There's a story behind everyone.

So there's this old man at my work named Lloyd. His occupation is Meijer Greeter. Yes, I currently work at Meijer and hate it. I sell credit cards and hear I'm not too shabby at it either. It's horrible, I've really wanted to quit from the first day I clocked in. I feel like I'm in a relationship that I don't know how to end.

I just need to BREAK UP with Meijer.

(lol, this is not Lloyd, but it looks like something he'd do)























But anyways, this guy Lloyd. A delightful old man with a story behind him. That's what I love about old people, there's always a story behind them. A life, living breathing history ready to tell a first hand account. The sad thing about Lloyd is he has Alzheimer's. This disease just keeps coming back to haunt me and bite me in the ass. I HATE it, it's truly one of the most horrible things I can even imagine. My grandma also suffers from it, but that's a WHOLE other story in itself.

But Lloyd. A dear old man with a story, a life story. Most people at my work don't give him the time of day and think he's incredibly annoying. I confess, I've been guilty of getting a little annoyed with him at times. Especially when he starts his rants about Jesus. But I can deal with it. After all, my parents are pretty religious and I grew up in the church although I have my own suspicions of God and the afterlife.

But Lloyd, he finally remembers my name now and repeats it to himself every time he sees me. Lloyd, he's worked at Meijer for almost 14 years and every time he sees me he repeats my name followed by the story of how his parents best friends were named Becky and Frank. They had no children. I know this story well. Sometimes he sings to the customers. Almost every time I see him, he asks if I know Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Then he sings a song by them. I know this song well. "Only you can make my dreams come true, only you... blah blah blah."
Then he sings another song. It's funny how his train of thought always travels the same path. He's quite predictable. I know this path well. Everyday when Lloyd walks into work, he carries his trusty umbrella and flashlight, "Just in case," he says.

One time he couldn't find his umbrella. The sun was shining brightly. He decided to go search the other end of the store. A good 30 minutes later he finally returns, with umbrella in hand. He chuckles and tells me he left it at home. Lloyd resides in the apartments next to Meijer. Silly Lloyd. He's such a character. He could've got fired for that.

Today I decided to talk to Lloyd. Ask him some questions, find out his story, his living, breathing, 1st hand account of history. Somewhere on that predictable train of thought, the tracks led Lloyd to tell me about each of his siblings. He listed them off on his fingers, one of which is partially missing. A story behind this nubby, nailess finger. Of course I am going to ask.
I was hoping for a war story, but in reality he lost it while working in a factory when he was like 15. "Be careful when working with that dangerous stuff," he warns me. Oh, I will Lloyd. I will.

Anyways, I was interested in the subject of his brothers and sisters. I asked him if they were still living and he had to struggle to remember. He then proceeded to list them off on his fingers a couple more times before answering. The oldest two had died; this much he knew. He had to flip flop between who died first though. A little thing like this is extremely difficult for Lloyd and he loses focuss simply because he forgets what he's talking about. But after telling me their names he says his sister visited him not to terribly long ago, when in all honesty it could've been years. Lloyd doesn't really know the difference anymore. "And what about the youngest brother," I ask him? "Oh my brother? Hmm, oh, he's dead. Yes, he died I think." A very matter of fact statement. Poor Lloyd. He only has one sibling left out of the original 4 (2 brothers & 2 sisters) and I think she lives in Texas. I can't be sure.

Then that made me wonder, does he have kids? A wife? What did he do before Meijer? All these mysteries which would seem simple questions but in fact are difficult for Lloyd.

Oh Lloyd, what a character.

I found out he has 3 children. He never told me about his wife, maybe I'll ask again next time. I found out he lives with his daughter, I suppose she takes care of him. Keeps him on track. oh Lloyd, how funny you are. I found out that before he worked at Meijer he sold religious books. For his entire life, he sold religious books! He graduated high school and went to a religious college. I asked him the name but he said he'd have to think about that. He really wanted to be a minister, but he needed money so he sold books. This explains the Jesus rants. He loves to tell this one story about how he believes Jesus sang on the cross. I know this story well. I found out that his parents raised him in some weird cult like church that met on Saturday instead of Sunday.

Oh, poor Lloyd. Poor, poor God-fearing Lloyd. From his drippy nose and furry ears, to his age spots and orange dollar store bought bifocals. It's a sad story kind of. I found out that he went door to door selling weird bible books about a denomination that met on Saturdays. He wanted to be a minister, but instead he ended up going door to door just to make ends meet. And then when he couldn't make ends meet anymore, 14 years ago, he applied at Meijer just to make those damn ends meet again.

From his singing, to his bible selling, to his nubby index finger which holds his trusty umbrella and flashlight. There's a story behind everyone. You just have to take the time to listen and ask. Lloyd's story is more sad than monumental but it deserves to be told the same as anyone else's.

I hope someday when I'm old, I have a freaking good story to tell. I hope someone will take interest in mine and learn from it. I hope I achieve my goals. Lloyd wanted so bad to be a minister... I just wish he could've been a freaking minister. I hope to God that I don't have to sell books when I truly wanted something else.

Poor, silly Lloyd. Poor silly old fart.