Whenever I come into the house to get Dani, Uma always smiles. Maybe it’s knowing Dani will be leaving, but over the time I have known these amazing people, I have had the most interesting conversations with her. I will say something to her to be friendly and the next thing I know, she is off on a conversation telling me about something. Like the first time I met her, she started telling me how she fell out of the attic.

So, the other day, as Dani was getting ready to leave, she started telling me how she will be going on a trip at the end of the month to Orlando, Florida for a class reunion for some medical university. I honestly think everyone in her family, expect maybe her daughter, is in the medical profession. Somewhere in the conversation, and I really cannot remember how this came up, she said sleeping on the floor is better than sleeping on a bed.

She didn’t give me time to look baffled, and said all floors are the same, whereas every bed is different. I honestly cannot think of a way to refute that, so I just said, “Well, I guess that’s true.”

During this conversation, she kept fidgeting with a belt. It was black and shiny and was about 3″ wide. I was going to ask her what she was doing with that belt, but she beat me to it. She said she went to such and such store and this belt was priced at $60, but the price was cut to $20, then it was also half off. So, she got a $60 belt for 10. She seemed quite pleased as she continued trying to figure out a way to wear it.

Some time back, she mentioned something about smiling. I really do not remember, and probably didn’t understand it at the time, but I told her I never smile because I am German. This caused her conversation to tangent off about how handsome the Germen men are. How she went to Hamburg and was just mesmerized how handsome they are.

I never know what to expect when I am there, but I know I can trigger some interesting, and sometimes thought provoking conversation when I talk to her. If she is sitting in front of the TV in the wheelchair she doesn’t have to use anymore, but does so because it is comfortable, I know whatever I say will take off sideways.

And one of the many things I learned from Life, is sideways conversations are the best. I first learned that in the amazing continent of Africa.