Visiting Jack Ferguson in Daytona - Steve

Jack Ferguson with Steve

After a breakfast of cereal, we walked the dogs and prepared for our short trip to Florida’s Atlantic Coast. We left the house a little after 9 am and drove almost entirely off interstate highways. We arrived in St. Augustine at 12:30 putting Mary, Cindy and Mark out at the Visitor Center. I drove about an hour south to Daytona where I met with my childhood friend, Jack Ferguson. Jack is currently living at the Coastal Health and Rehabilitation Center.

Jack Ferguson in the mid-1970s

I called Jack to get his lunch order since his condition would not permit him to leave the nursing home. I picked up a Wendy’s “Biggie Bag” for each of us. Jack met me at the entrance and we went to the dining area where we ate and caught up. I gave him a T-shirt from Germany and a framed picture of him from about 1975. Jack’s hearing and vision are both very compromised, so communication was difficult. He has had a stroke and five bypasses and requires dialysis three days each week due to type II diabetes. It is difficult to see an old friend in such deteriorating health. Jack said that he stays cold in the nursing home and wished he had a sweatshirt. He would also like a large, insulated cup to take to dialysis. I went to Walmart to get both as well as a Sharpie to write his name on both. I returned to the nursing home to find Jack in the hall sleeping in his wheelchair. When he woke, he didn’t recognize me, so I put his things on his bed and left to drive the hour north to meet Mary and the Whittingtons at the Day’s Inn in St. Augustine. While driving, Mary called and asked me to pick up some Super Glue since her glasses frame broke today. The glasses will be replaced next month when she gets her new prescription.

Jack at the nursing home

After bringing our bags up to the rooms, we walked across the street to the de Leon Cocina, a Columbian Restaurant. Mary had guava juice, I had soursop juice, Cindy had a margarita and Mark had a Corona. For the meal, Mark and I had the “Eleven eleven burger” which is two quarter pound beef Pattie’s with cheese, tomato, pineapple and bacon. Mary had a bowl with beef tips, onions and corn on rice. Cindy’s bowl has shredded beef with beans and rice. We all enjoyed our meal.