By Bessie Grimes

“You’re new here, aren’t you?”

Hester blinked. She was; but who was this aggressive woman who hadn’t bothered to say hello?

“Yes,” she replied. “I’m Hester. May I ask your name and position here?”

“How dare you! Who are you to ask? Everyone knows me! Wait until Eric’s ant farm invades your place! You won’t be so uppity then.”

Hester gasped. She’d heard about such people who had been in a place so long that they thought they owned it. She paused, then shook herself and calmed down. She was a former school teacher. She knew how to deal with this.

“I see you are someone in authority. Perhaps you could explain the rules of this physio rehabilitation centre so I won’t overstep my bounds. Also, my cat needs high-grade premium food. Where’s the best place to get it?”

There was a light tinkling laugh behind her. “Dearie, she’s not a member of the staff. She’s simply Hortense; an interfering busybody who is generally up to no good. I’m Doris. Let me advise you. You need Mrs. Semple. She’s in the office on the first floor.”

Hester shook her head. The second lady obviously wasn’t staff either. And no one, not even her husband, called her dearie and got away with it.

She pulled herself up straight. “I’m Mrs. Brewster and that is how you will address me. My husband and I just moved here. I’ll seek out Mrs. Semple and make my enquiries when I see her.”

She turned and walked away. Those two women were impossible. If it wasn’t for Tom’s accident, she wouldn’t be here. But he was in a wheelchair now and needed to be close to a city hospital to receive physical therapy. It was the only way he would adequately recover. If they didn’t receive proper respect, she decided, they would have to move and that move wasn’t practical at the moment.

In Mrs. Semple’s office, she described the two women she’d encountered and explained her situation.

Mrs. Semple gave a bitter laugh. “That’s the way some older women act. You need to learn to put up with it unless you are willing to live in a private house again.”

Hester wasn’t satisfied with that answer. Back in her apartment, she discussed the matter with Tom.

“Normally,” he said, “Men don’t notice such things; but I was a psychiatrist and I’ve seen a lot and I’ve heard a lot of complaints. Also, we once knew a lady who suffered a lot from such attitudes.”

“I remember! Your Aunt Sybil! She was such a positive force in our lives before she got sick; always upbeat and positive.”

“I know. She paid some of my college expenses and never asked for a dime back. She was so sure I’d do well.

“She was right. You could still practice.”

Tom sighed. “In some ways, I could. I could be a speaker. I could give talks to people who are deep down and discouraged. All my counselling experience would come in handy.”

“What are we going to do about those two women?”

“Let me think about it.”

When Tom ventured out for a medical appointment the next day, he encountered Doris.

“Oh, you poor, poor man! Look at you! So pale! So wan! Let me look after you. I’ll have you right as rain in no time!”

Tom pulled himself up straight. This was worse than he thought. “Ma’am, I have a wife who takes very good care of me and I don’t require your services. I have an appointment. Will you let me get to my vehicle?”

Doris gasped. People weren’t usually so rude! “But honey, let me hold the door, you look so ill.”

“Ma’am, this is a part of my exercise program, and you’re standing right in my path! Please step aside!”

Doris did so reluctantly because to her, he looked so needed.

Tom met Hortense on his way back to the building. “And who are you, Sir? I haven’t seen you before. Are you visiting someone?”

I’m staying here, actually. I just moved in a few days ago. You wouldn’t happen to be Hortense, would you? My wife told me about you.”

“And she would be…”

“Hester. Perhaps you don’t remember seeing her. Please let me pass. She’s expecting me home about now. She’ll get worried.”

Tom’s look was stern and commanding. Hortense had no choice. She moved.

Over the next couple of months, Tom’s condition improved and he began to walk again. Soon they would be able to go back home.

Over the time, Doris and Hortense had remained difficult to deal with. Both Tom and Hester looked forward to the day when they could go home and resume their ordinary lives.

Tom made plans to continue his psychiatric career. He’d seen a lot over the years and he was a practiced speaker. If he had to present his talks from a wheelchair that was okay, but he didn’t plan to do it that way for long.

Almost a year passed. Doris and Hortense continued in therapy for chronic ailments. Both had long forgotten Tom and Hester. Or, so it seemed.

“We are having a guest speaker. He’s an authority on positive thinking. I know a lot of people here can benefit from hearing him,” Mrs. Semple announced at breakfast one morning.”

Tom strode into the room, confident and assured, and took his place behind the lectern.  “This place hasn’t changed since I was here before, he began. “I even see some of the faces.”

Tom went on to describe the fact that some people treated him like a wounded animal, which prevented him from flourishing.

“Treating others like this doesn’t help anyone. Although my wife and I made a few friends while we were here, life would have been much better if not met with forceful and negative attitudes every time we tried to go anywhere. All of us need to approach life in a positive way and give others the opportunity to demonstrate what they can do for themselves. My advice? Be observant. Are people able to manage for themselves? Do they really need help at this moment? Don’t overstep your position. Wait for people to ask for assistance. Everyone will be happier.”

As Doris listened, she began to recognize the speaker. Could this be the poor old man in the wheelchair? If he was, he’d come a long way. She felt she needed to apologize, but she didn’t have the words.

If you’ve been harbouring negative thoughts,” Tom went on, “It’s not too late to revise your thinking. Each day is a new day to begin again. Take a deep breath and start over.”

Was that what Tom wanted? It had been a long time, but she could take a new approach. She had to admit she had considered him hopelessly handicapped. She vowed, starting that day, to revise her attitude.

Hortense, unfortunately, didn’t get the message that day. But when people around you start to change…change becomes inevitable.