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| Monday, 14 October 2002 |
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Friends She lifted his weary body with her own weary arms to place the bed pan under him. He looked at her and she saw the quiet thanks that came from haunted, feverish eyes. She felt his wasted body and tears welled up in her as she remembered his once strong, muscular frame. The only reminder of those wasted muscles was the loose skin that fell like sleepy eyelids, from his shrunken self.. "Don't move," she whispered. "I'll just be gone a little while. Pick up your medicines and some grocery." He looked at her beseechingly. "I know," she whispered, "you'll have to be alone, but I'll be back soon." She walked tiredly down the busy street. She could not believe there were so many people. Up in her little room, it seemed that she and her man were the only ones left. No one came to see them. The doctor had once climbed up all four floors and seen him, but when he left, he left her with a bill that meant she went with no food for days on end. She did not call him up again, she wondered whether he had charged her for the sickness or the four flights of steps..! They had no friends. She had left messages for many who had been close once, but when they knew what he suffered from, they left him and her alone. She walked down the road. So many people in a crowded and lonely world. She stopped and stared. It was a doorway that she had passed many times. Arched, it did not look special, but today she heard voices, raised in soft chorus. She stilled herself and listened. And then slightly uncertain took a few steps in. She could not see the faces of the voices, but she felt a calm. She heard singing again. She heard bells. She heard a voice raised up in prayer, and found that it was hers. She saw no one but felt the presence of someone who was holding out a hand to her. She took the hand. It grasped her withered one and as she held onto the hand she felt alone no more. She could not see the hand, but it held her, not just her hand but encircling all of her. "You called me in didn't you?" she asked. The hand just tightened around her in affirmation. She felt herself going still and felt her burdens slowly lifted away. "I have no friend," she wept. The hand tightened its grip and she felt foolish, for she knew she had one now. "Will you come home with me?" she asked, "or do you live only in this sacred place?" She walked down to the street and felt His presence. There was no loosening of the arm around her frail shoulders. She walked tall on the road as she felt His hand in hers. The ones who passed her by, wondered why she smiled . They had not seen such fragile woman with such confident walk. The chemist looked up surprised. "He is better?" he asked. She smiled and felt the hand tighten its grip. The steps, that were so difficult to climb were like a garden path. She floated up with a new found strength, her hands tightly held. He looked up from his sick bed and saw her smiling face. "We are not alone," she shouted. "I've brought a Friend back with me." She saw his thin face suddenly break into a joyful smile. He held out his hand and felt His hand in his. When she walked down beside his wooden box a few days later, she had a smile. She knew he had just left to join their Friend..! |
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