New Kid On The Block
During his six long months at Holy Oaks Nursing Home in Florida, he had tried his best to fit in even though he always stood out. It had become so familiar to him; the routine and the residents and the staff.
Although he felt safe, and he knew he was safe; he still did not want to be there. Each day was a horrible repetition of the previous day, until one afternoon when everything went awry. Just as he was settling in and starting to like it, though he did not know he would have to rehome soon.
Home Sweet Home
In the center of Florida, nestled underneath branches of ancient oak trees, stood the oasis-like, serene sanctuary of Holy Oaks Nursing Home.
Along with other residents in the home was Joe Bank, a man whose wisdom was etched into his wrinkled face. He had spent almost six months in this home and had become well acquainted with the everyday routine. Although he made new friends, he didn’t talk much at all, and nobody really knew his real name. There was a strange air of secrecy surrounding him.
Almost Unnoticeable
Joe, seated in his usual spot at the nursing home, was watching the palm trees as they swayed in the Florida breeze. He had become accustomed to this routine after his six months there and already knew the ins and outs of the place like he knew the lines of his own palm.
Today, however, something was different. The air around him was full of anticipation, a subtle shift from the usual serenity that made him curious. Apart from their daily routine of eating or playing cards, nothing truly fascinating ever happened. The resident had no idea that a scandal was afoot, right under their noses.
Surprise Visit
On a breezy and balmy afternoon, a sudden visitor’s presence interrupted the calm serenity of the nursing home’s atmosphere. Katrina, Joe’s daughter, swept through the double doors with drama, her presence demanding attention.
Her steps echoed on the tiled floor all the way to the reception desk, where she signed the visitor’s register. She was European and tall, a woman who looked like she had just stepped off a runway. She glided through the foyer, straight towards the reception, armed with grace and femininity. A few older resident even stopped in their tracks to look at her, deliberately ignoring the annoyance of their wives. She looked like someone important.
Important Person
The stunning woman greeted the receptionist, exchanging a few pleasantries with her. The woman gushed and fawned over her, but she looked like she was used to it.
Katrina’s pen glided over the page as she wrote, but she was promptly interrupted by none other than Henry Beardman, the manager of Holy Oaks Nursing Home. He was tall and imposing, his gaze fixed on Katrina with intensity; “Excuse me, miss. I couldn’t help but notice you.” Katrina paused momentarily; she despised being interrupted. Katrina tried to continue filling in the form, but Henry persisted. Why was he incessantly rude?
Familiarity
Katrina’s head snapped up, her brow furrowed. “Yes?” she asked, not sure what to make of his sudden interest. She gazed at him with an annoyed look.
“I have a feeling we’ve met before,” Henry said, smiling. His eyes glimmered with recognition. “You look awfully familiar to me.” The manager openly ogled Katrina, even though she had no interest in conversing with the man. That was until she saw the manager's badge and realized that it would be no use being rude to him.
Moving On Swiftly
“Perhaps you’ve confused me with someone else,” Katrina said, growing uncomfortable but regaining her composure. Ignoring her attempt to steer the conversation away, Henry persisted. “Who are you visiting?” He asked, curious.
The odd man was determined to converse with her, which was both a gift and a curse. Katrina got too much attention wherever she may go, and it was hard to gain the respect she deserved. People saw her looks before they saw her intellect.
I Require Assistance
Katrina nodded, if only to be polite, as she was accustomed to strangers recognizing her due to her modeling career. “I understand. I get that a lot. I’m here to see my father, Joe Bank.” She did not want to volunteer too much information.
Henry’s brow furrowed, “Joe Bank? I’m afraid I do not recall someone with that name. Are you sure they are in residence here?” He seemed awfully young and couldn’t have been older than thirty. Perhaps he was new. Katrina could not remember whether her father had used his original name, and she did not want to cause problems. She just wanted to see her dad.
Katrina The Model
Unfortunately, Henry was relentless. “I do know you.” He said, curious and accusatory. “You’re Katrina, you model, right?” Finally, Katrina nodded, exasperated. “Yes, that’s me.” She was growing increasingly annoyed at the questions.
If she had to entertain the man’s incessant questioning to see her father, then she’d do it. Katrina gave him a gracious smile and a small model pose. Would he let her see her father now?
Huge Fan
Henry’s eyes glimmered with excitement. “I knew it was you! What brings you in today?” He tried to capture some of the staff’s attention, but nobody was looking their way.
Katrina’s smile faltered, even though she remained composed. “Yes, I’m sure. My father has been in residence here, for the past six months, actually. “ “Very well,” Henry shrugged, “Let’s go see this Joe bank. Perhaps we can even grab a photo while we’re at it.”
Being Famous
It was just as Katrina had thought. The nosy manager couldn’t even do his job without trying to get a freebie. Katrina politely declined his offer, her attention focused on reuniting with her father. But Henry was over-enthusiastic, “Maybe later then,” he said with a smirk.
Together, they made their way down the corridor to Joe's room, Henry following closely behind. She hoped that he would leave but he seemed to think it was part of his duties to escort her to her father’s rooms.
Searching For Him
It was quite a long walk to a separate building on the grounds. Katrina noticed dozens of elderly people going about their day.
She was anxious to see her father and tried to ask the manager about her father. But he didn’t know who he was at all. A shadow of confusion crossed Henry's features as he furrowed his brow. "Joe Bank... I'm afraid I don't know who that is," he admitted, his tone tinged with genuine puzzlement. He was a mystery.
Katrina felt it quite unprofessional that as the manager he was unaware of one of his new residents. She asked if there was another manager, but he said he had been there for two years now.
A ripple of unease coursed through Katrina's veins, a gnawing sensation of disquiet settling in the pit of her stomach. "He's been here for six months," she explained, her voice faltering slightly. She kept describing her father but Henry was adamant that he had never seen him before.
Katrina regretted that she wasn’t present at the time her father was admitted into the home. He seemed to be missing.
Being Serious
The manager sensed Katrina's discomfort and pulled out his tablet. “Look at the resident that just arrived this year,” he scrolled through the list.
Henry's expression remained unchanged; his features schooled into an unreadable mask. "I'm sorry, miss, but there's no one by that name on our records," he replied evenly, his eyes locking onto Katrina's with unsettling intensity. Katrina searched the list herself and sure enough, her father’s name wasn’t there. It was in alphabetical order. Was there some error with the administration?
A Mix-Up
Henry apologized for the error but said he would help her find him anyway. They continued walking to the residence section.
A sense of disbelief washed over Katrina, her mind reeling with confusion. How could her father simply vanish from the nursing home's records? Had there been some mistake? Or was there something more sinister at play? Her father had to leave his home in a hurry. His brother had helped him to get admitted into the high-class nursing lifestyle estate, but she couldn’t get a hold of him. It was up to her to figure it out.
He Must Be There
With a sinking feeling in her heart, Katrina turned away from the manager, her mind swirling with unanswered questions. She walked a few steps behind him. She needed some time to think. She made her way through the corridors of Holy Oaks Nursing Home, the weight of uncertainty bearing down upon her with each step.
Finally, Henry said that they were at the new residence section. Katrina's eyes lit up as she realized she would finally meet her father.
Joe Lives On
As she reached her father's rooms, Katrina found Joe sitting by the window, his gaze fixed on the horizon. His face lit up with joy as he caught sight of his daughter, a warm smile spreading across his weathered features. "Katrina, my dear," Joe exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine affection. "What a pleasant surprise!" He immediately recognized his daughter.
Katrina ran to her father. She was so glad that he was there. She hugged him and kissed him. For a moment she forgot that the annoying manager Henry was still there. At that moment it was just about her and her father.
A Sweet Reunion
As they laughed and caught up in their native tongue of German, they filled each other in on what they had missed over the past few years. Her 80-year-old father said that he had last seen her on a Television commercial for denim jeans.
"I thought life was going well for you Katrina?" Joe exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What are you doing here?" He looked deeply into his child’s eyes. Katrina smiled warmly at her father, a hint of sadness in her eyes. "I wanted to come visit you, Dad. It's been too long." She held him a bit longer, breathing a sigh of relief that he was alive and well.
After Years
Her father noticed Henry standing at the side, but he didn’t talk to him. Suddenly the old man was quiet. He just watched the father-daughter reunion. Katrina returned her father's smile, her heart swelling with love. "I couldn't stay away, Dad," she replied, crossing the room to embrace him in a tender hug.
For a moment, all was well in the world as father and daughter savored the simple joy of being together. But beneath the surface, Katrina couldn't shake the lingering unease that had taken root in her heart. Henry was still watching them.
His Visitors
Joe welcomed her inside, feeling a surge of joy at the sight of his daughter. But their reunion was soon interrupted by the appearance of a man Joe had never seen before – the manager of Holy Oaks, Henry Beardman. Henry was quietly observing Joe, he had thought he was a regular citizen but what he saw left him speechless. He didn’t know that a man like Joe was staying at the residence.
Instead of the frail old man they were expecting, standing before them was a figure straight out of a history book – Joe Bank, dressed in a uniform adorned with the letters "WW2" and sporting a rugged beard.
Not As Anticipated
Henry's anticipation turned to bewilderment. The man who answered the door was nothing like he expected. Joe stood before them, a weathered veteran in a faded uniform, a cap emblazoned with "WW2" perched on his head. Being a rather timid man himself, he was taken aback. He looked at all the badges on Joe's uniform and got intimidated.
Katrina saw the manager's reaction to her father and realized that he really didn’t know him. She was suspicious about whether Henry was actually doing his job there or not. Would the manager get the answers he wanted and leave them alone?
Not Well Read
Henry's eyes widened in shock, his mind racing with assumptions. "What is this? Who are you?" he demanded; his voice tinged with accusation. “Are you an American citizen?” he kept asking him slowly and stupidly. Joe stared at the man but kept quiet.
Joe exchanged a confused glance with Katrina, unsure of how to respond to the manager's sudden hostility. "I'm Joe Bank," he replied calmly. "I've been staying here for the past six months." He realized that the rude manager was being rather selective towards him.
A Retired Vet
The obnoxious manager walked around Joe's room eyeing all of his war paraphernalia. He had various souvenirs and war posters on his wall. He kept shaking his head. Katrina was starting to get scared as the manager ripped posters off the wall saying that they weren’t allowed. “You can’t display this here Mr. Bank,” he said.
But Henry wasn't convinced. "We don't tolerate any form of violence or hatred here, Mr. Bank. I'm going to have to ask you to leave immediately." Was this the end of Joe's stay at the nursing home?
What's The Issue
Katrina stepped forward; her voice tinged with concern. "Dad, what's going on? Why is he asking you to leave?" She stopped her father from packing his things.
Joe shook his head, equally bewildered by the turn of events. "I don't know, Katrina. Something's not right here." The worried daughter thought Henry was purposely being selfish because she denied him a selfie photograph.
Poor Joe tried calling his brother but his phone was still off. He didn’t want to argue or fight with the manager. He had a bad temper and wanted to stay cool.
Throwing His Weight Around
The nosy manager continued poking around Joe's room, then he let out a high-pitched shriek, ”What is this?” He held up a paring knife. “How did you get a weapon past security?” he asked Joe.
Joe was taken aback by the stupid manager, “It’s for cutting fruit,” he said and grabbed it back out of the man’s hands.
Henry's initial surprise quickly gave way to misguided assumptions. "I'm sorry, sir, but we don't tolerate violence or hatred here," he said sternly. "I'll have to ask you to leave." He opened the room door wide as if they were meant to leave immediately.
Making A Commotion
Henry was standing in the hallway trying to get other residents out of the way. Everyone had come out to see the commotion. “Go back to your rooms everyone,” he yelled.
Katrina's eyes blazed with indignation. "How dare you? My father is a war hero!" But the manager wasn’t paying attention to her. But it was too late. Henry had made up his mind, and Joe was summarily dismissed from the room. Would his daughter be able to save the situation?
Joe's Reasons
Katrina tried talking some sense to her father, but he didn’t want to stay there anymore either. “Why would I want to stay here when that manager doesn’t even know his own American history?” he laughed.
He told his daughter it was better that people didn’t know who he really was. He was trying to spend his golden years in peace.
As they walked away, Katrina vowed to file a complaint about Henry's behavior. She refused to let her father stay in such a hostile environment any longer. But she didn’t know then that she was actually saving her father from future harm.
Joe's Story
As Joe and Katrina made their way out of the nursing home, other residents watched them in fear. They wondered if they too would get kicked out. Meanwhile, back at the reception, one of the nurses approached Henry with a worried expression. "Where did Joe go?" she asked urgently.
When Henry explained what happened, she reprimanded him for being an illiterate fool, “That’s Joseph Stankov aka Joe Bank, he fought in the war and saved hundreds of hostages in a bank hold-up thirty years ago?” The manager’s face was blank.
Full Of Regret
Henry's heart sank as he realized his mistake. "He's an ex-vet? A war hero?" he muttered, his guilt weighing heavily upon him. "I had no idea."
The apologetic manager asked his nurse to help him track them down again, but none of the contact numbers worked. It was too late. Joe was gone, and Holy Oaks would soon face the consequences of Henry's rash actions. “He had weapons in his room,” he tried to justify himself to the nurse. But she just shook his head at him. She knew they were going to get a bad rap for this.
A New Home
Joe and Katrina left the nursing home. Katrina and her father made their way to a hotel uptown. She tried to comfort her shaken father. This was not the reunion that she was looking forward to. There was always drama in her patriarchal family.
As they drove off into the evening, she realized why she had left America in the first place. There was just too much family drama, and her life was put at risk.