MY FRIEND ROSE

In "Scent of A Woman," Al Pachino is a lost soul: a blind retired Army Lieutenant Colonel. He devises a plan that we're not told: go to NY, see his brother, enjoy the fruits of luxury: Waldorf Astoria, fine dining, expensive call girl. My favorite movie, great story. In his scheme, he enlists an unwitting but sensitive Charlie, an elite prep school student on scholarship. Charlie has his own problems as he has witnessed an act of vandalism along with a rich kid who is protected by his rich father. Charlie stands alone. At one point, Col Slade says to Charlie, "why are you in this alone?"

At this point, Rose would be smiling and rolling her eyes at my long story to make a point. I see many people at the Infusion Center or at the Cancer Center that I want to ask, "Why are you alone?" Most I hope aren't but they appear to be: a young girl, an older man, an older woman. Alone. I surely am not going to be intrusive but maybe someone couldn't come, a personal choice or maybe, like the movie, someone will step up to the plate like Col Slade did in the end for Charlie.