Izio is a master at identifying chanterelle mushrooms in the wild and has recently deputized Carol to assist with his weekly harvest. As companions do, they have a signal to find each other when they go off separately.
š¶š¶
Last Monday they decided to go a bit farther afield to walk near a private golf course. After parking, they walk and talk about pizza, chanterelles, of course, and the meal they will share later.
Izio stops and stares out.
āMiss Carol! Look at those birch trees! They will be covered with chanterelles!ā
āIzio wait!ā but itās too late. He is over the fence and jogging across the fairway towards the cluster of trees.
His speed surprises Carol. Like that unathletic kid in gym class who can outrun all the jocks and who the coaches try to recruit for their sport.They always say āI can teach the sport but I canāt teach speed.ā
Izio is 80 by the way.
āHeāll be back in a minuteā Carol says to herself.
She stands and stares into the woods for more than a minute. Listening.
š¶š¶
No response.
You should always have a meeting spot in case you split up. Like the car. Which works if youāve agreed to this and both remember the meeting spot.
Back at her car, a minute passes. Then another. Five more. Then twenty.
Carol gets in and drives along the winding road deeper into the exclusive, memberās only course hoping that there will be someone at the clubhouse to help.
It is silent inside the clubhouse. Stuffy.
āHello?ā she says tentatively.
Carol follows sounds to find Gladys, staring at her computer screen.
āI have a bit of a situation. My ā¦uhā¦ husband and I were out for a walk, and he wandered off.ā
Husband – Carol decides is the right choice of word though heās not – it adds more gravity to the situation.
āI am a bit worried because he hasā¦uhā¦Alzheimerāsā she says, hoping Gladys doesnāt notice that her fingers are crossed.
āI will let security know to keep an eye out.ā
āOk thank youā Carol says and gives a quick description although itās not really necessary. He is probably the only one wandering the private golf course carrying a bag of mushrooms.
āIzio. His name is Izio. Heāll probably deny he has Alzheimerās and he may get agitated. OK, Thank you for your helpā Carol says as she turns to leave.
Then Gladys calls out Maāamā¦just one more thing. Leave by the service entrance. We have a strict āno jeansā policy.ā
A few moments later back at her car Carol hears a rustling sound.
Then š¶š¶.
āIzio?ā
āMiss Carol?ā
āIzio! Where did you go?ā
āTo pick chanterelles. Why didnāt you follow?ā
If a picture is worth a thousand words. Carolās smile at that moment is worth much more.
She doesnāt have to answer that question.
And they are going to enjoy a great meal of Pizza Boscaiola.
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