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Let me go...
Working in a retirement home, the guests become like family. Some people work here for the money, but i don't. I like to hear the stories of the wars, the first cell phone, how my generation sucks etc…
It was around 8 am when i came into work this morning. Everyone was up, and ready to start the day. I spent the majority of the morning cleaning, and organizing rooms.
Youre probably wondering what's fun about cleaning?
At the end of cleaning if your shift is not over you get to hang out and talk to the people here. There are dozens of interesting facts and stories, but my favourite stories came from Margret.
Margret came to live here when she was about 60 and now she's almost 90! I've only been here for a couple years, but every day she has a new story to tell me. I knocked on her door “Come in Katrina.” “How'd you know it was me?” I said opening the door
Her room was very antique, she refuses to throw anything out or accept modern day furniture. She has the couches that are covered in flower designs, end tables that have spots just for phone books. We even set up a landline for her. She sat on the couch and poured the tea into a cup that she said was specifically mine.
“Did i ever tell you how i met my husband?” “I dont think so?” She handed me the mug and carried on, “Back when my coloured people-” She started to say but then stopped. I looked up from my cup and she looked unconscious. I checked her pulse and it was still there, I ran and hit the emergency button.
I laid her on the ground and started doing chest compressions, not long after that the medical staff came in. They were trained for this, and we were used to this.
I watched as they frantically tried to get her back. They had me call 911, the paramedics came upstairs and got Margret. I didn't leave her side, she had no family, I was it.
I got into the ambulance as well and we rushed to the hospital.
They made me wait in the waiting room as they took her somewhere else. Sense i wasn't technically family they wouldn't tell me what was happening. After a couple hours they allowed me to go in the room. “She's tired from the medication but she should wake up anytime soon.” The nurse said, then left. I held her hand and watched the monitor. Her head moved and I jumped, “Is this modern furniture?” “Do not scare me like that again!” I said jokingly, she put her hand on my face “I'm sorry dear.
“What was i saying before?” “You were going to tell me about how you met your husband. But you need to rest-” “Hush up child.” She said then continued to tell the story, “Back when you white people disgrimidated our race, it was hard for me to do anything. I worked all day and got the little sleep I was allowed. The man that owned me-” “Francis right?” “You do listen. Anyway that devil of a man went on his business trips night and day. I still had to keep up my work or the other men would tell him i wasn't working hard.” “Why didn't you just run away?” “Where darling? If he didnt inslave me someone else would, and compared to other stories ive heard he was alright. Rarley was he ever home so i had time to go out sometimes. Go to the market alone without worried about getting hit. It was nice, then one day as i was in the market. One of the white men behind me pushed me aside so he could get through the line quicker. And that is when he grabbed my hand and helped me up. Of course i was shocked because he was a very handsom man, never thought he would look my way. But the moment didnt last long becuase he had to get back to digging along the road. Can you pass me some water hun?” I passed her the bottle of water from the table, then she began talking again. “Almost every day when Francisis was on a buisness trip i would go down to the markets just to see Malcolm. But it was forbidden for slaves to be with other slaves, so whenever we wanted to talk we would have to go behind the market, by the river. I didnt think life could get any better, until it stopped being good...”
I knew that Malcolm had died, but i didnt know how. “You dont have to tell me the rest if you dont want too.”
“Well what is the point of a story if it has no ending? One day Francis had come home earlier then he was supposed too. I told him i was just at the market but he didnt believe me. He had heard that i was speaking with another man and thats why he came back early. I tried to run down to the market to warn Malcolm he was coming, but when i got there… They had already got to him...”
“They killed him for loving you? How could they do that? They-”
“Katrina, it was a different time then… Francis wasnt happy when we got home and well you could probably guess what happened… When i thought the whole thing was blown over, i found out i was pregnant, with Malcolms baby.”
“You never told me you had a kid.”
“You never asked. They didnt have pregnancy tests back then, and i couldnt go to the hospital so i didnt really know if i was pregnant. It later became obvious when i started gaining weight. Instead of staying and risking my babys life i left. I didnt know where i was going, but i knew i couldnt be there. I hopped onto random trains hoping i would land somewhere peaceful. A white woman gave me shelter in her small house, her and her husband were very nice. At least thats what i thought, they fed me and took me to doctor appointments, the help i didnt know i could get. When i finally had the baby-” She wiped a tear out of her eye, i pretended not to notice.
“They took her. They left me at the hospital alone. I only saw her for a second when the nurse handed her to them. Katrina she was beautiful, she had all of Malcolms features. His nose his blue eyes and my curly hair… I just wish i would have seen her now.”
“Why cant you? She could still be alive right? Like some kind of DNA?” I said with my voice shaking. She grabbed my hands,
“They sold her. To horrible horrible people. When everything was finally over i searched for her, i went door to door. Then when tecnology came out i searched in every file born that year. But she was gone, I dont think they kept her alive for long. Her name was going to be Rose...”
I was already crying, to the point where the sleeve of my shirt was soaking wet.
“Why would you tell me this?”
“Because Malcolm and Rose theyre up there in Heaven waiting for me. I need to go meet my daughter-”
“Are you saying?”
“I need you to let me go… Youll be okay here you have a wonderful family and full life ahead of you. Ive had my life, ive done all the things i wanted. Its my time, today was god telling me hes ready for me. Rose and Malcolm have waited long enough for me to come home.”
“They deserve you to come home.” She reached her hand to my face and wiped my tears.
We had the paperwork signed. The doctor came in and injected the liquid that would slowly stop her heart.
I didnt stop crying, i dont think i ever will stop crying. As she smiled and took her last breath.
© Miele Ann
It was around 8 am when i came into work this morning. Everyone was up, and ready to start the day. I spent the majority of the morning cleaning, and organizing rooms.
Youre probably wondering what's fun about cleaning?
At the end of cleaning if your shift is not over you get to hang out and talk to the people here. There are dozens of interesting facts and stories, but my favourite stories came from Margret.
Margret came to live here when she was about 60 and now she's almost 90! I've only been here for a couple years, but every day she has a new story to tell me. I knocked on her door “Come in Katrina.” “How'd you know it was me?” I said opening the door
Her room was very antique, she refuses to throw anything out or accept modern day furniture. She has the couches that are covered in flower designs, end tables that have spots just for phone books. We even set up a landline for her. She sat on the couch and poured the tea into a cup that she said was specifically mine.
“Did i ever tell you how i met my husband?” “I dont think so?” She handed me the mug and carried on, “Back when my coloured people-” She started to say but then stopped. I looked up from my cup and she looked unconscious. I checked her pulse and it was still there, I ran and hit the emergency button.
I laid her on the ground and started doing chest compressions, not long after that the medical staff came in. They were trained for this, and we were used to this.
I watched as they frantically tried to get her back. They had me call 911, the paramedics came upstairs and got Margret. I didn't leave her side, she had no family, I was it.
I got into the ambulance as well and we rushed to the hospital.
They made me wait in the waiting room as they took her somewhere else. Sense i wasn't technically family they wouldn't tell me what was happening. After a couple hours they allowed me to go in the room. “She's tired from the medication but she should wake up anytime soon.” The nurse said, then left. I held her hand and watched the monitor. Her head moved and I jumped, “Is this modern furniture?” “Do not scare me like that again!” I said jokingly, she put her hand on my face “I'm sorry dear.
“What was i saying before?” “You were going to tell me about how you met your husband. But you need to rest-” “Hush up child.” She said then continued to tell the story, “Back when you white people disgrimidated our race, it was hard for me to do anything. I worked all day and got the little sleep I was allowed. The man that owned me-” “Francis right?” “You do listen. Anyway that devil of a man went on his business trips night and day. I still had to keep up my work or the other men would tell him i wasn't working hard.” “Why didn't you just run away?” “Where darling? If he didnt inslave me someone else would, and compared to other stories ive heard he was alright. Rarley was he ever home so i had time to go out sometimes. Go to the market alone without worried about getting hit. It was nice, then one day as i was in the market. One of the white men behind me pushed me aside so he could get through the line quicker. And that is when he grabbed my hand and helped me up. Of course i was shocked because he was a very handsom man, never thought he would look my way. But the moment didnt last long becuase he had to get back to digging along the road. Can you pass me some water hun?” I passed her the bottle of water from the table, then she began talking again. “Almost every day when Francisis was on a buisness trip i would go down to the markets just to see Malcolm. But it was forbidden for slaves to be with other slaves, so whenever we wanted to talk we would have to go behind the market, by the river. I didnt think life could get any better, until it stopped being good...”
I knew that Malcolm had died, but i didnt know how. “You dont have to tell me the rest if you dont want too.”
“Well what is the point of a story if it has no ending? One day Francis had come home earlier then he was supposed too. I told him i was just at the market but he didnt believe me. He had heard that i was speaking with another man and thats why he came back early. I tried to run down to the market to warn Malcolm he was coming, but when i got there… They had already got to him...”
“They killed him for loving you? How could they do that? They-”
“Katrina, it was a different time then… Francis wasnt happy when we got home and well you could probably guess what happened… When i thought the whole thing was blown over, i found out i was pregnant, with Malcolms baby.”
“You never told me you had a kid.”
“You never asked. They didnt have pregnancy tests back then, and i couldnt go to the hospital so i didnt really know if i was pregnant. It later became obvious when i started gaining weight. Instead of staying and risking my babys life i left. I didnt know where i was going, but i knew i couldnt be there. I hopped onto random trains hoping i would land somewhere peaceful. A white woman gave me shelter in her small house, her and her husband were very nice. At least thats what i thought, they fed me and took me to doctor appointments, the help i didnt know i could get. When i finally had the baby-” She wiped a tear out of her eye, i pretended not to notice.
“They took her. They left me at the hospital alone. I only saw her for a second when the nurse handed her to them. Katrina she was beautiful, she had all of Malcolms features. His nose his blue eyes and my curly hair… I just wish i would have seen her now.”
“Why cant you? She could still be alive right? Like some kind of DNA?” I said with my voice shaking. She grabbed my hands,
“They sold her. To horrible horrible people. When everything was finally over i searched for her, i went door to door. Then when tecnology came out i searched in every file born that year. But she was gone, I dont think they kept her alive for long. Her name was going to be Rose...”
I was already crying, to the point where the sleeve of my shirt was soaking wet.
“Why would you tell me this?”
“Because Malcolm and Rose theyre up there in Heaven waiting for me. I need to go meet my daughter-”
“Are you saying?”
“I need you to let me go… Youll be okay here you have a wonderful family and full life ahead of you. Ive had my life, ive done all the things i wanted. Its my time, today was god telling me hes ready for me. Rose and Malcolm have waited long enough for me to come home.”
“They deserve you to come home.” She reached her hand to my face and wiped my tears.
We had the paperwork signed. The doctor came in and injected the liquid that would slowly stop her heart.
I didnt stop crying, i dont think i ever will stop crying. As she smiled and took her last breath.
© Miele Ann
