IT MUST BE IN THE WATER
By Jimmy Brook
TWO PEOPLE COULD NOT EXPLAIN IT. IF IT WAS NOT THE FOOD, IT MUST BE IN THE WATER.
The day is too nice to sit around, and do nothing. So, what do you do? You do something. That is what Jessica and Larry did. They decided the good weather would not last, and a meal on an outside terrace overlooking the river, followed by perhaps a sculpture display in that new park, would be the go. Three years together and life was rolling along just fine.
The meal was crumbed fish and salad, finished off with a crème and cake desert. No licence at this place but there was always wine at home. Just a nice long glass of cool water with lemon and a ring of sugar coating at the top. They left when the meal had settled, and the view was something they would like from their unit balcony. A walk along the river bank to the park, was now the next item.
If they had not stopped, they would not have been involved in this thing. But they did. It was Jessica who saw him. The man was lying down along one of the seats that popped up along the path. At that moment, her shoe became loose, and she needed to sit and adjust the strap. There was a space next to the man’s feet, and she would utilise it. Being a nurse, she was not backward at taking initiatives, and many times, the lead. As she sat, much to Larry’s annoyance, the man woke up and sat upright.
“Sorry,” he said, “I was just feeling a bit tired. Must have walked a long way.”
She smiled. “No problem. Just fixing my shoe. Nice day. Oh, this is my husband,
Larry. We were out for a day in the sunshine.”
Larry nodded as the fellow nodded. He looked about thirty or so. “Live locally?”
“Not sure. I’m Daniel by the way.” Larry nodded again.
Jessica was taking this in slowly. Daniel’s clothes were not flashy, just a green t-shirt and long shorts, and then she noted he had slippers on his feet. She also glimpsed a small tattoo on his forearm of a sailing ship with a heart inscribed over it. “Live alone Daniel?”
“Oh no. There are lots of us in the home. Nice crowd but not outdoor types I think.”
It was at this stage, she looked at her husband and gave a slight shake of her head. “Do you want us to get someone for you, before we walk on?”
He looked a bit distracted. “Suppose I should. They mightn’t know where to find me.”
Larry sat down next to his wife. “Daniel. Where do you live? Nearby?”
“It can’t be far, can it, or I wouldn’t have walked down here. Lisa looks after me the best. She has great hair, and she is well built, if you get my meaning.”
“The name of your home, Daniel.” Jessica was now a bit concerned. He obviously from some facility that looked after younger persons. Must have got away somehow.
A jogger moved past at a fair pace, and his eyes wandered to the person before he jerked them back. “You said?”
“Your address Daniel. We can get someone or even take you there.” Jessica was anxious to get this sorted. So was Larry. He winced when she said they would take him. What if he is dangerous or something? He was now feeling uncomfortable.
“Oh, yes, Crest something or other. Let me think. Crest. Crest. Oh yes, now I remember, Crestwood. Nice gardens.”
Already she was on her mobile, searching the name. “Got it.” Larry looked over her shoulder, looking for what type it might be. “There it is’ she said. “Crestwood Nursing Home, Everton etc. Not that far away. I’ll ring and see if they are looking for him.”
Larry scratched his nose. “Maybe he doesn’t come from there. Could be on the run or hasn’t a clue.”
“Don’t be cynical about people. Young man who probably had a major head incident. Might be an ex soldier. Remember Jason from the club? Quiet, it’s ringing. Yes, my name is Jessica and we are talking to a young man named Daniel.” She looked at Daniel, “Daniel, what is your last name?”
“Banjoe.”
She just shook her head.
“He might be called Banjoe, although I’m not sure…”
“Oh” she said. “Yes, we are at the Stratton Park riverside, along the walkway near the kiosk. We can wait until you come. No problem.” She hung up.
“Appears that is his name. “
“Of course, it’s my name. Daniel Banjoe.”
Larry looked at his watch. “Will they be long?”
“Only ten or fifteen minutes” she said. “Daniel,” she looked at the him as she spoke. “How did you es.., I mean get out. No, I mean how were you able to leave and come on this walk?”
“No problem for me. Catering was getting some boxes delivered and I poke my head out the storeroom door when he was in his truck. It looked a nice day, so I just took off. Not supposed to be in the storeroom but the door was open today.”
“No harm done, but probably not a good thing to do, wandering out in the streets.” Jessica felt sorry for him. What trauma had he gone through to put him in this environment? So young, really.
“Larry suddenly pointed to a car park nearby. “That must be the nurse, name badge and the uniform giving her away. I’ll go get her and you mind Daniel.”
Then he was off at a brisk walk and giving a wave which didn’t seem to be noticed. He walked towards the woman who was starting to move in the wrong direction. “Crestwood Nursing Home?” he yelled to her.
She turned and smiled. “Yes, Lisa. You found Daniel, I believe?”
“Yes. Back over there with my wife.” They turned and started to move back when Larry couldn’t see Daniel, only Jessica. “He’s gone by the looks of things.”
When they reached Jessica, she wasn’t concerned. “Hello” she said, “He’s just gone to the toilet over there, about a minute ago.”
“I go and get him,” said Larry and made a beeline for the conveniences not so far away.
Jessica looked back to the nurse. “We found him sitting on the seat here. I’m a nurse myself and I got the feeling something wasn’t right. Just chatting and that. Finally, got the name Crestwood, and gave you a ring.”
“Thanks for doing that. He doesn’t normally wander, so I don’t know how he got out.”
“Try the kitchen storeroom. Appears he snuck out when a delivery came.”
“Thanks for the heads up. They sometimes surprise you.”
Jessica thought she might as well ask. “What happened to him?”
Lisa looked puzzled. “Nothing that I know of.”
Just then Larry came jogging back. “He’s gone. I looked in the men’s and yelled at the door to the ladies but no answer.” He looked at his wife. “He did go over to the toilet? You saw him go in?”
“Of course I did. Into the men’s.”
“I will go back and have another look and..”
Lisa interjected. “No need. He’s coming out now,” and waved.
Both Larry and Jessica looked but couldn’t see Daniel, only an old gentleman slowly making his way across the grass towards them. “That’s not Daniel” said Larry, “he’s a young man and that fellow must be one hundred in the shade.”
“Of course it’s Daniel,” said the nurse. “Daniel where have you been. We have all been looking for you.”
Daniel just smiled. “Hello Lisa. Haven’t missed afternoon tea I hope.”
“No. Let’s go back.” She turned to the couple. “Thanks for taking the time to ring us. Come and visit us sometime.” Then she took the old man’s arm, looked back and yelled, “ninety two,” and then they shuffled off towards the car park.
Larry just looked at his wife, then walked back to the toilets, returning a minute later. “Not there for sure. Daniel has shot through and I don’t know what game those two are playing.”
She took his hand. “Let’s go home, my brain is overloaded.”
The next morning, they briefly mentioned the incident yesterday, to each other and just gave up. Nothing made sense. “Come on,” said the husband, “grab your bag and let’s go back to the park. I bet he is still on the seat waiting to scam another gullible lot.” She objected but went along with him.
Although they took a took a good look around, nothing was seen of either Daniel or the nurse. Larry felt uncomfortable spending so long in the toilet poking about, and he was glad to leave the area. Then Jessica turned and looked at him. “Dear, what about visiting the nursing Home? She did say come and visit, and it might just put our mind at rest. The worst that can happen is we say hello to an old man, smile, and get the hell out of there.”
“When I have to, I will go, and not before.”
“Don’t be a woos. You visit people in hospitals, don’t you?”
He grumbled a bit, but let her drive. They parked inside the gates of the facility and headed inside. Soon they were shown to the appropriate ward, and a nurse took them to a room and told the man sitting in the chair near the window, that he had visitors. Then left.
He turned and slowly rose. “Oh hello. I saw you yesterday down on the river front, didn’t I?”
Larry swallowed hard. “Yes, my wife and I were talking to you. You were sleeping on a bench seat.” He said it slowly and louder than normal. He thought that was how you talked to old people. Really, he couldn’t remember ever talking to a person ninety two before.
“Not all old people are deaf, young man,” and smiled. Larry blushed. Then Daniel looked at Jessica and asked if her name was Amanda. Now the couple were confused.
Jessica had met this a lot in her job. “Sit down and tell me a bit about yourself.”
Larry wandered about the room and stopped at the dresser which had photographs in frames. He didn’t blink an eye or even move his body for he was in a bit of a shocked state. One of the photos was of a young man in his late twenties. It was Daniel. Or to be more precise, the Daniel they had met yesterday on the seat. He finally interrupted his wife. “Jessica, come and look at this photo.”
She walked over, just as Daniel said, “That’s me, just before I left for Europe on a backpacking jaunt. Long time ago now.”
Larry had no idea why, but he asked, “Mind if I take a photo of it?”
“No. Help yourself.”
It was then Jessica remembered something. “Daniel, do you have tattoo? I know it’s a bit presumptuous but..”
“Not at all. Very proud of it at the time. Got it in France.” He rolled up his sleeve and they both looked at a faded sailing ship with the remnants of a heart over the top.
With a quick excuse, they left as soon as they could and didn’t say anything to each other until well down the road.
“We will never talk about this again,” said Larry, and she nodded. They never did. What had happened was not right, but it had happened. Jessica blamed it on the weather. Larry blamed it on the water. He would take his whiskey without it in future.
Jimmy Brook