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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Family & Friends
- Subject: Aging / Maturity
- Published: 05/08/2020
Visiting Day
Born 1944, F, from Melbourne, FL, United StatesVisiting Day
by
Valerie Allen
“Ma'am, is that your cat?” the man asked. His dark blue uniform was crisp with neatly pressed pants. His muscled arms caused the sleeves of his shirt to tighten against his skin.
“No!”
“No?”
The old woman clutched the cat to her bosom and glared at the man towering over her. “Yes, that's what I said, No.” The cat rested against her chest without complaint. “Stop trying to confuse me with those yes and no questions!”
The man stepped back and took a deep breath. “Sorry, Ma'am. I was wondering why you have that cat if it doesn't belong to you.”
“I'll tell you why.” She raised her voice. “I'd love to tell you why if you'll listen without arguing with me.”
The man raised his hands, palms out. “No argument from me. I promise.”
The woman squinted her eyes and wrinkles formed along the sides of her cheeks. She moved forward in her wheelchair and grasped the edge of her lap blanket. “When my daughter was a teenager she got this cat. I said she couldn't have it.” She spoke in a raspy voice. "Do you know what she did? She hid it in the garage. She thought I wouldn't find out, but I'm no dummy." The cat stirred and yawned, with a show of small white teeth and a dainty pink tongue. Slowly, the cat eased itself from the woman's bosom and slid down onto the coverlet. His ears perked up and blinking slowly, he looked around.
“I know you're not a dummy, Ma'am but why do you have the cat now? How come your daughter doesn't have her cat?”
“I'll tell you why, because she went away to college.” She shook her bony finger, red and swollen by arthritis, in his face. “Of course, she couldn't have a cat in her dorm—noise, allergies, kitty litter, and all that.”
“Hmm.” The man stroked his chin. “Did your daughter graduate from college?”
“Of course!” the woman barked.
The man spread his hands out in front of him and slowly pumped them up and down indicating she should lower her voice. “Why didn't your daughter come back, get her cat and take it with her?”
The woman's eyes flashed suspiciously. “She tried but then she rented a room in someone's house and they wouldn't allow pets.”
“So you agreed to take care of the cat for her?”
“I did not! I told her to find a different place to live where they allowed pets.”
“Did she?”
“She did.”
“So why do you still have her cat?”
“My daughter said they would charge her $100.00 for a pet deposit and an extra $50.00 per month.”
The man shook his head. “High price for having a pet.”
"You bet! She was just starting a new job and couldn't afford that."
“So you helped her out by keeping her cat.”
“No! I'm not keeping her cat. Her cat is just here temporarily.” She leaned toward him and spoke confidentially. “A foster cat situation so to speak.”
The man smiled with understanding. “Kitty visitation?”
“Yes.” She smiled broadly. “Today was visiting day.”
“When does your daughter plan to reclaim her cat?”
“I don't know.”
“Was she here today to visit you?”
“Today? No not today. I haven't seen my daughter in a long time.”
“About how long ago did you last see her?”
She frowned and glanced around the room. “I think it was at my wedding.” She smiled brightly. “Yes, that was it. My wedding. I had a beautiful gown. It was white silk with seed pearls around the neckline.” She raised her hand to her neck and ran her fingers along the edge of her gray cardigan sweater. Her eyes glazed over. “She was the flower girl. My husband was there and my mother too.”
“Your wedding? Maybe you mean your daughter's wedding.”
“My daughter? I don't have a daughter.”
“I think you do have a daughter.”
“What makes you think that?”
“I saw her here today.”
“You did?” The woman looked puzzled.
“Yes. She came to see you.”
“Why did she do that?”
“She came to visit with you and she brought the cat with her so you could see it.”
“She did? I don't remember seeing her or the cat.”
“She visited with you and you visited with the cat.”
“Did she take the cat home with her?”
“No, Ma'am. You still have the cat. You're holding the cat on your lap.”
“I am?” She looked down at the cat with surprise. “I don't want to keep her cat.”
“I understand, Ma'am.” The man reached out both of his hands. “If you hand me the cat, I'll be sure to give it to your daughter.”
The woman slid her shaking hands around the cat's midsection and lifted it from her lap. The cat's four limbs hung limply with a slight sway, as she moved it toward the man. "Why, thank you, young man. I really appreciate your help."
* * *
“Hi, Honey.” Clark leaned down and kissed his wife. She was seated on the couch, legs stretched out, with the cat nestled at her feet. “I see you and the cat made it back home okay.”
She shook her head. “Not exactly.”
He looked from her to the cat. “Not exactly?”
“Kyle, one of the attendants, had to finesse the cat away from Mom.”
“God bless that guy,” Clark said. “He must have the patience of a saint.”
She nodded agreement. “He's done it before; he has the routine down pat. He sweet talks Mom and I wait outside. He works his magic to get the cat away from her and brings it out to me.”
Clark reached over and patted the cat on the head. He looked at his wife. “Your mom doesn't know what day it is, let alone who you are.” He raised his eyebrows. “Let's not even talk about the cat craziness.”
“She loves that cat. I keep hoping it will bring back a happy memory for her.”
Clark shook his head. “Not going to happen,” he said.
“I know, but even if she holds the cat and it makes her smile it's a good thing,” she said and wiped a tear from her cheek. “It's hard to watch Mom slowly fade away.”
Clark eased his way onto the couch and put his arm around her shoulder. “There's nothing else you can do for her. She doesn't even recognize you. Why do you go there every week and torture yourself?”
“It's not torture. She's my mother!”
He reached over and pushed a strand of hair back from her face. “Yes, and you are a good and loving daughter.”
Her eyes brimmed with tears and she spoke just above a whisper. “That's because I was raised by a good and loving mother.”
# # #
Thank you for taking the time to read
Visiting Day
If you enjoyed it,
please consider telling your friends
and posting a review on
Amazon.com or other online sites.
Word-of-mouth referrals are
an author's best friend
and much appreciated.
~ ~ ~
Visiting Day
by
Valerie Allen
Copyright by Valerie Allen 2018
Amazon.com/dp/B07FWF47T9
All rights reserved
For more information, please contact:
Valerie Allen
VAllenWriter@gmail.com
ValerieAllenWriter.com
Amazon.com/author/valerieallen
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is entirely coincidental.
Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this story may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author.
~ ~ ~
Short Stories
by
Valerie Allen
A Good Thing on a Bad Day
A License to Practice
A Marriage of Convenience
A Mother's Love
A Tooth for a Tooth
A True Miracle
Ad Hoc Committee
Best Wishes
Brotherly Love
Conditional Love
Doggie Tales
Father's Day
Fire Engine Red
Fireworks on the 4th
First Love
Fit for Life
Future Plans
Holiday House Rules
Holiday Traditions
Home for the Holidays
I Remember Momma
Just Be Cos
Ladies in Waiting
Leisureville
Love is in the Air
Match-maker
Mother Knows Best
No Goin' Home
Potty Talk
Puppy Love
Queen for a Day
Second Chance
Small Steps
Split Second Timing
Thank You! Mr. Jackson
The Big Winner!
The Garden of Love
The Lonely Life of Amanda Miller
The Penalty Box
Valentine's Day
Visiting Day
Words of Wisdom
~ ~ ~
Amazon.com/author/valerieallen
Visiting Day(Valerie Allen)
Visiting Day
by
Valerie Allen
“Ma'am, is that your cat?” the man asked. His dark blue uniform was crisp with neatly pressed pants. His muscled arms caused the sleeves of his shirt to tighten against his skin.
“No!”
“No?”
The old woman clutched the cat to her bosom and glared at the man towering over her. “Yes, that's what I said, No.” The cat rested against her chest without complaint. “Stop trying to confuse me with those yes and no questions!”
The man stepped back and took a deep breath. “Sorry, Ma'am. I was wondering why you have that cat if it doesn't belong to you.”
“I'll tell you why.” She raised her voice. “I'd love to tell you why if you'll listen without arguing with me.”
The man raised his hands, palms out. “No argument from me. I promise.”
The woman squinted her eyes and wrinkles formed along the sides of her cheeks. She moved forward in her wheelchair and grasped the edge of her lap blanket. “When my daughter was a teenager she got this cat. I said she couldn't have it.” She spoke in a raspy voice. "Do you know what she did? She hid it in the garage. She thought I wouldn't find out, but I'm no dummy." The cat stirred and yawned, with a show of small white teeth and a dainty pink tongue. Slowly, the cat eased itself from the woman's bosom and slid down onto the coverlet. His ears perked up and blinking slowly, he looked around.
“I know you're not a dummy, Ma'am but why do you have the cat now? How come your daughter doesn't have her cat?”
“I'll tell you why, because she went away to college.” She shook her bony finger, red and swollen by arthritis, in his face. “Of course, she couldn't have a cat in her dorm—noise, allergies, kitty litter, and all that.”
“Hmm.” The man stroked his chin. “Did your daughter graduate from college?”
“Of course!” the woman barked.
The man spread his hands out in front of him and slowly pumped them up and down indicating she should lower her voice. “Why didn't your daughter come back, get her cat and take it with her?”
The woman's eyes flashed suspiciously. “She tried but then she rented a room in someone's house and they wouldn't allow pets.”
“So you agreed to take care of the cat for her?”
“I did not! I told her to find a different place to live where they allowed pets.”
“Did she?”
“She did.”
“So why do you still have her cat?”
“My daughter said they would charge her $100.00 for a pet deposit and an extra $50.00 per month.”
The man shook his head. “High price for having a pet.”
"You bet! She was just starting a new job and couldn't afford that."
“So you helped her out by keeping her cat.”
“No! I'm not keeping her cat. Her cat is just here temporarily.” She leaned toward him and spoke confidentially. “A foster cat situation so to speak.”
The man smiled with understanding. “Kitty visitation?”
“Yes.” She smiled broadly. “Today was visiting day.”
“When does your daughter plan to reclaim her cat?”
“I don't know.”
“Was she here today to visit you?”
“Today? No not today. I haven't seen my daughter in a long time.”
“About how long ago did you last see her?”
She frowned and glanced around the room. “I think it was at my wedding.” She smiled brightly. “Yes, that was it. My wedding. I had a beautiful gown. It was white silk with seed pearls around the neckline.” She raised her hand to her neck and ran her fingers along the edge of her gray cardigan sweater. Her eyes glazed over. “She was the flower girl. My husband was there and my mother too.”
“Your wedding? Maybe you mean your daughter's wedding.”
“My daughter? I don't have a daughter.”
“I think you do have a daughter.”
“What makes you think that?”
“I saw her here today.”
“You did?” The woman looked puzzled.
“Yes. She came to see you.”
“Why did she do that?”
“She came to visit with you and she brought the cat with her so you could see it.”
“She did? I don't remember seeing her or the cat.”
“She visited with you and you visited with the cat.”
“Did she take the cat home with her?”
“No, Ma'am. You still have the cat. You're holding the cat on your lap.”
“I am?” She looked down at the cat with surprise. “I don't want to keep her cat.”
“I understand, Ma'am.” The man reached out both of his hands. “If you hand me the cat, I'll be sure to give it to your daughter.”
The woman slid her shaking hands around the cat's midsection and lifted it from her lap. The cat's four limbs hung limply with a slight sway, as she moved it toward the man. "Why, thank you, young man. I really appreciate your help."
* * *
“Hi, Honey.” Clark leaned down and kissed his wife. She was seated on the couch, legs stretched out, with the cat nestled at her feet. “I see you and the cat made it back home okay.”
She shook her head. “Not exactly.”
He looked from her to the cat. “Not exactly?”
“Kyle, one of the attendants, had to finesse the cat away from Mom.”
“God bless that guy,” Clark said. “He must have the patience of a saint.”
She nodded agreement. “He's done it before; he has the routine down pat. He sweet talks Mom and I wait outside. He works his magic to get the cat away from her and brings it out to me.”
Clark reached over and patted the cat on the head. He looked at his wife. “Your mom doesn't know what day it is, let alone who you are.” He raised his eyebrows. “Let's not even talk about the cat craziness.”
“She loves that cat. I keep hoping it will bring back a happy memory for her.”
Clark shook his head. “Not going to happen,” he said.
“I know, but even if she holds the cat and it makes her smile it's a good thing,” she said and wiped a tear from her cheek. “It's hard to watch Mom slowly fade away.”
Clark eased his way onto the couch and put his arm around her shoulder. “There's nothing else you can do for her. She doesn't even recognize you. Why do you go there every week and torture yourself?”
“It's not torture. She's my mother!”
He reached over and pushed a strand of hair back from her face. “Yes, and you are a good and loving daughter.”
Her eyes brimmed with tears and she spoke just above a whisper. “That's because I was raised by a good and loving mother.”
# # #
Thank you for taking the time to read
Visiting Day
If you enjoyed it,
please consider telling your friends
and posting a review on
Amazon.com or other online sites.
Word-of-mouth referrals are
an author's best friend
and much appreciated.
~ ~ ~
Visiting Day
by
Valerie Allen
Copyright by Valerie Allen 2018
Amazon.com/dp/B07FWF47T9
All rights reserved
For more information, please contact:
Valerie Allen
VAllenWriter@gmail.com
ValerieAllenWriter.com
Amazon.com/author/valerieallen
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or events, is entirely coincidental.
Printed in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this story may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the author.
~ ~ ~
Short Stories
by
Valerie Allen
A Good Thing on a Bad Day
A License to Practice
A Marriage of Convenience
A Mother's Love
A Tooth for a Tooth
A True Miracle
Ad Hoc Committee
Best Wishes
Brotherly Love
Conditional Love
Doggie Tales
Father's Day
Fire Engine Red
Fireworks on the 4th
First Love
Fit for Life
Future Plans
Holiday House Rules
Holiday Traditions
Home for the Holidays
I Remember Momma
Just Be Cos
Ladies in Waiting
Leisureville
Love is in the Air
Match-maker
Mother Knows Best
No Goin' Home
Potty Talk
Puppy Love
Queen for a Day
Second Chance
Small Steps
Split Second Timing
Thank You! Mr. Jackson
The Big Winner!
The Garden of Love
The Lonely Life of Amanda Miller
The Penalty Box
Valentine's Day
Visiting Day
Words of Wisdom
~ ~ ~
Amazon.com/author/valerieallen
- Share this story on
- 10
Gail Moore
09/15/2020I love your story.
It reminds me of the last trip I took to Melbourne to visit my mother.
She didn’t have a clue who I was. It was very sad :-(
She passed away in April during lockdown. Loved her cats.
Fabulous story :-)
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Valerie Allen
09/16/2020Thank you Gail for taking the time to comment on this story. It is emotional for sure! Sorry to hear of your mother's passing. I hope one day medical research will reveal the cause and prevention of dementia. Interesting coincidence - I live in Melbourne, FL, USA.
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Marsha Pundsack
08/19/2020mp
Hello, Valerie. I lived in Melbourne, FL from 1998 to 2005 and I loved it, so when I saw your location, I had to comment.
Your story is awesome!. My Father died January 31, 2020, but he still knew me and my husband and some of the Grandchildren. He had Dementia, so I can relate to this story so well and, of course, when I read it, there were some tears, but very fond memories. This described a typical visit with my Dad, without the cat!
Thank you for the lovely story
Help Us Understand What's Happening
JD
05/08/2020That was heartbreakingly beautiful, Valerie. Especially because I could relate, since I've seen it happen to several family members, including my Dad, who very slowly faded away until there was nothing left. Thanks for sharing your insightful and sensitive portrait of someone losing their mind and the heartbreak their loved ones go through in the process. Well done.
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
Help Us Understand What's Happening
Elliekd
05/08/2020This was great! I have no critique at all! Great and keep it up. You are a pretty good writer.
Reply
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