their horns, just to let her know they loved her yard. She had a complete life size—nativity,—including camels and sheep that looked real.
The other side of her house, she had plastic penguins, on a layer of snow, in the summer it was a, tiered, landscaped rock garden full of bushes and flowers. The penguins stood in various poses by the bushes. She was already planning a new scene by her garage. Stop! she thought—one year won't matter—I want to try this down south thing.
After work she was going to take a nap, then thought, what the heck I'm going to call the Department of Labor. They said "Yes, her license would be valid in Texas." She made an appointment for the next day to visit a job placement clerk.
It was still nice out the next day when an excited Dana drove to another town to the Labor Office.
The clerk was very nice "Let's go on the internet and see what 1 can find." There were all kinds of listings for nursing homes and hospitals, a few private duty nurses, 24 hour jobs, in the clients or patient home. One stood out, a 75 year old man had broke his hip and needed around the clock care for at least three months and maybe longer. He lived on a ranch with his son and grandson who were busy with crops and livestock. They needed a cooking, housekeeping, nurse, the wages were open. Dana said "I could do that. I love to cook and clean and I'm a darn good nurse" "The job counselor took down all the information" Then tapping a few keys she was connected to the listed Texas office. Texas job service explained, "This man retired from ranching and after his wife died, took over the household duties and cooking and cleaning, whatever needed done"`. They did have a woman come in and help with washing clothes and taking care of the upstairs rooms for their hired men. The 75 year old fell off the roof breaking his hip and was depressed." Dana told them to give her a call if the family was interested in her credentials. On the way home Dana did wonder why no one in that area was interested in the job. She was relieved she had actually tried something so if it didn't turn out she still had a good job right here.
Making supper for her and Lucy she was dancing around singing Lucy laughed ", Mom you are such a nut. I hope you can do something different. It will be good for you to go somewhere besides South Dakota-" Later, they settled down to watch T.V., Dana reading the paper during cornmercials. When the phone rang they both jumped it was late. Lucy answered, a rnan asked for Dana Paine. Dana picked up the extension, "This is Hank Boldt, Jr.
""My Dad, Hank, Sr, broke his hip about a month ago. He up until then did the cooking and general gopher work around the place. My mother died about 5 years ago and he kind of retired to running the house" He is 75 and has become a bitter old man, won't even get out of bed some days. He refused physical therapy—ah—my sister stayed a week then my daughter another week". They have lives of their own so, we hired a nurse well-ah—it didn't work out. My Dad is a big man, 6 foot and some not so heavy, but hard to handle. My son and I lift him in and out of bed-ah—Mrs." Paine—ah, are you strong?"—,
Dana started to laugh, "Well, I stand almost 6 feet tall myself, I'm no light weight—not fat, but sturdy."
He went on uncomfortable," Well we live on an isolated cattle ranch. The last nurse lasted two days—well Dad ran her off! The one before refused to cook. We have a housekeeper, who lives with her husband here on the ranch, but Dad hates her cooking. She's Latino, ah, a lot of burrito's—spicy food—that's what she knows how to cook. Well anyway we need a big strong nurse that can cook and put up with a cranky old man. There is my son, me and a hired man living in the ranch house. I understand you want to be where it's warm. Your—ah—older so that would help Dad—ah—he kind of ran off the young nurse. Do you know anything about a cattle ranch?" Once again Dana laughed, "I was raised on a big cattle ranch in western South Dakota. I married a man from the eastern part of the state. He died five years ago of cancer.
So, I have plenty of experience lifting someone in and out of bed, plus dealing with angry, bitter people in a nursing home where I have spent almost all of my adult life and I want to spend a winter down South just once to try it out. "He said "wages ah—we need to talk wages. What do you earn now or—ah—I guess what you would expect, Rosa, our housekeeper takes care of a lot of the cleaning, but we do need someone to cook and take care of Dad." Dana," Well, I make $3,600 a month now that includes insurance, but I have three months of benefits coming if I ask for a leave of absence, so I guess with room and board and some warm weather. How does $1,500 sound?' She could tell he breathed a sigh of relief. "You sound perfect for what we need, embarrassed, he said, "Are you white?" "Yes," she laughed. He said, "We have lots of Mexican people here or Latinos—ah—"Are you prejudiced?" Once again, Dana went into peals of laughter, "No, we have lots of them here too. They work on the numerous dairy farms around me and their wives work at the nursing home with me. I'll tell you what—I will call you about 10:00 a.m. tomorrow after I talk to my boss. I think I could be there in a week, but not sure how he will take me asking for a leave of absence. I have been there thirty years so I might have a little struggle with him." "Wow, my Dad would respect that alone without...
