Magic Fingers

Way back in the 70’s I used to listen to a singer named Steve Goodman. I do not know what ever happened to him, but he wrote some great lyrics. They still pop into my head all these years later.

One of his songs was called something like "the Hotel Room.”Jimmy Buffet did a version of it too, I believe. The line from that song that I remember most is “Magic Fingers and a King Sized Bed.”

Does anyone remember Magic Fingers? It was generally in cheap motel rooms – you put a quarter in and the bed started a “Massage.” Because I come from California, I can speak with some authority when I tell you that "massage" felt a lot like an earthquake. The bed just shook like crazy for about 5 minutes. It was hilarious.

I find myself singing that lyric almost every morning. Maggie’s “Magic fingers” inspire me.
When the night nurse leaves at 6:30 or 7AM, I leave Maggie in bed and walk the nurse to the front door. We have a ridiculous set of antiquated locks on our door and no one can seem to work them except us. (I tell the nurses this way they cannot leave the shift early. Further, for those of you with safety concerns, the back door is in Maggie’s room and it opens right up. If there was an emergency, the nurse could head onto the back deck. As long as she could kick the raccoons out of the way, they would safe and sound.)

When I come back in to Maggie’ room she is always trying to escape from her bed. My husband made Maggie a custom bed to keep her safe. ( pic #1. she's waving at the camera))

Maggie never stops moving. She thrashes about hither and yon. She would fall out of bed 20 times a night. Steve made the bed with side rails that really protects her. She cannot fall out of this as long as it is locked into position.

However, in addition to her movement disorder, Maggie is a persistent kid. She works and works at something until she achieves her goal. Maggie figured out the original locks in about a day and we had to reinforce them with something more difficult. It has been several years now, and she hasn’t undone it yet.

Still she tries and tries. Every morning I return to her room to see this (picture #2) She actually has one of them undone in this picture. I refastened in and went in for a close up.
(pic #3)

That second lock, the hook and eye, is beyond her motor skills. You have to hold the spring and slide it down at the same time you open the hook. Even I have a hard time with it.

However, with her Magic fingers we have to be ever vigilant.

I have a feeling that Steve Goodman's lyrics will stay with me for a long while yet.