Read Online The Art of Becoming Homeless by Sara Alexi - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sara Alexi
Ads: Link
This was the main path along the coast to the boatyard, right?’
‘ Yes. But even so, I was the one riding her. What’s the law? What would you do, Juliet? In England, I would expect to pay, but then in England I know the law and I am sure the owner would have become very angry as well. It feels very different here.’ She sighs. ‘It was so sad.’
‘ In England the donkey man would sue the person down the cliff, the person down the cliff would sue the council for not maintaining the path, the council would petition the government for more money, the government would tax the worker to get it, the donkey man would pay more tax to the government, who would pay the council to pay the person on the cliff, who pays the donkey man.’ She laughs dryly. Michelle does not join in.
‘ Yes, but what would you do?’ Michelle asks.
‘ I’d pay the donkey man.’ Juliet does not hesitate.
‘ Yup, that’s what I thought. I don’t know what I am legally obliged to do, but it is the only option that feels right. How much is a donkey, and how do I pay for his loss?’
‘ No, you can’t pay for his loss. Just let him see your heartfelt sorrow. That’s all you can do, really …’
A man in a white coat walks into the room, an x-ray in his hand.
‘Got to go, Juliet. See you in a few days?’
Juliet wishes her well and says she has plans for a lot of eating and drinking for the next week when they will be together.
The doctor tells Michelle that her shoulder is not broken, and as the swelling goes down it will feel better. She may, however, have a concussion, so he needs to keep her in for twenty-four hours.
‘ What time is it?’ Michelle leans back on the pillow. She has been put in a white gown for the x-ray. She would like to put her clothes on, but they are nowhere to be seen, just her wallet on her bedside table.
‘ One-thirty.’
‘ I have to be on the one-thirty boat back to Athens tomorrow, concussed or not. I have an important meeting. Can you have me discharged by half-past twelve?’
‘ Yes, yes, of course, do not worry. The best thing now is rest.’
The door closes solidly on her room which is part of an old stone building, with high ornate ceilings and tall windows. It is a large room for just her one bed. The hospital was probably once a fine home. Now layers of white paint mask the former grandeur.
Muffled voices drift indistinctly from the next room. Michelle wonders if it is Dino ’s room. It is in the direction the nurse had pointed when she asked after him. Maybe the doctor is in with him now, tending to his cuts and scrapes. Dear Dino, what a foolhardy thing to do. No one has ever dived down a cliff for her before, nothing even close. Visions of Richard diving off a cliff in his wig and gown to rescue her amuse Michelle for a moment. It’s a most unlikely scenario, however; for a start he would remove his gown and fold it carefully, find a safe place to put his wig, brush imaginary dust from his robe, and even then he would not likely leap to save her. He might roll up his sleeves and order someone else to do it for him. Her eyes flutter and the lids close. She will just rest a minute and then go and see how Dino is.
Michelle feels for Dino ’s arm around her. She reaches for him, but he is not there. Panic closes her throat, no breath passes. The cliff gives way. He is not there to cling to. She begins to fall. Richard plunges even faster beside her, his gown flying behind him, his wig taking flight by itself, until, with a splash, his cape is splayed like moth wings on the sea’s surface. His wig floats away, his arms scrabble. The water turns red.
Her eyes open, she gasps for air. The curtains are drawn but the moon peeps between them, a slice of night cutting the bed diagonally. The room is unfamiliar in greys and shadows and, for a moment, Michelle has no idea where she is. She pushes herself up to a sitting position, and the pain in her shoulder reminds her.
There is no
‘ Yes. But even so, I was the one riding her. What’s the law? What would you do, Juliet? In England, I would expect to pay, but then in England I know the law and I am sure the owner would have become very angry as well. It feels very different here.’ She sighs. ‘It was so sad.’
‘ In England the donkey man would sue the person down the cliff, the person down the cliff would sue the council for not maintaining the path, the council would petition the government for more money, the government would tax the worker to get it, the donkey man would pay more tax to the government, who would pay the council to pay the person on the cliff, who pays the donkey man.’ She laughs dryly. Michelle does not join in.
‘ Yes, but what would you do?’ Michelle asks.
‘ I’d pay the donkey man.’ Juliet does not hesitate.
‘ Yup, that’s what I thought. I don’t know what I am legally obliged to do, but it is the only option that feels right. How much is a donkey, and how do I pay for his loss?’
‘ No, you can’t pay for his loss. Just let him see your heartfelt sorrow. That’s all you can do, really …’
A man in a white coat walks into the room, an x-ray in his hand.
‘Got to go, Juliet. See you in a few days?’
Juliet wishes her well and says she has plans for a lot of eating and drinking for the next week when they will be together.
The doctor tells Michelle that her shoulder is not broken, and as the swelling goes down it will feel better. She may, however, have a concussion, so he needs to keep her in for twenty-four hours.
‘ What time is it?’ Michelle leans back on the pillow. She has been put in a white gown for the x-ray. She would like to put her clothes on, but they are nowhere to be seen, just her wallet on her bedside table.
‘ One-thirty.’
‘ I have to be on the one-thirty boat back to Athens tomorrow, concussed or not. I have an important meeting. Can you have me discharged by half-past twelve?’
‘ Yes, yes, of course, do not worry. The best thing now is rest.’
The door closes solidly on her room which is part of an old stone building, with high ornate ceilings and tall windows. It is a large room for just her one bed. The hospital was probably once a fine home. Now layers of white paint mask the former grandeur.
Muffled voices drift indistinctly from the next room. Michelle wonders if it is Dino ’s room. It is in the direction the nurse had pointed when she asked after him. Maybe the doctor is in with him now, tending to his cuts and scrapes. Dear Dino, what a foolhardy thing to do. No one has ever dived down a cliff for her before, nothing even close. Visions of Richard diving off a cliff in his wig and gown to rescue her amuse Michelle for a moment. It’s a most unlikely scenario, however; for a start he would remove his gown and fold it carefully, find a safe place to put his wig, brush imaginary dust from his robe, and even then he would not likely leap to save her. He might roll up his sleeves and order someone else to do it for him. Her eyes flutter and the lids close. She will just rest a minute and then go and see how Dino is.
Michelle feels for Dino ’s arm around her. She reaches for him, but he is not there. Panic closes her throat, no breath passes. The cliff gives way. He is not there to cling to. She begins to fall. Richard plunges even faster beside her, his gown flying behind him, his wig taking flight by itself, until, with a splash, his cape is splayed like moth wings on the sea’s surface. His wig floats away, his arms scrabble. The water turns red.
Her eyes open, she gasps for air. The curtains are drawn but the moon peeps between them, a slice of night cutting the bed diagonally. The room is unfamiliar in greys and shadows and, for a moment, Michelle has no idea where she is. She pushes herself up to a sitting position, and the pain in her shoulder reminds her.
There is no
Similar Books
