short story 2

Henderson Old Folk's Home

Once Upon a time, a loving couple Lisa and Jeseph, built their warm and peaceful cottage at a smooth flat grassland at Green Bay, situated near New Lyn in Auckland, New Zealand.

As she aged, Lisa had to use walking stick and occasional wheel chair. She had no choice but to send her husband, Joseph, who was 83 years old to a very good and modern old folk's home some where near Henderson, North western region of Auckland county.

I visited my friend Tom in the summer of 1993. He kindly invited me to stay and shared the joy playing with three children. He was very happy with a family of five including three children in a solid friendly looking house painted with milk white glossy paint.

Three years after staying in the old Folk's home, Joseph had developed Dementia, a slow process of aging and forgetful situation. He could not remember his friends nor his brother who was one year younger than him. Lisa was confined to her house with help from volunteers from the community. Volunteers were Mr. Sam Sung from Taiwan, Andrew King from Hong Kong, Jackson Tai from Malaysia, Tim Taylor from Welsh, John, Mary, Moses from various part of the world shifted to the new place in New Zealand. It was really an international type of community like the United Nation. There was the sort of natural friendship of sincere and heart felt bond among them. They took turn to help Lisa in the choir of house hold work, shopping, post office and various other important tasks which kept Lisa in good shape.

Looking at the handsome photo of Joseph fixed at the centre of the study room. Linda, Tom's beautiful wife, said Joseph looked confidence and handsome.' You have a good taste of man' Linda teased Lisa. Linda meant no harm. She was trying to be social-friendly and had picked up lots of phrases from the community since they moved from Taiwan to New Zealand to start a new page.

One day, Lisa told us,' I am sad to hear that Joseph is sick in the old folk's home.' She paused for a split second and continued with sad frown,' I might not be able to pay for his medial expenses with no extra income except a little bit of extra money from Tenant'. I knew that she was referring to money from renting out a small portion of her house. We knew that the tenant was very good to her and treated her like treating his own mother.

'Did you work in UK in the past as a medical doctor ?' Sun asked me

'yes, I did.’ and that was many years ago' I smiled and reassured him' Now I am only a trader dealing with exporting wonderful natural, minimal polluted honey from New Zealand.'

"Could you please help Lisa to visit Joseph?" Sun presented with a hopeful eyes." You see, Lisa cannot walk and she has no chance to get the best knowledge fo the condition of Joseph."

' o...kay...' I smiled and sung the o...kay...like an karaoke

We walked into the clean modern building and a smiling nurse came to lead us to Joseph. He could not recognise Sun whom had visited him with relatively relevant conversations two years ago. He muttered many low pitch words which we could not understand except when he shouted,' I want cigarettes, they took my cigarettes.'

We went back and told Lisa that Joseph was relatively good and the staffs had taken care of him in tip-top condition. She sighed with relief.

Shortly after that, Lisa strongly insist to sell her house and wish to stay together with Joseph in the old folk's home.

' That is all I have, may be there is enough money from selling of this house and land, then I can stay close to Joseph which I always long to do. I could die on the same day with Joseph like the Centenarian man and his wife.' Lisa seemed to have determined to take action.

I knew that Joseph could not greet nor embrace Lisa if they met. He might behave like a block of wood. What should we do to help them. I puzzled and felt sad and chill in my heart.

My nephew called me the following evening. He was known as Dr. Burger since he loves Burger as it served him well with tight neural surgery operation in the hospital. We discussed in detail on the possibility of blood vessels reconstruction like putting new spare parts for an old vintage car. ' There is this method of using stem cells to improve the brain 'power' and there are lots of ways to improve the function of our brain such as treatment to improve brain's blood circulation.' Dr. Burger told me with an enthusiastic voice which was confidence and reassuring.

Good wishers, neighbours contributed to Joseph's fund for treatment. Sam and Andrew's laughter was friendly and comforting as they mentioned the matter almost at the same time that it is fun to feel good with the action of love and care by giving money to some one who really need it.

Joseph went to Perth for a lengthy treatment and he returned a year latter with praises of Ayers rock view from the air as he was in flight 20,000 thousand feet above the sea level.

'The glittering bright spots looked like stars, actually those were cars with the reflection of twilight sunshine shooting like arrows over the reddish 'cosmos' of Australia continent.

Lisa sold her house. I visited Joseph and Lisa before I left New Zealand in the year1998. had not hear from them since then.

Joseph and Lisa lived happily ever after. I wish one day I could pay them a visit and hope that Lisa's wish of dying on the same day would not happen till very long time from now if not forever.

True story with modified fiction including:names, time space and a bit of science fiction yet it will be a reality in the future as the surgeon with that skill is existing in reality.

This world is full of hope and happiness if we need it and want it.

Written by Dr. James Chong

23 hours 4th May 2006

at Kuching