In Love With An Older Man 18

October 1994

"My Uncle Mordecai had a stroke today," Gary told Cindy one evening when he got home from the radio station. "He's in the ICU. They don't know how long he's going to be there. They're only letting immediate family members in to see him now."

"I don't think you ever told me about him."

"He's my mom's younger brother. His name used to be Marvin, but when he moved to Israel he changed it to Mordecai. He lived in Israel for twenty years, and then when my Aunt Miriam died several years ago, he moved back to the states. My parents are at the hospital now. My dad said that they would keep me posted."

"Are you and your uncle close?"

"Oh yes. He used to shoot baskets with me when I was growing up in Brooklyn."

"Well, I certainly hope that he will be all right."

"Yeah."

The Greenbergs were much more silent than usual for the rest of that evening. Jake, who didn't really know his great uncle, asked a few questions. Rebecca and Jonathan, too young to understand what was going on, were their normal cheerful, boisterous selves, which proved a welcome distraction for Gary and Cindy.

Several days later, Gary's Uncle Mordecai was moved out of intensive care and into a private room, and Gary and Cindy were finally able to visit him.

Cindy, who had never before seen a stroke patient, was shocked at how frail and weak Uncle Mordecai looked lying in his hospital bed. He seemed to perk up as soon as he saw Gary.

"Gary! It's so good to see you, my boy." His speech was a little slurred, so Gary and Cindy had to listen very carefully to understand him.

"Hello, Uncle Mordecai. This is my wife, Cindy."

"Hello there, my dear. It's nice to meet you. You look so lovely." Uncle Mordecai smiled and shook Cindy's hand.

"Thank you, sir. It's nice to meet you too."

"Aw, you don't have to call me 'sir'." Uncle Mordecai laughed weakly. Cindy longed to ask him what it was like to live in Israel, but she knew that he probably didn't feel like talking very much.

"It looks like you have a very nice room," Gary said.

"Yeah, it's all right. The food, though - ugh!" Uncle Mordecai grimaced. "Your ma, she's on me day and night, trying to get me to eat. I'll eat when they bring me something that doesn't taste like cardboard, I told her."

Gary and Cindy laughed.

"So, how's the family? Your brother and sister? They never come to see me."

"Oh, you know how it is, Uncle Mordecai. Jason's always totally absorbed in whatever case he's working on at the time, and Melissa's always in the middle of some major disaster. Either her pedicure appointment got cancelled, or her poodle has the hives. I don't know what on earth she'd do if she ever had to face a real disaster."

"But you came, Gary, just like I knew you would. You've always been such a good boy."

Gary grinned with embarrassment, and Cindy felt her heart swell with love for her husband.

"And what about Carly and Jake?"

"They're doing great! Carly's a junior majoring in education with a minor in music, and Jake's a senior in high school. Cindy and I have also been blessed with twins, Rebecca and Jonathan. They turned two last June."

"Mazel tov! That's wonderful!"

Gary showed his uncle photos of the twins, and the older man commented on how much they both looked like Gary.

"And how are your children and grandchildren?"

"Oh, fine, fine."

"He seems to be such a sweet man," Cindy remarked on the way home. "I do hope that he has a swift recovery."

"He's been so lonely since Aunt Miriam died. I don't know how strong his will to live is," Gary replied sadly.

After several weeks in the hospital, Uncle Mordecai was moved to a rehabilitation institution where he underwent physical therapy and was soon able to walk with the assistance of a walker. Gary and Cindy visited him there several times as well.

"That's such a depressing place," Cindy said to Gary. She always felt so depressed after a visit to the institution.

"He wants very badly to come home," Gary told her. "But they're hesitant to send him home alone. They're afraid he'll fall and there'll be no one there to help him."

Cindy mentioned the situation to her mother the next time they spoke on the phone.

"It's funny you mentioned that," Carla said. "I just spoke with Alberta recently. She thinks that she'd like to work as a housekeeper again. She's been feeling so sad and lonely ever since she lost Sam, and she thinks that being around a family again will help lift her spirits."

Cindy had a sudden inspiration. "Say, Mom, do you think that Alberta might like to stay with Uncle Mordecai and take care of him?"

"Well, how observant is he? Alberta doesn't know how to prepare kosher food."

"That's okay. He's a vegetarian."

"Well, I'll definitely talk to her and find out how she would feel about that."

Cindy mentioned their conversation to Gary, and he thought that it sounded like an excellent idea. Both of them kept their fingers crossed that it would work out.

As it turned out, they didn't have to wait long at all. Carla called back the next day and said that Alberta would love to meet Gary's uncle and discuss the possibility of coming to work for him.