flowers
the doors of the lift slid open and a wheelchair was pushed out by a middle aged man. sitting in the wheelchair, a hunched nonagenarian. he'd been in and out of the hospital for the past 3 months. living in the hospital was as depressing as depressing gets. he needed to commune with nature, and so he was being wheeled into the garden. as the chair wound around the paths, he stretched out his hand and touched the leaves and flowers that came within his reach. soon, he rolled along beside an ixora plant in full bloom. "wait", he called out to his son-in-law who was wheeling him along. the chair came to a stop, and he stretched out of the chair and plucked a bunch of ixoras. with trembling hands, he slowly raised it up to his face and gazed upon them lovingly. handling the flowers like a prized possession, he gently placed them in his pyjama top breast pocket. after making his way around the garden, time had come to be returned to his confinement.
he rolled along into the ward. turning around to face his son-in-law, he said, "bring me to my wife. i want to see her". down to the TV room, he was pushed. as he peered around the corner and gazed upon his wife, his glazed over eyes lit up. he held his hand up and his son-in-law stopped pushing him. with his weakened arms gripping the rim, he slowly wheeled himself over to his wife. with concerted effort, he reached into his pocket and took out the ixoras, and placed them in the hands of his wife of 56 years.
3 days later, at his wake, in front of his picture lay a bunch of wilted ixoras...
he rolled along into the ward. turning around to face his son-in-law, he said, "bring me to my wife. i want to see her". down to the TV room, he was pushed. as he peered around the corner and gazed upon his wife, his glazed over eyes lit up. he held his hand up and his son-in-law stopped pushing him. with his weakened arms gripping the rim, he slowly wheeled himself over to his wife. with concerted effort, he reached into his pocket and took out the ixoras, and placed them in the hands of his wife of 56 years.
3 days later, at his wake, in front of his picture lay a bunch of wilted ixoras...
