More about Pepaw and his cigarettes that drive me crazy …
Last week, he wasn't content with the prices at one store and was sure there other places to get them cheaper. I was tired, it was hot outside, but I felt like I had to get him his damn cigarettes. I could change the subject on any other topic and redirect him, but not his smokes.
I park at a convenience store, that I privately vow will be our last stop for the day. Inside, he wants to look at all the offerings behind the counter, and I patiently point out the prices. I ask the gal, "What's your cheapest pack?" She was polite and rattled off a few brands. He still wasn't sold. So, I gently guided him away from the counter to allow other customers to go ahead of us. I point up to advertisements hanging from the ceiling.
"That one is $3.85 a pack or $36.50 a carton. It's cheaper to get the carton. Do you want to do that?"
"No, that's too much."
"Pepaw, cigarettes are expensive everywhere. You can save a little bit by buying a carton and getting 10. That makes each pack $3.65. You save 20 cents each."
"No." He shakes his head. "That's more than $3.85."
"No, it's $3.65 if you buy the carton …"
I realized that dementia had erased my dad-in-law's once remarkable merchant math skills. He saw what he saw, no matter how many people told him otherwise.
The battery to his internal calculator had burned out.
I decided the battle was over for the day. I just wanted to drop him off at his residence and go home to my own. I needed to recharge my own batteries.
So, out into the heat we went again where all my plans went up in smoke …
To be continued tomorrow.
No comments:
Post a Comment