George's Early Morning Adventure

"Ohhhh, I've got to get to the toilet. I hope I can make it" ... "why's it so dark?" "What time is it?"

"I've got to get to the toilet. Where is it?" "I've found the door. I need my shoes. No, I'll get them after. Ooooo I need the toilet. Is it through here? No, it's too dark. What time is it? Oh I found it. The toilet. At last"

"Now, where am I? It's dark outside. I - I need to get home. I need to get to my family. I need to get home. I'll get my shoes and go. Where's the light switch...?"

"I made it to the door but it's cold out. Should I go back for my coat? No, I need to go. They must be worried about me. - I need to get home"

*****

It's 5am and George's wife, Sandra, wakes up. Tired. In pain. But a toilet call wakes her. Arriving outside the bathroom she sees the door closed, so she waits. 5 minutes pass. There's no noise.

"George?" "You in there?" - Nothing - "George, I'm coming in" Sandra's half sleeping mind leaps into full alert. 'Did he go into the second room?' 'Did he go downstairs?' - getting to the bottom of the stairs she sees the door open a crack. Worse, she sees his keys with the GPS keyring dangling in the lock.

"Ohhh Lord" - "Ohhhhhhh Lord" She crumbles to her knees. Exasperation, soreness and defeat clasp their hands around her but before they can squeeze, she calls out praying.

*****

"Where am I? I think I know this place. Didn't I just pass by here?" "I need to get home, but which way is it? How'd I get so lost?"

"He always does this to me. Him and his people. He has a special way of confusing me, that Satan." "Well I'm not giving up" "It's cold though"

"I really should have gone back for my coat. No point now. I must be almost home. Here I'll take a rest here under this tree."

*****

Just moment have passed and Sandra rises from her knees, not calm, but calmer. "I can't call David now." She concludes "He'll still be asleep, I'll call sister Pat."

After praying again with sister Pat, Sandra receives advice to call the police. "It won't be the first time he's gone missing." 'What if they take him from me this time?' she wonders 'what if they say I can't handle - No. I need to find him. That's what matters."

Worried about her confused husband lost outside trying to find the home he'd just left, Sandra calls the police beginning the search.

*****

"Hello" - "Nice to meet you" - "Who are you?-" "Well they call me George." "-Well- I just stopped here for a second to rest. Is this your pear tree?" "I just - I'm headed home" - "No, I can't remember." "It's ok, no don't bother" "I don't know. I don't know where I'm going but I'm certainly cold" "-Well I wouldn't say no, but I need to get home - you couldn't drop me off -could you?"

*****

As the police leave the house with a picture sent out on an all points bulletin, Sandra goes back to her room, alone again. The tears find her again. There she sits up in bed, hips giving her agonising pain. Just days ago she was at the hospital with the doctor with the doctor registering her for tests. "I don't want to worry you but we want to rule out cancer." For days now that word and the pain echoed. Now this.

It's still too early to call David. He won't be up yet. All I can do is wait, pray and hope.

*****

"Excuse me mam" - "Where is this?" - "The hospital? Can I go?" - "I need to go. - My family, they must be waiting." "Okay, but after the tests, I'll need to go." -

"No, no no no no. - No blood" "-I" - "No, who sent you? No." - "Why can't you just let me go home?" "Why?" - "Well, if it's my clothes that's the problem, can't you just give me some trousers and let me go?" "-I wasn't troubling anybody - Why can't you tell me where I am?" -

"I serve my Father in heaven but you're doing the devil's work." "-Can you just bring me home, please?" "Please??" "I wasn't troubling anyone" - "You must know where I live! - You took me from there"

"-You took me from my home for what? To torment me?" "Help? How is this help?!" - "Let me go - please-"

*****

It's 6:30. "He might be awake now"

As Sandra picks up the phone and rings George's only son, she hopes she doesn't bother him. 'He's so far away. What could he do?' - She hangs up - almost immediately her phone rings. It's him.

She explains the night as calmly as she can and gets comfort from the telling.

As they both talk they both bury and hide feelings inside to excavate later. Guilt.

David feels guilty for being so far away. Unable to offer more support. He's been working hard and trying to visit as often as possible but he knows it's not enough. That's his fault. How can he leave such a heavy burden on someone else's shoulders?

Sandra carries the guilt of failure. She feels she should have locked the door and taken the key away so he couldn't leave. She should have kept a better watch.

Neither blame the other. When Sandra hangs up the phone she prayed again. This time with more courage. She has more hope. She wants to go out looking for him, but, "No, the police will bring him back. I need to be here for when they do."

The phone Rings once again. It's the police this time.

"There's a man who matches George's description in a nearby hospital. It was called in by a member of the public worried about an elderly man walking around in his long johns" - she smiles - "Yes, that sounds like him"

*

An hour later George's beaming smile grace's his home once again. Not 5 minutes later his snores vibrate through the walls. As he slept Sandra prayed and called David with the news.

"...It won't be his last adventure"

"Well, I hope it's his last for a while."