The chocolate milk thieves – short contest story
“Do you speak Spanish?” Christina, the nursing home administrator asked at the end of the interview, as I was applying for a position as a social worker
“Yes, I do. That’s my native language.” I proudly replied.
“Great! We need help with a Hispanic resident. No one speaks Spanish here, and we have problems communicating with him.”
The exciting news was not only being offered the job, but also the mission of assisting José, the Hispanic resident.
Someone I can speak to in my native language, I mused.
I met José, a thin man in his 90s.
“Hola!”, I greeted him as I approached. “Soy Doris, la trabajadora social.” His face lit up when he heard me speaking Spanish.
“Where are you from?” he asked.
“I’m from Colombia.”
“Aaah! Colombiana!” he exclaimed, with a smile.
We engaged in an enthusiastic conversation. But I quickly concluded that José had a poor memory. I glanced at his medical records. Dementia with behavioral disturbances was one diagnosis, of many for his age.
Disturbing to who? I sarcastically wondered.
As I further came to know José, I came to the conclusion that his memory loss was a blessing. The Lord had erased from his mind memories that he wouldn’t want to bear. His family had abandoned him in the nursing home. He was torn away from his native Nicaragua, and the “villa” and coffee farm he had known since his youth.
Now José was in a nursing home with no friends and no family. He faced language and cultural barriers.
Worse, he was accused of being the chocolate milk thief.
Cold chocolate milk was his favorite drink, and often, his only source of nourishment as he cared less about the facility food. José would often grab as many chocolate milk cartons as his hand could hold, and take them to his room, where he would hide them in drawers, the closet or under his bed.
Nurses and aides would get irritated, making comments about “José’s inappropriate behaviors.”
Jose, the chocolate milk thief, I mockingly mused.
“We need your help, please!” a housekeeper came to my office one morning. “José is agitated and has barricaded himself inside of his room.”
I rushed to the hall. And I found that he had placed a chair behind his door. I convinced
him to let me in. José was terribly upset because he caught an aide “stealing” his chocolate milk.
The staff searched his room for the contraband milk cartons when he was out of his room. That was an unlucky day for the aide Jose caught removing his milk.
I felt stuck in the middle of a non-sensical conflict, trying to understand what had been stolen –sure it was more than chocolate milk– and whose sanity was in question?
It would be mine if something didn’t get done soon, I alerted myself.
With patience, the staff was trained on how to properly handle this type of situations. A closer communication with José helped the staff to better understand his needs. Soon, the staff brought magazines, and cultural decorations to brighten his room. After a year, José became a popular, kindly treated resident. He was allowed to take as many chocolate milk cartons as he wanted. And as if a miracle, the chocolate milk thieves vanished.
Doris Plaster - Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Missouri. Writing short stories is one of my hobbies.
The gifts to you and I are not special, they are meant special – The gift of one’s self.
Great story, very inspirational!! Kindness trumps all.
It was very good.
Best story ever
Wonderful! So glad you posted this. :O)
Nice story.Very well written.
That is a very good story. Well written!! My vote is #1!!
What a wonderful story and a perfect example of giving and receiving respect works both ways
It was a nice quick read. Keep practicing and maybe you have the pullitzer.
Loved it
All it takes is a little kindness in the world to make someone feel special.
Phenomenonal….. Love the story, and brought a tear to my eye.
This story has so much depth and is quite touching! Imagine how José must have felt for being abandoned by his family… What did he get in return? A blessing that Social Worker Doris came across his path! She not only understood what he was saying by mouth, but also understood the language of his soul… She nourished him for his needs and wants and no longer the chocolate milk was needed as much! Great lesson learned.
This world would be a much better place if we all took time to know and understand each other. May God bless all those who do so every day!
What a beautiful story. Taking the time to understand someone and their needs. Also, learning how to deal with them. That is fantasic! Doris you are an awesome person, and you do a great job every single day. Thank you!
How isolating to be deprived not just of memory, but of language, the bridge to others sharing the present. I cried. I *am* sort of vulnerable to crying–but there is a very tender truth in this story.
Jose was lucky to have Doris as a social worker. Very touching!
Great Job , Doris has always been a special person
Beautiful story! Very touching!
I’m so glad they hired you! I loved the warmth behind this story:)
Wow Doris that was a really great story!! Imagine what just a little communication between staff and resident could do for that resident:) u make me want to start writing short stories and poems again! If only I had the time…
all it takes is a little extra time to find the reason why a behavior exists. doris always took the time needed. the satisfaction is overwhelming when you have an outcome like this!
What a wonderful example of compassion and looking at a situation through another person’s eyes…very good!
I enjoyed the short simple story. Like all good stories it came from the heart. Well done!
I LOVED that man….I know he is having all the “choc-o-latte” he wants, now!
We truly were his….Angels…..
A touching and lovely story. Great job.
Great story, felt like it could have used more detail into the life of jose, but i understand it probably can’t be too long. =)
Congratulations, Doris, on a great story. It was a wonderful example of what caring, communication, kindness, and respect for other people’s feelings can accomplish.
it was a great story.
Very nice….I like chocolate milk too! Sometimes complicated things are just that simple. Keep up the writing!
A very heartwarming story. What a blessing you were to this man who just needed someone to understand him. The only thing he liked better than chocolate milk was some papas fritas.
Enjoyed the story. Compassion and understanding to all seniors is needed as we never know what their history is. Especially this needs to be practiced by the social worker and staff in the nursing home. Staff generally spend more time with residents vs others so they become like family. A good story, Doris, well done!
Enjoyed the story very much. Good Job!
I really enjoyed the story. I love Doris for her compassion and knowledge of how to handle such situations. Keep up the good work.
Gloria
Hello Doris, I enjoyed this appropriate caring story very much.
I speak Italian and at one hospital I once worked at was called to translate at times for confused misunderstood patient. Often we had a great laugh about it later. Walking in a four bedder Neuro Trauma room once and seeing a couple of the patients were Italian I greeted them while pulling back the window curtains. One elderly man called me over in wonder. “Your the blond Italian I’ve heard about,” he told me happily.NEWS TRAVELS
Well, I am not Italian but learnt at a young age for a mother-in-law who couldn’t speak English…
Social Workers are special people, I have had many as associates over the years, so its lovely to meet you here. God Bless you, your new friend, Sr Crystal Mary.
I enjoyed the short story and I think it brings a relevance to life in a nursing home. I loved the use of chocolate milk in the story and how it made the difference in one mans life.
Great story. It shows how kind, caring, and understanding social workers can be.
Leave your response!
Sign up for Short Story Book Newsletter
Our Latest Tweets
Categories
Peep in the past
Recognitions !!
Calendar
Blogroll
Tags
Current Story Rating
Latest Short Stories
Recent Stories
Most Commented
Recent Comments
Most Viewed
Short Story Lovers
Visitors: 99078 Since: June 21, 2003