A collection of poems and other writings...

Monday 15 June 2015

stroke

Hello, Dad.  Hello!
It’s me, Diane.  Hello.
I’ll just take my coat off.  
Where shall I put it?
Can I put it on the chair?
Shall I put it on the chair here?
Look I’ll put it here on the chair.
It’s not in your way there, Dad, is it? 
It’s not in your way there. 
There, I’ve put it on the chair out your way.
How’re you going on, Dad? 
How’re you going on?
You’re looking a bit better.
I can’t stop long, Dad.
Are you feeling any better?
Mike’s waiting in the car for me
so I can’t stop long.
You’ve got a bit more colour in your cheeks.
Have you been eating?
Ooh, it’s warm in here, isn’t it, Dad.
Are you warm?
I’m boiling, me.  It’s ever so warm.  Roasting. 
What did you have for lunch?
You look as if you’ve put a bit of weight on.
I said to Mike maybe you’ll put a bit of weight on in here.
Have you put a bit of weight on?
Oh, tell you what – I’ve brought you something.
I’ve brought you a bag of Werthers.
They’re your favourites, aren’t they.
Werthers.
They’re just in my coat.
I’ll fetch ‘em for you.
They’re just in my coat pocket.
I was going to get you some Wholenut
but they didn’t have any.
Not in the VG.
They didn’t have any Wholenut – not the big bars.
You only like the big bars, don’t you, Dad.
They only had small bars in the VG.
So I bought you some Werthers.
And you won’t need your teeth in for Werthers, will you? 
You can just suck them, can’t you. 
You’d need your teeth for Wholenut, wouldn’t you. 
So it’s probably just as well.

So how’ve you been, Dad? 
How’ve you been going on? 
Have they been looking after you? 
Course they have, haven’t they. 
I bet they’ve been spoiling you, haven’t they.
Bet you’re one of their favourites, aren’t you. 
I bet you’ve been loving it in here, haven’t you, Dad? 
All the attention. 
I bet you’ve been loving it. 
Ooh, it is warm though, isn’t it. 
Aren’t you feeling warm, Dad? 
It is warm in here.
I’m baking.
They keep it like an oven, don’t they? 
I s’pose it’s for the old folks, isn’t it, Dad. 
They need it warm. 
Don’t want them to get chilled, do they.
Do you want a Werthers then, Dad?
Do you want one? 
I’ll unwrap you one, shall I?
You can just pop it in your mouth
Here, look, I’ll unwrap one for you.
You can just pop it in your mouth.
Here you go, look.
Open up then.
Open up?  No?  Not going to open up?  No?
Shall you have it later, then Dad? 
Do you want it later?
Shall I pop it on the side here, by your glasses?
I’ll just put it here on the table, by your glasses.
You can have it later – if you feel like it.
After your tea.

Oh – hello, Dad!
Are you looking at me?  Are you?
Can you see me?
It’s me, Diane?
Hello, Dad, I think you can see me, can’t you.
I know you can hear me, Dad.
Here look give me your hand, Dad.
There.
Here I am.  It’s me.  Diane.
What’s that?
What’re you saying?
Hang on – say it again.
I can’t quite… say it again Dad, if you can.
No?  Can’t you say it again?
No. Ok.  I love you, Dad.
I love you.  I’m sorry.

Listen Dad.  I’m going to have to go.
Mike’s waiting.  He’s in the car.
He’s waiting on a meter and if I’m too long he’ll have to put money in.
But I’ll come back tomorrow, Dad.
I’ll come again tomorrow – all right?
For a bit longer.
Maybe you’ll be feeling better tomorrow, eh.
Maybe you’ll have a bit more colour in your cheeks, eh.
I’ll see you tomorrow then, Dad.
Bye then, Dad.  I love you.


Bye, Dad.

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