Remembering Life
Day 2
The morning was damp and cold gray skies not giving an inch as May Caufield trudged up the steep hill from the bus stop. She was dressed in her raincoat plastic rain hat tied securely under her chin and loaded about with carrier bags. A mere wisp of a woman barely topping the stone fence she passed. She reveled in the cold damp air taking deep breaths as she walked. Turning the corner she spied the cars in front of Jim’s house…ah well then they’re all here she nodded to herself.
Closing the gate she noted the poor state of the front garden and shook her head…surely one of the boys could see to that.
Peg bobbed her head out of the kitchen doorway, "Auntie May come have a cup of tea."
May shucked off her coat and hat and brought her bags through to the kitchen, "hello luv," grabbing a hug and kiss on the cheek from Peg, "yes a cup of tea would do me this morning…and how is Brother?"
"He’s awake and has his cuppa. I’m just putting the sausages under the cooker."
"And your brothers?"
"Down to the news agents for milk and papers."
"They’ve all stayed then…I tried to send them off…no need I says."
"They have their own needs Auntie May," Peg smiled placing a cup of tea before her aunt.
Another morning the air is cold blowing in from the window but it feels good across my face. Peg has outfitted me with some sort of knitted thing about my shoulders and an extra quilt. It may rain again today I always loved rain never minded the wet of it. They all came filing in this morning to see if I’m still here. Ha I may not die at all…have the last laugh on them. Ah no…if a man can’t go to pub and stop at the chippie on the way home…what’s the use of it…smokes gone…legs gone…body tryin’ its best to go. I hear my sister May has come again…stubborn woman she’s older than me and still going about her business. We’re the only two left out of our family…two out of twelve.
"What do you think?" Tommy asked with a hand full of bags of crisps.
"For who? I don’t eat that shit." Jimmy said taking the milk out of the cooler.
"Well just to have…maybe some baked beans."
Jimmy shook his head looking at Tommy’s girth and smiled.
Roger was walking around the shop taking in the sights and buying nothing. It had been three years since he’d been in a British shop and had quite gotten away from the familiar things he used to crave. He stood back away from the counter as his brothers piled up their shopping. He would have been one of them if he hadn’t left home. But he wasn’t and he felt a thing apart from them. His life was in America. Walking to the door and opening it out onto the street he thought about Melissa and the apartment they shared. She was still at university but he had finished his education and was now working for a major computer software company. He made good money and lived simply in southern California. He looked down the street and wished he’d brought his camera to capture the gray street, gray houses, gray sky. He realized what a depressing sight it was and shivered in the damp cold air wishing for the warm California sunshine on his shoulders.
"I’ll go up t’see him now," May stood up and straightened her back, "poor lamb."
"Hi ya May you shouldn’t have come ye know the house is bursting at seams now."
"Aye it is…is good you have a family Jim…especially in times like this."
"Oh…what times…good to have a family at all. I was just thinkin’ about ours you know…none left but us."
"Tis true they’re all gone now…Madge and June me sisters all gone now."
"I can’t imagine havin’ seven sons nowadays. Of course we were all put to work."
"Yes but you got your schooling Jim…Bren and David never did and Artie and Adam never finished. Poor Jack and Mason dead too soon." May sat with a sorrowful expression.
"Aw look at yer with the face on cheer up May we’re alive today…that’s somethin’. Might not see tomorrow but we’ve got today."
"Listen to ya at deaths door ye are Jim," she smiled
"Aye but will I open it today? I don’t think so no I’ll wait till the weekend. Peg’s got a feller…aye she has and he’s comin’ this weekend. I want to meet him."
"She never said…ah Peg."
"I might have a goin’ away party." He grinned.
"Ah go on with ya I’ll go help Peg with breakfast."
And why shouldn’t I have a party to see me off before I’m gone. It’s for sure they‘ll have one when I’m gone. Look at the pills will ya Molly never in life did I think I’d be pokin’ them things down me gullet. I’ll tell that nurse when she comes tomorrow…no more. I’ll have fish and chips I will on Friday and a pint or two on Saturday…maybe three or four. Whatever difference does it make now? I’ll do it Molly by God I will girl. You never saw me down in bed like this lettin’ other people tell me what I can and can’t do. I wonder what’s happened to me I’m afraid I ain’t the same man Molly…that scares me a little. It’s not the body it’s me mind. It’s sure me body will be restored to me when I come to ya but me mind…to lay back here and open me mouth for a pill…eat this rubbish. I’ll not do it Molly…not after Friday. I might see ya on Sunday.
"What’s all this then?" asked May when the boys got back with their bags.
"I bought milk and papers Auntie the rest is Tommy’s." Jimmy said placing the bags on the counter.
"Ah Tommy you don’t eat this rubbish…get around table our Peg’s got sausages."
"And eggs and bread and butter and jam," Peg passed the plates over to the table.
"Ye Dad says he wants a goin’ away party," May said finding a seat at the table.
"That’s a lovely idea," said Peg
"I don’t feel like a party…he’s dying for God’s sake." Tommy said reaching for another sausage.
"It ain’t you that wants one is it Tommy, not your call." Jimmy stated.
"I think he should have what he wants." Roger said quietly.
"Ya not serious…all o’ya?" May rounded her eyes around the table.
"Why not Auntie we could invite his friends over for a bite to eat and a drink…I think he’d like that."
"Well it’d be too much for him all that excitement…no no I don’t think…"
"He’s dying anyway why not let him have his party…I’m in." Jimmy said cutting into his sausage.
"I’m in," Roger said
"Me too…I’ll do the food." Peg said smiling brightly
"Yer crazy the lot of ya…I’m in," Tommy said
"Well…if ya goin’ to have people in yer better get at that front garden…it looks a right mess." May said eyeing her nephews.
Pushing his clean plate away, "I’ll go have a word with him and find out when it’s to be." Jimmy said rising from the table.
"Hi ya, Dad…you okay?"
"Jimmy…I’m still here…damn pills make me sleepy…I’m off ‘em come Friday…made up my mind no more pills and I’ll have a pint I will."
"Ah hah, well I was gonna ask you when you wanted your party…Auntie May says you want one."
"Ha…she did…well on Saturday if that’s no bother."
"No bother at all, Dad we all agreed…party sounds about right."
"Damn right it does…go out with a bang and not a whimper. When is Peg’s young man comin’?"
"Friday night she says."
"Good…I want to meet him and you boys behave yourselves when he gets here…no third degree…no fights."
Tommy shifted, "we’ll have to see what kind o’bloke he is I reckon."
"I reckon we all want to see that and give him a good impression too…don’t go running him off."
"Ah no…not unless he don’t measure up. Peg’s got a good head on her shoulders."
"Yes she does…so do you so use it. When’s James comin’?"
"I’ll have him on Sunday, Dad same as always."
"Maybe you could get him on Saturday…for the party…tell her it’s my last."
Jimmy looked up and met his father’s eyes, "I’ll try…I’ll call her tonight and see if that suits."
"Suit or not he’s your son…you got rights…the boy’s got rights…got a right to visit his dying grandpa."
"Are you really dying, Dad?"
"Fuck no." Jim closed his eyes
Jimmy smiled, "It’s freezing in here, why don’t you shut the window."
"I’m already dead."
Jimmy’s a good lad a son of my loins. Reminds me every day of myself at his age thirty-five he is now with a son of his own except for his choice of a wife. Slut…you don’t hear that word much anymore but it fits.
He’s better for ridding himself of her…her and her lover. Went down a notch did she when she left Jimmy. I wish he’d find a good woman…he deserves one lord knows. Runs his own business and makes a fair amount of money I reckon…I never asked him but it shows. I hear he’s got a woman he sees but it ain’t love…love I’d know about I’d see it about him…all I see now is loneliness aw he wouldn’t admit it for nothin’ but I know.
Yeah, Molly I want to see it all tied up before I come to ya. Make sure they’re all happy as they can be. You’d be upset about Jimmy I know you would, be frettin’ and fussin’ all over him. I reckon he’s been hurt and it shows…I’m right glad you didn’t see that to tell the truth. Oh not that I don’t wish you back nine years ago…oh no I didn’t mean that…just wanted to save you…oh hell you know what I meant. You always did know me better than I knew myself. God how I miss you, Molly.
"He says on Saturday and he’ll have a pint or two." Jimmy announced to the kitchen.
"He’ll never have a pint, Jimmy he’s not to have a pint." May said from the sink.
"Who says…doctor? Dad says he will and so he will…all he wants. Where’s the rest?"
"In greenhouse…a pint…I don’t know." She shook her head.