The evening was turning out surprisingly well. When his sons had suggested that they take him out he had expected to be home again by ten o’clock. It was later than that now and he was enjoying the evening. There were lots of people coming and going and lights flashing. A hen party had burst in full of life and seeing an older man amongst the young set had made a big fuss of him. They were all dressed as nurses and he noticed some were middle aged but still willing to enjoy a roudy girls night out. He chatted to them but found it difficult to speak; too much of something he mused but ignored this burgeoning problem and drank some more. A pretty young nurse, noticing his problem, offered him a fix but he declined at first.
“Come on Richard”, she purred, “If you take it you will feel great”.
He was enjoying himself as though he was a teen and twenty again so he thought; yeah, let’s do it and so he let her put the pill in his mouth and she even tipped his drink to his lips to swallow it. Consciousness almost deserted him, a dazed distant mood came over him and all he could do was watch the activities of the other revellers. The girl and an older one kept coming to him and tweaking his cheeks whilst smiling and asking if he was alright. Something in their tone annoyed him. They were speaking to him as to a child and he wished they would go away now.
There was no recollection of becoming unconscious but he knew now that he must have done. Someone must have called his sons as they were both before him looking worried behind their smiles. They moved either side of him to support, holding and squeezing his hands. He squeezed them back to let them know he was aware of his surroundings but couldn’t speak. The malady got worse, he was now only seeing in shades of grey, all other colours had leached from his vision. The hen party had gone, in fact everyone had gone. Summoning all of his strength he squeezed his sons hands and stood up and walked to the exit leaving the boys at the bar.
Without looking back he went into the silent night and found a black cab waiting outside. He got into the cab and settled back. Looking sideways he saw his sons looking through the doorway with sad concerned expressions.
“Can you pay”, asked the man.
“I have this coin if that’s enough”, he replied,”will it take me home?
“It will be enough to cross the river” responded the ferryman.

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ARM 20140129

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