I thought I'd share this with you - a true story that happened today! I've had to change names and be a bit vague for obvious reasons.
I deliver, collect and repair wheelchairs all over north and mid-Wales.
One user I go to was quite elderly and so was her husband. I’ll call them Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
I last went to Mrs. Smith late summer 2005 to deliver and modify her new chair. Mr. Smith was there but in apparent failing health himself. She was her normal self, bossing him and me around. I was there for a couple of hours until they were both happy with the setup.
I was thinking to myself a couple of days ago that it had been a long time since I’d been to see Mrs. Smith – I used to be called out the 2 or 3 times a year sorting out her various problems.
Today I had a delivery of a chair to Mr. Brown. Before going out I checked the address, as it appeared to be wrong – it was, so I had to phone up just before arriving to get final directions.
“Hello Mr. Brown – where are you” sort of thing.
“Did you used to go to Mrs. Smith?”
“Yes”
“I used to be the groundskeeper there – you were there last summer. Do you remember where Mrs. Smith lived?”
“Yes” I replied
“Well, I live in the next house up the lane. You can’t miss it…” He gave a few more instructions on how to get there. Up in the middle of nowhere in the Welsh mountains you need all the help you can get sometimes!
Anyway, half an hour later (and a minor detour) I arrived. I recognised him straight away as the man who looked after the premises and grounds for Mr. and Mrs. Smith – we’re talking a lot of money and a BIG mansion here!
We got to chat. He said
“Shame about Mrs. Smith”
“Why, what happened?”
“Oh, she died in March” he said. It was a bit of a surprise as I normally pick up wheelchairs after the user has passed on.
“I had better arrange to pick up the wheelchairs then” I said.
“No need – they’ve all ready gone”
“What about Mr. Smith? Is he okay?”
“Mr. Smith? He died in 18 months ago, February 2005”
“Can’t have,” I said “I saw him when I delivered her new chair late last year – he helped Mrs. Smith into and out of the wheelchair!”
“No” said Mr. Brown “I saw you when you took it, around September I think. Just you and Mrs. Smith in the house. I was outside chopping logs. I remember she gave you a lot of hassle as you kept going to the van for tools. He had definitely died before that.”
I didn’t say any more as I thought he’d think I’d gone potty if I insisted Mr. Smith was there when Mr. Brown was quite sure he was all ready dead and buried!
I'm not allowed to assist patients into/out of wheelchairs (Health & Safety issues) and she couldn't do it without assistance. As far as I was concerned there were the three of us there, but Mr. Brown said it was just Mrs. Smith and me.
So, who was the guy? It was Mr. Smith and he had died 6 month previously!
Queue the ‘Twilight zone’ music!
Another spooky thing as well – she died on his birthday!
Spooky, true story!
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- Marvin the Dalek
- Posts: 4396
- Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:00 am
- Location: North Wales
-
- Marvin the Dalek
- Posts: 4396
- Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:00 am
- Location: North Wales
I guess whats also surprising, Is the fact that Mrs. Smith obviously was so used to him being around, That she didn't even mention him to you, And, The fact that she was bossing him around to boot ! :lol: So, i wonder was he there to aggreviate her ? Or was he there as some sort of weird punishement, That even when your dead, You still will be nagged by the misses ?? :lol: Great Story ! :)
G^R
G^R