Wayne lives in the Mansion Assisted Care Facility where I work as a volunteer. He came to the Mansion a few months ago, and is one of the sweetest, gentlest and most cheerful people I haver ever met, even though he has good reason to be unhappy at times.

Wayne came to my attention when I heard the staff talking about how much fun he is, he is always smiling, and has a ready and curious sense of humor. Wayne is always promising to have a sleep over with Red, and then come to the farm and let the animals into the farmhouse for a party.  He’s coming to the farm in May, he’ll get his chance.

I was  surprised to get a telephone call from a doctor in Saratoga who treated Wayne in a rehabilitation center there (I can’t say what for). He had come to the Mansion to see Wayne when he came there and he contacted me and said he had come to love Wayne – he bought him clothes, took him out, watched over him.

He asked me if I would also watch over Wayne, he offered a large donation to the Army Of Good. I declined the invitation, it wasn’t necessary for him to do that. I said I would keep an eye on Wayne, and I have done that. Wayne had virtually no clothes or possessions when he came to the Mansion, and the aides were worried about him.

I visited my network of thrift shops and Wal-Mart and we got Wayne everything he needed. Wayne is  regular at the Friday night Bingo games Maria and I run, if he doesn’t get the number he wants, he smiles and winks and demands a new caller.

Wayne never asked for anything until last Friday, he was petting Red and looked away from me, and said, “I need some T-shirts. I only have three, and it’s getting to be summer.” It is hard for  Wayne to ask for help, the first time he asked me directly. I rely on the staff to alert me to things he needs.

There is no one out there to support him.

. I had to ask Wayne a bunch of questions before I realized he wanted short-sleeve T-shirts for the hot weather.

I showed him the shirts on the Iphone – I know Wal-Mart also sells them – and he nodded. Today, I brought them over, and he was happy. They were – to my surprise – Happy Hour T-shirts, XL. Wayne was delighted with the sketch on the front and promised to start a happy hour ceremony at the Mansion. He looked devilish and I said I didn’t want to know about it.

Wayne always have the spark of mischief in his eyes.

This is what I mean by Small Acts Of Great Kindness, we can’t heal Wayne or alter the course of his life. We can give him comfortable shirts for the summer, it sometimes gets warm in the Mansion.

I appreciate your support for the Mansion work. You can help by contributing to the Gus Fund, c/o Jon Katz, P.O. Box 205, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816, or via Paypal, [email protected].

Wayne is an avid reader, he loves to read letters and animal books and look at animal photos. You can write him c/o The Mansion, 11 S.Union Avenue, Cambridge, N.Y., 12816.