With Every Knock, You Get a Knock-Knock Joke

Rufus sharing a good laugh with his Meals on Wheels volunteer

Army veteran and VNA Meals on Wheels client Rufus knows how to get a laugh from the friendly volunteers who deliver food and friendship to him and his mother every weekday. You can usually find Rufus waiting on the porch or in the front yard of his West Dallas home where he lives next door to his mother, Ollie. The two have always called West Dallas home.

At 66, Rufus looks after Ollie, 87, by helping her manage her medical appointments and checking on her daily. A wounded Vietnam veteran, Rufus makes frequent visits to the VA Hospital for a variety of conditions and sometimes misses his meal delivery. He hates to miss out on seeing his Meals on Wheels friends and they miss him too when he isn’t home.

This natural-born entertainer always has a joke and punch line ready to deliver. He also gets to know the volunteers—asking about their children, grandchildren, kids’ activities and summer plans. He genuinely cares about the friends who deliver meals and smiles, often texting on holidays and checking in to see how the kids are doing.

“They’re like family to me ... I look forward to making them laugh and hearing all about their kids and what they have going on,” says Rufus. The feeling is mutual for the volunteers who get to know him and Ollie. The saying certainly is true that they are blessed even more than they are a blessing.