Hank William's Number One Fan

I've been working at this nursing home for two months now

and I've gotta tell somebody

about the shit I see

everyday.

On the first floor of assisted living

lives Beverly Burry.

A short, big, blind, chubby lady

with round chipmunk cheeks and coke bottle glasses.

She speaks in a shaky little voice

will wail & scream in such a ghastly way

you'd think someone was murdering her.

She wakes up and clicks her little call button

if someone isn't there within a couple minutes

she starts screaming.

Her roommate just moved to a different room 

because she hadn't slept in three days.

Since she got back from the hospital, Beverly screams

every night. 

Next to photos of her family 

are two 8x10's of ole' Hank Williams himself

The King of Country Music.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

Hank obviously meant a lot to her.

I felt the same way.

He's like a wise guide

on the lost highway.

"Miss Beverly, you like Hank Williams?"

"Oh yes, I do! I love Hank Williams. You know, he drank a lot of alcohol and died a very young man."

"Yes Ma'am. I know it. I love Hank too."

"You do?" She gasped, like she really couldn't believe it.

"Sure do."

"You know, he was a very sad man. He was depressed too, but he gave us all he had. In those songs. You can feel it."

She was blind so she didn't say anything

when little teardrops started to fall from my eyes

it's just so great to hear another person say 

what I feel for Hank.

And an eighty year-old lady at that.

I've tried to stump her on Hank lyrics

but so far, she knows em' all.

Every word, to every song.

Thing is, if I start singing one of his songs

Beverly will join in and won't stop singing

until the end of the song.

Her voice is shaky and strained

but the old gal really puts feeling into it

and I always enjoy hearing her.

Sometimes when another caregiver has her floor

and I'm working upstairs

I'll come down

go into her room

where they'll be putting her in bed

and I'll start singing a Hank song.

The other caregiver will give me a look

like I'm an asshole

and I kinda am

cause I just walk right out of there

and go back upstairs.

Hearing Beverly moaning the long gone lonesome blues 

on my way.

There is talk of moving her to the dementia/Alzheimer's

lock down ward

where her wailing screams

will blend in with the other screams

and where she won't bother anyone

anymore.