Stones and Metals

By LAWRENCE CHITERI
Published August 3, 2009

Responding to Therea’s patronizing call, Mudge dutifully dashes into the room to a scornful and searching reception. “Someone is at the door, find out,” spits Therea. It is at defining moments like these that Mudge is most doomed. She is thrust in the line of danger as the consort of three is now huddled and watch from a very secure position. Mother and children are scared stiff, and one would not be faulted to imagine their hearts were recklessly pounding towards their mouths. Poor Mudge must play the reconnaissance, and promptly enters her domain by an innocent saunter. She reaches for the gold-plated door knob, meticulously turns it, and the obedient massive oak stuffed door obeys as she swings it open.

Mudge proceeds to step out a few safe paces, enough to aid her pry from right to left of the door space. The expression in her face is torn between relief and bewilderment as she steps back in and announces, “There is no one mum,” Therea and her children are near scandalized, if they were startled, Mudge was purely oblivious; what’s more? She was not here when the loud banging rippled through the invincible artwork of a door. For a split second Mudge would be excused to regard this family as cheeky (after all they have played trumps on her before), but on keen internalization of their pale faces, she decides to be surer. “This was rather bizarre,” she mused to herself and before Mudge could make another move, Therea found her voice, “Someone knocked very insistently dear nurse, look well. “ This time it almost ended in a plea, wrapped inside her usual authoritative mien.

Thus Mudge urgently picks the cue, repeats the earlier action, and comes back. This time she has more compelling news. “There is no one mum, only some kind of man, a mad man I think. This is the third day I’ve seen him hover around while you were away, but I have learned to ignore him.” Six eyes almost gobble out at this, they are scandalized, they decide not to trust this lady, and blurt out in characteristic fashion: “A mad man! Here! In this storied neighborhood! Nurse, are you cockeyed?” Therea lashes out, advancing menacingly like she would hold Mudge in her hand, and squeeze her dry. ”She is a daft liability here,” yells Rolly. “Dense little imp,” intones Jeddy. For Mudge this is too base to stomach, even from people so young.

The spirit of subservience momentarily deserts Mudge, and she lets it out. “There is no one else!” Before she regains her station after assessing Therea’s stark cold regard, she makes a third try and sends a bleak revelation. “The mad man has stopped…. he is back tracking….madam….the mad man is coming straight here….,” she yells in alarm, as she bangs the door back and runs far into the room. A rare show of courage, coupled with curiosity grips Therea and the children, who impulsively dart toward the door, which Therea quickly opens before letting out a piercing scream, “No! No! It is not you!” She and the children retreat, scattered by the impact of this scene.

Standing at the doorway is Gofu, a perfect description of a heap of rags; his cap is tattered, rugged, and ill fitting. He wears a creased multicolored and faded shirt, under a shabbily patched coat, with faded brown jeans trousers that barely reach his ankles. There are several distinct knee area holes, peeping to reveal scaly colored skin beneath, and all his toes protrude from the canvas shoes of yore. From the brief interlude, it is crystal clear that Therea and Gofu know each other, while something peculiar makes them strangers, for Gofu is quick to respond, “It is Therea, I am back….” All this time, the children have gone askance, each to a position of vantage, imbuing every iota of this altercation. Gofu saunters into the room with rare ease, he absorbs every detail of this setting, occasionally stopping as people take safe angled turns to avoid him, and after a long five minutes, Therea blurts, “Gofu you died,” to which Gofu without as much as taking his eyes from the children retorts “Did I!”

To be continued.

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