Winter Season

Friendly ear

Bell was sitting on the couch watching t.v. When the doorbell rang, she jumped out of her skin. She wasn’t expecting company. She had her p.j.’s on and was settled for the night. When she opened the door, there stood Oscar, soaked to the bone.

“Oh dear Lord, get in here. You’re gonna catch your death in this. Did you break down?” For the longest time he never said a word. Bell got him in front of the fire place and gave him a blanket. He wrapped himself up. She’d never really watched a person melt. But Oscar did the closest thing to it as he sat in the floor. “Chet’s on patrol.”

She sat in the floor with him. There was nothing behind his eyes. Nothing! However, they were blood shot. It could have been an effect of the rain.

He finally muttered, “I lost….” He trailed off.

When there was no farther information from him, she mentioned again. “Chet’s not here.”

“I didn’t come here to see Chet. I came here to talk to you.”

“Me?” She was a little shocked. Though they had known each other for a long time, Bell had never been alone with Oscar for more than a few minutes.

“I need to talk. I need to know how you handle being married to a cop?” Still his eyes never left the floor. “I’ve heard you scold him when he starts talking about the fun parts, the exciting parts, that it’s not all fun and games.”

She picked at her fingernails for a moment. “No, it’s not all fun and games. There have been a couple times that I have threatened to divorce him.” Oscar finally looked at her wild eyed. “No time recently.” She smiled and his expression soften. “Chet’s job is important. And I know that he loves me.”

“I know on both points.” Oscar reassured her.

“The introduction of the cellphone into our lives has been a tremendous marriage saver. I don’t text him much because I’m never really sure what he’s doing. But he texts me all the time to let me know where he is, how he is. Especially when he’s out late like this or out of town.” Her phone chirped. “See, there he is.” She smiled. “You have to talk to each other. There was this one time where he went out with the state police and the National Guard on a pot round-up. Two of the National Guardsmen had to be flown out because of injuries they had received. I was so scared that I wouldn’t talk to him for a week. Then, longer than that about what happened. If you have to be mad, be mad, but don’t shut them out. Even though they can’t tell you the who, they need to talk.”

“Do you always live in fear?”

“No, when I’m at work, I get wrapped up in my job. Senior citizens need a lot of attention. But it’s always in the back of my mind. That missed phone call, being in a place where he can’t text. But sometimes it’s the none violent things that are the scariest. An inmate one time threw feces on him. This guy crapped in the floor then as Chet walked past his cell, he threw a big hand full of it on him. You worry about what illness you’ve caught. But thank God there was nothing in it. But you never know.”

“How many guns are in the house?”

“Ten and a Louisville Slugger.” She blushed, “that’s for me. Oscar, why are you asking?”

“One of Esther’s buddies asked her if she was interested in rejoining the force. She wants to know how I feel about it?”

“I’m assuming since you’re here talking to me that you’re not thrilled about it?”

The key rattled in the lock and Chet walked through the door. “Hey baby,” Bell smiled a wide smile.

“Hello, darlin’.” Then Chet realized Oscar was sitting by the fireplace. “Hey buddy.” He looked confused.

Oscar stood, “thank you. I won’t intrude on your evening my friend.” He left the blanket by the fire and walked to the door.

“Wait a minute.” Chet called to him. “Did you walk here?”

“I’m pretty sure I did.” Oscar’s movements were like the old Oscar, slow and depressed. And at the moment, very wet.

“Let me take you home.”

“No, thank you. I need to think.” He stepped onto the porch followed by Chet and Bell.

It was raining harder than it was when he first got there.

“Oscar,” Bell spoke sweetly to him. “You really have to talk to her. About everything.” She was holding on to Chet’s arm.

“I thought I was modern enough to deal with this but I’m not so sure.” He just stared at the porch. “Am I a bad person for feeling this way?”

Bell looked at Chet and wanted to cry. Then she said, “no, you’re not. But you can’t function like this or there won’t be a marriage. If you can’t talk now, you’re surely not going to be able to talk later.”

“Man, let me take you home.” Chet asked again.

Winter Season