9/14/10 Back to the Streets of Hualien

After having lunch with Space and Iris, I returned to walking the streets of Hualien one final time.  The same scenes were played out to me.  While the main streets and busy side streets were buzzing with excitement and activity, a curious stranger need only walk down any non-descript alleyway to discover loneliness.  Home after home was dimply lit with one lonely senior citizen sitting quietly watching television.  I was reminded of the days when I used to deliver meals to the elderly and infirm for Meals on Wheels.  In one particular seniors residence I would arrive at around 11:30 and deliver 3-4 meals.  Walking the halls I could hear the television behind every closed door, the vast majority of which were tuned to “The Price is Right”.  Old people simply adored Bob Barker; he was a symbol that an old guy could remain at the top of his game.  It didn’t matter if they were confined to their residences by illness, fear or choice, they all lived vicariously through him.

One gentleman had told me that I should just walk in when I arrived as he never locked his door.  Each time I did this I was greeted with the same sad scene.  He would be watching “The Price is Right” with the volume turned all the way up; he was all alone, with only the 8x10 framed picture of his dead wife on the end table beside him to keep him company.  This, I thought, was true loneliness.

And here it was in Taiwan…all around me, I didn’t know what the TV programs were but the scene was the same to a passing observer.  Sometimes we’re not so different.