Contemporary story
On

Hope and Comfort

Charley Foley calls into the Mater Misericordia Hospital to visit his wife.

'How are you feeling?' he asks, sitting at the bedside, close to Dolly who is smiling up at him, her black hair resting against the white pillows.

'I'm fine,' Dolly says, quietly. She looks old and tired to Charley; she is deathly pale and has black pouches under her eyes. When she slips her fingers into Charley's he notices two ugly brown liver spots on the back her small hand.

'You look tired,' Charley says. 'Aren't you sleeping?'

'I was a bit restless last night.'

Dolly does not mention the pain: she doesn't want to upset her husband.

'Any word from Linda?' she asks.

'She phoned again last night. I told her you were grand. I said there was nothing to worry about.'

Linda, their eldest, teaches in a university in Galway. Linda will come home for the holiday in August. Their son, Colm, and his children live in Australia. Colm hasn't been told that his mother is unwell. Colm's a worrier: it's best he's not upset.

Charley gazes dreamily across the chattering hospital ward, bright with pale afternoon sunlight. Other visitors are doing their duties, gathering around the sick, bringing flowers and fruit, offering words of hope and comfort.

'Have you seen the doctor again?' Charley asks his wife.

'Tomorrow maybe.'

'Any idea how long they'll keep you in?'

Dolly turns away and coughs into a tissue, then settles back. She takes Charley's hand again.

'They'll let me know on Monday. They have to do lots more tests. They won't let me home until they know. I'm sorry to be such a bother.'

Dolly's small chest heaves under her heavy nightdress. Charley thinks of a frightened bird. Sweet Dolores Delarosa he used to call her long ago when they were courting, mocking her sorrowful eyes and the way she took everything too seriously. He can't help wondering if she made herself sick with worry.

Poor Dolly Delarosa!

←2→

'Don't let them budge you until you're absolutely better,' he says.

'Are you managing all right, darling?'

'Grand.'

Charley is eating out and staying away from the house as much as possible. He's managing all right.

The minutes pass in heated tedium. Charley is watching the visitors and glancing at the small alarm clock beside his wife's bed. He can hear its distant ticking and still recall the irritating ring when it dragged his wife from bed at the crack of dawn and moments later her breakfast sounds clattering in the kitchen keeping him awake, reminding him that there's a day's work ahead and children to be schooled and fed.

Tic-tic-tic-tic- tic-tic-tic.

The kids are all grown up now. Second grandchild imminent. Time is running out. A grey face in the shaving mirror reminding Charley of middle age and the rot ahead. Where's the point in having money if you can't enjoy it? Why can't clocks take their time? What's the hurry?

Ah - God have mercy! Dolly Dolorosa. How different might it have been without her?

Dolly's eyelids droop. Her mouth opens a fraction. She looks almost dead. Moments pass slowly.

'This must be very boring for you,' she says, without opening her eyes.

'Not at all. It does me good to see you.'

'It's not nice having to visit anybody in hospital. It's so depressing.'

'Nonsense.'

Dolly settles her dark head further back against the white pillows. Grimaces for an instant then braves a smile.

'You should leave now, Charley. I think I might sleep for a while.'

'Are you sure?'

'Positive.'

Charley bounces to his feet.

'I'll come in later,' he says.

'Please don't. With it being Saturday the wards will be crammed with people. Leave it till the morning. Come after Mass.'

'Is that's what you want?'

←3→

'It is, darling.'

Dolly opens her eyes, smiles like a child. It's been a long time since Dolly was a child.

'You look tired, darling,' she says. 'Aren't you sleeping?'

'I was a bit restless last night.'

'Try to take things easy.'

Dolly squeezes her husband's hand, presses her ringed finger against his gold wedding ring. Her fingers are light as feathers.

'Off you go, darling,' she says. 'Try to not worry.'

Charley bends and kisses Dolly's hot forehead.

'I'll see you tomorrow,' he says.

Dolly's eyes close. Her fingers slip from his.

Tic-tic-tic-tic-tic.

Charley walks along a polished corridor and finds the exit. Outside in the bright car park he locates his car and sits inside. He glances around at the visitors coming and going. Nurses walk past, reminding him of butterflies. Charley reaches for his mobile phone and taps in a number. The call is answered almost immediately.

'Katherine?' he says.

'Where are you? I've been waiting ages for you to call.'

'I'm outside the hospital. I've just been in to see her.'

'How is she?'

'All right. As well as can be expected, I suppose. Who really knows?'

Charley pulls down the sunshade to protect his eyes from the blinding brightness, then returns his attention to his new friend, Katherine.

'She'll be in for a while longer.'

'Will I see you later?' Katherine asks.

'I expect so.'

'Stay tonight,' she offers. 'If you like.'

Charley thinks of his own empty house, the quietness without Dolly and the dreadful silences she left behind.

'I'd like that, darling,' he says.

'Come now,' Katherine whispers with a smile in her lovely voice. 'I'll cheer you up.'

←4

Charley says goodbye and puts the phone away. He smiles properly for the first time that day. He starts the engine and as he drives away Charley glances through the rear view mirror and sees the grey hospital building receding like a prison.

God help me, he thinks. God help us all.

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Comments

Submitted by admin on Thu, 03/13/2003 - 08:15

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I am always amazed at how much can be said in so few words. Your writing in this story is beautiful yet simplistic. You created such strong emotions within me during the short scene. It filled you with its essence. I wish I could enduce the same reactions someday with my writing. I will look into more of your works.

Submitted by admin on Sat, 07/19/2003 - 10:27

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This was good. I liked the reflection back to the time when Dolly cooked breakfast. I think whether he is having an affair with Katherine is something the reader gets to decide for him/herself. I would say yes because of the offer of staying the night and him saying God help me as if he was going to sin, rather than saying God help Dolly.

Submitted by admin on Sun, 06/13/2004 - 12:21

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This story made me feel as if I was in it. I agree with the comment of deciding for yourself if he was having an afair. This story touched me and made me add it to my writing portfolio for class! Thanks AJ!!!

Submitted by admin on Tue, 10/26/2004 - 11:23

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I hate it when the author makes a mistake, I cant get lost in the story then. He said his son lived with his childen but then said their second grandchild was iminent. What a selfish man the husband is though.

Submitted by admin on Thu, 05/25/2006 - 13:49

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This story was only two pages long, but it made an impression on me. Most people have been to the hospital to see someone they cared about that was sick or dying. Everything seems to be about the patient. This story looked at the other side, how a disease affects a person who is watching someone die. I have never actually thought about the other people, it is always about the dying person, but the people around that person are suffering just as much, just in a different way.

Submitted by admin on Thu, 02/22/2007 - 10:32

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his morality went down the tubes without his wife there to keep him straight. god help him, god help the wife. its sick the way he has already put her in the past. surely he should spend more time grieving. he acts like she was a toss-away wife. outlived her shelf life so he threw her in the bin.

Submitted by admin on Tue, 10/02/2007 - 03:04

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While I was reading, I felt very sad, because of her and his action. She looked like to be complete recovery, also he already knew and prepared her death. Thats why I felt sad and pity. End of the story, unfortunate, he met somewoman who was his new friend, named Katherine. Not only me but also everyone around me who already read this story were thinking he had an affair with her. However I dont want to make a sad story, just hope to have been finished Happy Ending.

Submitted by admin on Sat, 11/24/2007 - 08:12

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reminding him that theres a days work ahead and children to be schooled and fed. page 1, last paragraph. I think this should be in past tense because theres no coherence with the line:The kids are all grown up now.
The question How different might it have been without her?, which word should I emphasise?
Is Outside in the bright car park he locates his car and sits inside. He glances around at the visitors coming and going. Nurses walk past, reminding him of butterflies really necessary?
Despite these doubts, I enjoyed it and I found the end surprising.

Submitted by admin on Tue, 11/10/2009 - 11:55

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What?!?! Here, the husband was portrayed to be faithful, loving, and loyal... not wanting to leave his wifes side. Then to find out hes been cheating while DOlly has one foot in the grave. Dumb...

Submitted by admin on Tue, 04/13/2010 - 12:19

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hey who said that charely was having an affair with katherin ? i think he didnt . she is just " NEW FRIEND " and then the narrator said that before charely agree in accepting katherins offer . it is said that charely thought of the " his own empty house, the quietness without Dolly and the dreadful silences she left behind " it means that he will go to katherin because he felt lonely . hey please guys tell me that i can be right because thats how i interpreted this story because it came to my exam to analys it . so if my interpretation was wrong so i think i will fail

Submitted by admin on Tue, 06/14/2011 - 11:42

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this is confusing first he goes to see his wife in the hosbital and is worried and everything then leaves calls up kathrin and apareintly he is cheating on his wif with kathrin "WOW WHAT A REAL MAN" i mean realy come on you wife is practicly dieing and your going out and calling up other woman and goin to stay at there house so the can " CHEER YOU UP" if you know what i mean

Submitted by admin on Tue, 01/15/2013 - 16:58

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So many people have commented on the
infidelity issue - but isnt it sort of a
foregone conclusion. The whole first part
of the story builds up to it - the
complete emptiness of Charley and Dollys
relationship - going through the motions
but with no communication.

Submitted by admin on Tue, 02/26/2013 - 16:37

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What a sad, brilliant story. Its easy and predictable to say Charley is a rotter for cheating on his wife, who is in hospital, possibly dying. Although predictable and callous, its hard to dispute that assessment. But lets take a different view. Suppose Charley loves Dolly so much, he cant cope with her infirmity and their incessantly advancing age. Suppose his feelings are so strong, hes unable to bear them, and turns to a new friend to help him through his emptiness, his loneliness, home alone, his fear?

Should she find out, will Dolly understand? Will she forgive? Will she approve? Or, does she already know? This is (properly) left for the thoughtful and, one hopes, compassionate reader to decide. Poor Charley.

Thank you for this superb story.

Submitted by admin on Thu, 01/22/2015 - 23:45

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Maybe dolly has known about Katherine for years but never told charley she knew. Maybe she knows she is dying and knows it is better for him to be happy and that is why she sends him away. I wish there was more to this story but it was written quite well. Sad

Submitted by admin on Thu, 07/09/2015 - 08:50

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Probably its the negative aspect of human nature, and though sometimes we have some impulsive intentions, the merits of us should prevent us from falling down into the darkness and it responsibilities. Truly love can never be replaced by imminent excitement, stopping turning it into dust and ashes, for if it disappears, it will never come back.

Submitted by admin on Fri, 09/11/2015 - 11:29

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This is really a very beautiful story. Not every one will understand the depth of emotions but only a few with matured mind and ability to understand emotions will.The man is not cheating his wife....it is just that he is so much saddened by all this that he needs some one to help him bear this...Katherine may be his friend...from friend i mean a really good friend....his life is incomplete with his wife and he cant go back home and just cant bear the stillness caused due to wife absence from there.....nice story,...

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