Girl Takes Care of Old Man with Trembling Hands and Is Confused When He Sits at the Piano – Story of the Day

When Monica visited her new patient, she was shocked to see his hands tremble without control. He couldn't hold anything without needing someone's help. One day, she decided to experiment with him and secretly set up a piano in his bedroom. Moments later, Monica froze after she heard melodious music from his room.

Monica grew up under the care and custody of her grandparents, whom she missed after their passing. After graduating, the teenager joined a caregiving organization because she didn't want to feel lonely.

During her service, Monica met several different older people in need. While some appreciated her work, others thought she was their miracle grandchild. However, one grandpa stood out and left her speechless with his impeccable love for music, despite having hands that terribly trembled…

"Miss Monica! You have to go to 11th Street and then…." her manager explained to her, handing out a new address. It was where Monica was scheduled for service the whole month.

Monica was excited because she loved taking care of older people, especially those who were sick and unable to do things independently. She did all the cleaning, household chores, grocery shopping, and even walked their dogs for them.

Monica admired the different photos of the man's life. As she studied each one, she froze upon seeing a particular picture.

The talkative person she was, Monica loved it when her patients listened to her brag about the beautiful things she'd heard and seen in life. With such thoughts prevailing, she hoped the person whose address she was heading to would be pleased with her service. However, little did she know about what was waiting for her there…

"Have a wonderful day, mam," a bakery staff greeted Monica after she walked out with a box of croissants. She often bought lovely goodies from the bakery whenever she went to a new patient as a small token of trust and friendship.

Moments later, Monica arrived at her destination. She looked around the place and waited impatiently after ringing the doorbell a couple of times.

"Hello, anyone there? I'm your new caregiver," she shouted. But there was no answer. She knocked on the door and was stunned when it creaked open by itself.

"Oh my God!" Monica exclaimed as she walked inside. The strange silence around spooked her. She walked further and looked for the person who needed assistance. "Is anybody home?" she voiced anxiously.

Monica found herself in the living room, which was supposedly the heart of the house. She saw an old man sitting on an armchair. She stood behind him, but he wasn't aware of anything. His eyes were fixed on the TV, and his face lacked expression.

She cleared her throat and said, "H-hello, sir! I'm Monica, your new caretaker."

The old man turned back and got up immediately. "Well, hello, Miss…." he exclaimed and paused.

"Monica!" she told him again.

"Nice to see you, Miss Monica! Here, please have a seat," the man told her. "I'm Charles…nice to meet you!"

Monica sat down and looked around at the living room that appeared more classic than the ones she'd been in before. She then observed the many different jars on the TV stand and was shocked.

"Alzheimer's drugs?" she murmured.

She realized the man had Alzheimer's disease, so she decided to be extra careful with his care. A little later, she asked him if he wanted some tea, to which old Charles shouted yes. He looked happy but lost.

"Oh no…wait for a second, I'm coming," she rushed to him after seeing him having difficulty taking the remote. His hands trembled, and Monica realized he had some involuntary muscle reflex.

She smiled and told him that she would be taking care of all the household chores. Old Charles was delighted and invited her to tour the house.

"I'll enjoy your tea and wait here…Please feel free to look at my house," he told her.

After checking the kitchen and dining room, Monica went upstairs to the man's room. Several old photographs ornamented the bedroom walls. It felt like she had entered into a time capsule of old Charles's memories.

Monica admired the different photos of the man's life. As she studied each one, she froze upon seeing a particular picture.

"Unbelievable!" she exclaimed, gaping at a picture of a young Charles playing the piano in a large concert hall. "Was he a musician or something?"

Monica hurried downstairs to find out more. She went in front of the man and asked him to tell her about his youth. But to her disbelief, he couldn't recognize her.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in my house?" he asked Monica.

Realizing he was in the advanced stage of Alzheimer's, Monica sat down and explained to old Charles.

"I'm here to look after you!" she clarified.

The old man calmed down and slept while Monica busied herself with the errands. She packed dinner in casseroles so he could eat when he was hungry. She left a note, "See you tomorrow at 9 a.m." and stuck it to the fridge with a magnet.

Monica went home thinking about who old Charles could be and eventually met her friend who suggested a strange idea to her…

That evening, one of her close friends, Janice, visited her. Monica told her about the old man's musical passion during his youth and how he struggled to hold things now. After listening to the story, Janice suggested something, but Monica doubted if it would work.

"Shall we experiment with muscle memory on him?" Janice exclaimed.

Monica knew about the concept but doubted its impact on old Charles due to his forgetfulness. However, the two women decided to try it.

The next day, Monica returned to work, and a little later, Janice dropped by with two porters carrying a piano.

"Inside…careful, please," Janice told the guys after showing them to Charles' room. Since Charles was in the garden, it was easier for them to sneak the piano into his bedroom without his knowledge.

"Now, this should do the trick!" Janice told Monica. "Just wait and watch if he reacts to the piano...Update me in the evening!"

Monica agreed, and the two ladies greeted goodbye for the day. While Monica cleaned the living room, Charles went upstairs. He had no idea about the piano in his room.

After a moment, Monica froze in confusion. She heard melodic tunes, and they appeared to be coming from upstairs. She couldn't believe her ears and rushed up.

"What? This is unbelievable!" she exclaimed as she entered Charles's bedroom. "Is this even happening?"

Monica gaped at Charles playing the piano like a professional musician. It appeared as though nothing was wrong with him, and he had no Alzheimer's.

"This is incredible," Monica sighed.

Charles ran his fingers on the piano keys, prompting Monica to immerse into her childhood and recall her grandfather playing the instrument too.

"Lovely!" she mumbled as beads of tears rolled down her cheeks.

Monica was pleased to see Charles cherish his love for music. She witnessed genuine peace in his eyes, and his smile had a perfect innocence. She was assured that music was all he needed to overcome his pain and loneliness.

From that day on, Monica became Charles's regular caretaker. Being around him gave her the satisfaction and pleasure of reliving her moments with her late grandfather.

Every evening, old Charles's house echoed many different sweet melodies while Monica sang along to the tunes.

"See you tomorrow, darling!" he often told Monica, who always stepped out with a smiling face and pleasant memories!

What can we learn from this story?

• Don't hesitate to help those who need it. When Monica saw Charles having difficulty holding the TV remote and later found out he was a pianist during his youth, she discussed his issues with her friend. She helped him overcome his struggles by surprising him with a piano so that he could relive his musical memories.
• A little favor can go a long way: Charles forgot about his pain and illness after seeing the piano. He played many tunes and surprised Monica, who was immersed in her childhood and recalled her good times with her grandpa.

If you liked reading this story, here's one about how a son who neglected his mother visits her years later, only to find a gravesite instead of her home.

This account is inspired by our reader's story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Please share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you want to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.