A Lack Of Understanding

                                        A Lack Of Understanding

                                                            1.

Dave always wrote the Christmas and birthday cards for Mary. She had loved him for that. Never once did he try to belittle her lack of literacy. He would shield her from any embarrassment if anyone came close to  finding out about her failings.

          Mary though perhaps  ignorant in some ways  more than made up for it by being capable of doing most practical skills. She could cook , dress make to professional standard and was a caring loving mother to her daughter.

         From an early age Mary had helped  her own mother to cook, clean and even hang wallpaper. The reason being her father was a ne’r do well, who drank any money he had. Their lives were blighted by him. Her mother’s pride and joy a collection of brass ornaments; shone up till they sparkled and arrayed on the mantelpiece all with set places, became a beacon for her father when he was in one of his drunken rages and would be swept aside, only to be replaced by her the following morning.

         Christmas was another pitfall, Yuletide spirit, in Mary’s father’s case mostly whisky, a time to make everyone else in the house scared and nervous.

God rest ye merry gentlemen to them meant keeping quiet, so as not to wake him and set off another drunken rampage through the house Be it hitting the mother or scrapping his Christmas dinner into the garden; proclaiming ‘I don’t eat pig swile.

         When Mary met her future husband Dave, for some reason her father took a liking to him, not like some of her previous suitors It was not unusual for the family Alsatian dog to be set on them and her father stating ‘They wouldn‘t make a good pot of soup.’

         Her marriage she saw as an escape from her father’s clutches, but tempered by a feeling of guilt, leaving her mother to face the consequences.

The wedding had been in the local Roman catholic chapel, a mixed marriage as Dave

                                                              2.

had no religious leanings and had agreed to bring up any children in their mother’s faith. He would later joke with her when she got ready to go to mass on a Sunday ‘Off to the Pineapple Mary’; but there was no malice in it.

         Later a daughter was born and Mary couldn’t have been happier

As the years passed, their girl ,Bernadette, grew into a beautiful young woman.

         What could ever change Mary’s life, she had a happy marriage and adored her daughter.

         Then one day she noticed something  which was to become eventually a nightmare  for her. Bernadette had always been a very slim girl and so Mary  was surprised when she appeared to be putting on weight.

Mary questioned her daughter but Bernadette burst into tears and ran upstairs to her bedroom., not answering her mother.

         Following a phone call from  a nurse, who had been a friend of Mary’s at school, reaffirmed her fears. She told Mary  that Bernadette had been to  see her at the local clinic and confirmed that her daughter was three months pregnant..

         Mary decided to go and see the nurse herself. The story her friend told her was confusing, apparently Bernadette had told the doctor who the father was, but insisted her mother shouldn’t be told. Mary was hurt and saddened by this, Bernadette and her had never had any secrets.

         The nurse pulled a letter out of her desk drawer.

‘Mary  we are old friends, the doctor knows this and he asked me to give you this letter for the social services, they will explain what has happened.’

Why can’t you tell me?’ said Mary

Her friend just shook her head. ‘Mary believe me this is the best way.’

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When Mary got to the social services office her mind was in a whirl , she didn’t  know what to think. She was shown into a small room and the interview that followed seemed to be conducted  in such a way by the man and woman sitting opposite her that she felt as if her daughter’s pregnancy was her fault. They used words she couldn’t understand and made her feel inadequate. Dave wasn’t there to help her and she felt out of her depth; oh how she rued her lack of education.

When the meeting came to an end they handed her the letter the doctor had written, but she said she would read it later as her lack of reading skills had embarrassed  her.

Mary stumbled out of the office her cheeks burning with humiliation; what did it mean.

         She sat on a park bench, the letter in her hand, but was unable to understand it., perhaps her friend could help her.

         The nurse was coming out of the clinic when she saw Mary approaching.

         ‘Oh Mary what’s the matter?’ Tears were running down her friend’s face.

         ‘I don’t know, I can’t understand what is happening.’

         ‘Come back inside with me Mary.’

When they were seated in the office, the nurse turned to her friend.

         ‘Mary we’ve been close since our schooldays please tell me what’s troubling you/’

Her friend thrust a hand into her coat pocket and pulled out the crumpled letter

         ‘This letter, you know I’m not very good at reading, has confused me, I don’t understand some of the words. What has the church got to do with this? I mean surely this word incense is what Father O’Leary wafts over the coffins of our dear departed at mass. What’s it got to do with our Bernadette.’

Mary handed the letter to her friend, they both knew each other well enough to trust                               

                                                              4.

each other. They both knew their strengths and weaknesses . This though would try the friendship to its limit. She started to read the letter.

         When Mary got home she was in a daze; Dave and Bernadette were at work.

What was she going to do?

She filled the sink up with water and tipped the potatoes in for peeling and waited.

         Bang, she heard the front door shutting and started to peel the potatoes.

He came up behind her and kissed her neck; she shuddered and put her hand into the water. Turning with one quick movement she thrust the serrated knife in and pulled upwards.

He staggered back and fell to his knees, trying to hold on to his guts which were oozing out over the kitchen floor.

Mary lifted her foot and kicked him under the chin ; stamping down as she did.

         Not incense, although she was past being just incensed with him.

No she was now in a frenzy.

         ‘I understand now you bastard..’ she screamed and thrust the knife into his neck.