relationships with those around them. “Here it’s like
living in my own home,” Makover said.
Aroundthecorner,ImetAnneBraveman,seventy-nine,
andRitaKahn,eighty-six,whotoldmetheyhadgoneto
the movies the week before. It wasn’t some official,
prearranged group outing.It wasjust two friendswho
decidedtheywantedtogoseeTheKing’sSpeechona
Thursday night. Braveman put on a nice turquoise
necklace,andKahnputonsomeblush,blueeyeshadow,
andanewoutfit.Anursingassistanthadtoagreetojoin
them.Bravemanwasparalyzedfromthewaistdowndue
to multiple sclerosis and got around by motorized
wheelchair;Kahnwaspronetofallsandneededawalker.
Theyhadtopaythe$15fareforawheelchair-accessible
vehicletotakethem.Butitwaspossibleforthemtogo.
TheywerelookingforwardtowatchingSexandtheCity
on DVD next.
“HaveyoureadFiftyShadesofGreyyet?”Kahnasked
me, impishly.
I allowed, modestly, that I had not.
“I had neverheardofchainsand that stuff,”she said,
marveling. Had I? she wanted to know.
I really didn’t want to answer that.
NewBridgealloweditsresidentstohavepetsbutdidn’t
actively bring them in, the way Bill Thomas’s Eden
Alternative had, and so animals hadn’t become a
significantpartoflifethere.Butchildrenhad.NewBridge
shareditsgroundswithaprivate schoolforstudentsin
kindergartenthrougheighthgrade,andthetwoplaceshad