Whats his name

Leola was in her room before dinner taking a nap when Jon went down and knocked on her door. He poked his head in and told her he was leaving for a little while and would be back in a couple of hours. I was reading in the living room absorbed in the 4th Harry Potter book. Later, she came upstairs and sat on the couch across from me.

"Where did Eric go?" she asked me.

"Do you mean Jon? He went to work at the free clinic this evening." I told her. I was pleased she remembered Eric's name and connected him in her brain as a male family member.

"No, not Jon. Not your Jon. I mean Eric. He came downstairs when I was sleeping and I wasn't very friendly to him, so I thought I better come up and talk to him, but now he's gone."

"Eric wasn't here today. He was here on Saturday. That was Jon who came down to say goodbye before he left."

"No it wasn't Jon," she insisted. "I know who Jon is. I guess Eric left before I could talk to him."

"I didn't see Eric today. I guess I missed him, too."

I have learned not to try to convince her of anything. It only makes her more anxious and confused. The downside is that it thwarts any kind of conversation and I feel dishonest when I have to "humor" her. But it's either humor or distract her or get into one of those pointless arguments. Either way, it's pretty damned sad.