Allan has been attending my reading workshop, he has been answering the workshop questions, he has volunteered to act in our “Night Of Four Skits” performance in April. In my volunteer work, I’ve rarely spoken to Allan, and he is a man of few words.

But there is a spark in his eyes, and a curiosity and alertness, and the acting and reading seems to have opened him. He needed winter caps and I brought him some, and we began talking to one another.

Yesterday, at the Mansion during a rehearsal for the skits, Allan suddenly began singing an old song, Lavender Blues, by Burl Ives.

We were all startled, I’ve rarely heard Allan speak, let alone sing to the people in the Mansion Activity Room.

Everyone listened intently, and I was moved and surprised. I think our reading together and rehearsing has opened him up, the staff is shocked that he is going to be in one of our skits. Come and listen to Allan sing “Lavender Blue, Dilly, Dilly.”

Allan has started wearing necklaces, I’m bringing him one I got in Iowa tomorrow.