Saturday, July 14, 2007
Remember me saying that "Things ain't so bad"? Don't believe a word of it.
Lorraine and I will not be going to the cinema tomorrow because Lorraine isn't here. Lorraine is somewhere on a train heading towards Golders Green. This morning Lorraine had a phone call from her Cousin to tell her that her Aunt is in hospital. Her Aunt's condition is very serious.
I'm sketchy on the details, but basically on a scheduled visit to Lorraine's Aunt, Lorraine's Cousin didn't get any response when she knocked the door. This was not right. Lorraine's Aunt is in her mid 80's and, except on rare occasions, is always at home. Lorraine's Cousin became worried, called the police, who kicked the door in. Lorraine's Aunt was found on the living room floor. Lorraine's Aunt could have been there several days. The neighbours never noticed a thing, because Lorraine's Aunt has nothing to do with them. They are Asian and Lorraine's Aunt does not like Asian's. (Yes. I know. I have said before that Lorraine's Aunt is a disagreeable old witch. It is never fun visiting her. I find it very difficult to bite my tongue for extended periods of time and that is what I am often forced to do when she is in full flow.)
Lorraine said that she would go down to London straight away. Lorraine's Cousin said that there would be little point at the moment. Lorraine and I talked. Lorraine said she felt guilty, because recently she had been putting off visiting her Aunt due to - Ta! Da! - pressures of work. She agreed that she would let her Cousin handle the situation and that she would make herself available later in the week, if needed. Lorraine said that I should go out to the cinema, as I had planned, as she was going to dial into work to keep her mind busy. (For God's sake...)
I assumed that sometime between then (midday approximately) and the time I came home from the cinema (5:30 pm) something had changed, because I returned to a handwritten note which read, "Gone to Golders Green". Lorraine did call me about an hour ago. She is still travelling. I asked her what had changed. Lorraine said nothing had changed. Lorraine had just changed her mind about going to see her Aunt. Oh. That's OK then.
I shouldn't be, because this is the kind of thing that God or fate likes to throw at us when we have got plans, but I am more than faintly annoyed. I know I am being selfish. I know I am being a shit, but I really wanted us to spend Sunday doing something together, even if it was only going to see another tedious Harry Potter film. Fucking families.
Is it so wrong to want me/us to come first, over family and work, just this once?
Lorraine and I will not be going to the cinema tomorrow because Lorraine isn't here. Lorraine is somewhere on a train heading towards Golders Green. This morning Lorraine had a phone call from her Cousin to tell her that her Aunt is in hospital. Her Aunt's condition is very serious.
I'm sketchy on the details, but basically on a scheduled visit to Lorraine's Aunt, Lorraine's Cousin didn't get any response when she knocked the door. This was not right. Lorraine's Aunt is in her mid 80's and, except on rare occasions, is always at home. Lorraine's Cousin became worried, called the police, who kicked the door in. Lorraine's Aunt was found on the living room floor. Lorraine's Aunt could have been there several days. The neighbours never noticed a thing, because Lorraine's Aunt has nothing to do with them. They are Asian and Lorraine's Aunt does not like Asian's. (Yes. I know. I have said before that Lorraine's Aunt is a disagreeable old witch. It is never fun visiting her. I find it very difficult to bite my tongue for extended periods of time and that is what I am often forced to do when she is in full flow.)
Lorraine said that she would go down to London straight away. Lorraine's Cousin said that there would be little point at the moment. Lorraine and I talked. Lorraine said she felt guilty, because recently she had been putting off visiting her Aunt due to - Ta! Da! - pressures of work. She agreed that she would let her Cousin handle the situation and that she would make herself available later in the week, if needed. Lorraine said that I should go out to the cinema, as I had planned, as she was going to dial into work to keep her mind busy. (For God's sake...)
I assumed that sometime between then (midday approximately) and the time I came home from the cinema (5:30 pm) something had changed, because I returned to a handwritten note which read, "Gone to Golders Green". Lorraine did call me about an hour ago. She is still travelling. I asked her what had changed. Lorraine said nothing had changed. Lorraine had just changed her mind about going to see her Aunt. Oh. That's OK then.
I shouldn't be, because this is the kind of thing that God or fate likes to throw at us when we have got plans, but I am more than faintly annoyed. I know I am being selfish. I know I am being a shit, but I really wanted us to spend Sunday doing something together, even if it was only going to see another tedious Harry Potter film. Fucking families.
Is it so wrong to want me/us to come first, over family and work, just this once?
Labels: Family, Illness, Lorraine
# posted by Pynchon @ 6:49 pm 
