A Worn Path-MInor characters

The minor characters in this story seem to tell of the Phoenix's world where she cannot remember all too well. It does not say she has any form of illness but I suspect she may have Alzheimer's or dementia. When the impatient woman badgers Phoenix so impolitely Phoenix remains silent. She does this because she says,"There I sat and forgot why I made my long trip." It almost made me think that her grandson really is dead but she makes the trip anyway in her grief stricken mind.That might be out of the cone of reasoning but it seems plausible based on her responses to simple questions. In the end though the minor characters help the reader see her pass when she talks of her education. She said she did not have much of one and that is partly why she forgets so easily.