Theo felt old wobbling around with a walking frame. He preferred his old walking
stick. His son, Dennis, had taken away his walking stick after Theo’s last fall. Dennis
refused to understand that Theo fell because the ground was slippery - not because
his legs were shakier. Harrumph! Young people think they know everything. Wait till
they get old.
A car whizzed past from behind him just then, causing him to lose balance. Gripping
the frame tighter, and planting his feet firmer in the ground, he realised that hadn’t
heard the car approach, and he had somehow steered away from the pavement. His
heartbeat was quick from the shock of the car’s proximity.
He wobbled slowly to a nearby bench facing the park, and sat down. The fact was, he
couldn’t hear much. That was why he hadn’t heard the car. He contemplated his life.
His wife, Dorothy, had passed on two years earlier. None of his 5 children seemed to
care about him. Only Dennis visited him once a week. Dennis was a good boy. He
offered to send Theo to a retirement home. But Theo wouldn’t have that. He wanted
to live the rest of his life in his own house - the home where he and Dorothy made a
life for themselves, where they raised their children.
Theo thought of the good old days. Dorothy looked after the family so well. He
would come home after a long day at the factory, and be greeted by delicious smells
wafting from the kitchen. When they were younger, Teresa, Donnie and Dennis
would race to hug him as soon as he walked through the door. They played together
in the garden until dinner time, and he would tuck them in bed after a bath. Theo
still remembered their laughter. Tanya and Tricia came along when the other three
were well into their teens. They loved him when they were younger too.
When did my children stop loving me?
would come home after a long day at the factory, and be greeted by delicious smells
wafting from the kitchen. When they were younger, Teresa, Donnie and Dennis
would race to hug him as soon as he walked through the door. They played together
in the garden until dinner time, and he would tuck them in bed after a bath. Theo
still remembered their laughter. Tanya and Tricia came along when the other three
were well into their teens. They loved him when they were younger too.
When did my children stop loving me?
A tear trickled down his cheek. Embarrassed, he roughly removed his glasses on
the pretext cleaning them, and grumbled out loud that the sun was too bright, the
children in the park were too noisy, the traffic was too close to the park, and the
birds were treating the whole world as their toilet. Nobody was close enough to
hear him, but everyone knew to stay away from grumpy old Mr Walters.
the pretext cleaning them, and grumbled out loud that the sun was too bright, the
children in the park were too noisy, the traffic was too close to the park, and the
birds were treating the whole world as their toilet. Nobody was close enough to
hear him, but everyone knew to stay away from grumpy old Mr Walters.
Was I heading to the grocery store or the newsagent? His memory wasn’t what it
used to be. When Theo was younger, he was nicknamed ‘The Walking Encyclopedia’.
Now, on bad days, he couldn’t even remember where his house was.
Growing old alone is no fun. I miss Dorothy. I miss my children.
used to be. When Theo was younger, he was nicknamed ‘The Walking Encyclopedia’.
Now, on bad days, he couldn’t even remember where his house was.
Growing old alone is no fun. I miss Dorothy. I miss my children.
