Tuesday 22 October 2013

Wrists




Dale clutched the tea towel to his wrist as tightly as he could to try to stem the flow of blood. The knife had gone in pretty deep and he knew he had to get himself to a hospital before it was too late. He dialled 999 and waited patiently for the ambulance to come. He was such an idiot. It was only after he felt the stabbing pain and saw the blood that he’d realised just what he was doing and just how stupid he’d been.

The doctor who patched him up was as kind as you like but he could tell she didn’t believe his story. But it was true! Dale had been in a hurry, he needed the chopping board out of the dishwasher and in reaching for it had sliced his wrist open on the sharp knife that was blade up in cutlery basket. Although in the end they said they believed him, as he left the hospital the nurse gave him a phone number to call just in case. When he got home he dropped the leaflet in the trash, knowing full well he’d not be needing it. Why would he? It was just a silly accident.

In work they were more willing to accept his story. He didn’t try to hide his bandage; he knew he had nothing to be ashamed of. He told his story with humour and drama. His colleagues knew how clumsy he was so it was certainly plausible and on the other hand the story seemed so far-fetched that surely no one could make it up. And anyway, Dale was always smiling, there’s no way he’d want to kill himself.

Dale walked home with a spring in his step. The thing that had struck him was just how nice everyone was. When he showed them his bandages there was genuine concern in their eyes and their voices. Everyone had bought his story and …there were times when he had almost believed it himself. Now he needed to take that goodwill home with him.
The days had always been easier; it was the nights that were the problem. It was at night when 'accidents' could happen.  When he got home he riffled through the rubbish digging out the pamphlet the nurse had given him. It was time to make a change.

3 comments:

  1. ..dating with the nurse! :-)

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  2. I've read it for this story for the second time today and it still gave me goosebumps... and looks so innocent...

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  3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rOiW_xY-kc

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