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This is a SAGE Story.
My name is Jeanine Commarieu. I have been in this apartment for 37 years.
I'm 75 years old. I cannot go out
because I am on the 3rd floor with stairs. I cannot do that to go down.
To go down, it's okay, more or less, to go back up - it is very difficult.
So, I'm here with my little dog called "Tina." She's a chihuahua. She's a wonderful dog.
We love each other. We give company to each other.
Even if I cannot leave my apartment for two years, I am not bored or lonely.
because I have a lot of friends who come to
see Tina and walk her, talk to me,
sit on a chair in the kitchen. We talk, about life, about what they
are doing, their boyfriend, their life, their struggle, their school.
So they talk to me a lot.
And I like to give them feedback and say "yeah, I understand" or
"for real, it will be better" because I am an optimistic person.
I have my social worker who comes.
I have my friendly visitor who comes once a week.
We talk and she brings me food and we eat together.
And we talk about things. She's a lawyer. She's a great help.
And I have Tina! Remember Tina? She's a wonderful dog.
She keeps me company. She sleeps with me.
She gets a bath every 2 weeks, so she's clean.
And except that, my life is okay - really.
Except, I don't go down to the street. My life is very okay.
I enjoy reading. I have books.
I have a telephone - I am always on the phone.
I have a T.V. I have everything to make me happy.
I am not lonely or alone because I have all these friends
who come to see me, talk to me, cheer me up,
bring me chocolate [laughter], chocolate and cookies.
So, my life is okay.
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