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(aka Bike) Part 703 by Angharad |
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“This wasn’t how I expected to see you, Cathy.”
“What? Where am I?” I was looking at Sam Rose, who was standing at the end of an examination couch. It looked rather like a cubicle in A&E.
“In hospital, having been brought in by ambulance. Apparently you collapsed in the downstairs loo and Stella couldn’t get you out.”
“Oh. I feel okay now, so if you could call me a cab?”
“That little girl, I mentioned…”
“Susan Green, what about her?”
“I don’t remember telling you her name?”
“Does it matter?”
“Only insofar as I would have breached a confidentiality rule.”
“Her skull was improving as was her aorta.”
“How do you know that?”
“I just do.”
“Sadly, your magic wasn’t enough.”
“What do you mean? I thought her major problems were resolved and she’d be on the mend.”
“Her heart stopped, about the same time you collapsed. We weren’t able to start it again, despite having a crash team here in minutes.”
“A crash team?” I wondered what all that was about, was she involved in a car smash?
“Yeah, a team of specialist doctors and nurses who deal with cardiac arrests. They have a very good record.”
“But not this time?”
“Sadly, not.”
“So this proves what I’ve been saying all along.”
“What does?”
“I’m not in control of this, it’s too hit and miss and perhaps someone will believe me now?”
“Au contraire, Cathy; we still have miracles which we can’t explain and they seem to coincide with your presence here, or with a patient’s miraculous recovery.”
“I’m here because I was too ill to protest. I’m sorry, I can’t meet Paul and Daisy, nor am I going to Southampton. I don’t do miracles, it is nothing to do with me and I’d like to go home now, if I may?”
“Mr Matthews and the others are waiting, it won’t take long; do come.”
“No. I’m not well and want to go home.”
“As you wish, but the others will be disappointed.”
“Sam, I’m not going to react to moral blackmail, I did what I could to save that little girl–which wasn’t much–I’m not a Messiah, whether you believe in them or not, personally I don’t; nor am I a miracle worker or prophet or anything else. I’m a field biologist and film maker and occasional teacher–nothing else, no matter what others might think.”
“I’m just looking at the evidence–”
“–Bugger the evidence. According to the evidence, I was classified as a boy, clearly that was wrong.”
“Yes, what’s that got to do with it?”
“According to your evidence, you see me as some sort of miracle healer. It’s wrong, too.”
“But…”
“No buts, Sam, I’m going home. It isn’t a gift, it’s a curse and I’m having nothing more to do with it.”
“I see, I can understand where you’re coming from.”
“Can you? Can you really? I’ve been labelled a freak once in life already. It’s taken me a long time to resolve it, but it’s been worth it. I’m not going to save humanity–not that I could anyway–most humans are like lemmings, they don’t know which way is up. I have three children of whom I am inordinately fond and they don’t need to live with someone they call Mummy, who is also seen as a weirdo. I've done that, been there and probably have the indelible scars to prove it.”
“But you could do so much, Cathy.”
“Yeah, so do laboratory specimens. I’m going to do what I want for a change, I’m going home to look after my children and the others in my family. I’m going to make films about cute furry things because it might help those lemmings–the real ones–and their human counterparts from completely screwing up this planet. If it doesn’t, at least I’ll have tried.”
“Aren’t people more important than cute furry things?”
“Not if they continue destroying this beautiful planet. Without it none of us will survive.”
“I realise that, Cathy, even my myopic view of things can see that, but I’m skewed to preserving human life first.”
“Sam, you’re a doctor, and a fine one. You carry on and save all the children you can, it’s a perfectly laudable ambition. While I shall continue giving them a world in which to grow where the wonders of the universe are there for them to discover and understand. In a civilised world, the two aims would be compatible.”
“A civilised world? No change there then?”
“One day, we have to build towards things, to dream they will one day happen, the alternative is unthinkable.”
“You won’t change your mind, then?”
“Please ask them to call me a cab?”
“Okay.” He shrugged his shoulders and walked away. I know I had disappointed him, but I have a right to life as well and so do my loved ones. I have work to do, raising my children and looking after Simon and Tom and to some extent, Stella and Puddin’. I shall send love to those in need, but never again will I try to single-handedly save someone, except in a conventional sense. I’m walking away from this curse, well away.
I got the taxi home and avoided everyone. I wrote a letter to Daisy, saying that I was unwell and therefore unable to come and see her again. However, I would keep my promise and she was welcome to be one of my bridesmaids.
I knew her response would be anger, that I’d abandoned her and that she no longer wanted to be a bridesmaid. I would feel upset at her upset. Despite that, her mother would recover very quickly as she already had. I know I acted as some sort of catalyst, but no longer, I have retired as a wonder worker.
Those who condemn me, have every right to do so, except, they should imagine themselves in my place, then ask themselves, who comes first? The answer has to be, ones own children.
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Comments
Understandable Reaction
I can completely understand Cathy's feelings on this, and wonder at the stubborn denseness of Dr. Rose. Surely he can see Cathy's view, or is he so wrapped up in his vision of a miracle worker that he can't see how human Cathy is, nor how damaged she is from her upbringing. I want to smack the man and tell him "Buy a clue, stupid!".
I'm especially appalled that he can throw the little girl's death in Cathy's face, as if she had done something wrong by having her panic/nerves attack. Ohhhh, I wanna scream at the man!
m
They know they can survive
The question I'd ask...
would be WAS it a panic/nerves attack, or did her body use up too much "whatever it is" and react, or was it a subconscious protection reaction. All are logical, if you first postulate that Cathy was using some form of energy to know these things, and contribute to the healings.
Annette
Placed in that situation
i would imagine most mothers or fathers would take exactly the same stance as Cathy and look after their own offspring first... You could understand the frustration of Sam Rose at the attitude of Cathy but as i said yesterday being known as the lady who could heal almost hopeless cases could only lead to much more in the way of problems for Cathys family!!
Kirri
Cathy Got Burned Out
From all of the built up stress. Wheter or not her gift is still there or not is yet to be seen.
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
I Can Understand Cathy's Thought Process
Sam Rose doesn't stop and think of the consequences if Cathy was exposed publicly. There would be people coming from all over the world asking her to heal them. It would turn into a circus that would affect everyone in their family. They would have a more public life than they already have as a member of Royalty. Whatever small amount of privacy she still has would cease to exist.
I was a little worried after
I was a little worried after the last chapter that Cathy would be exposed to the world and her life turned upside down, I'm glad Cathy is putting her foot down and keeping her priorities! Good work Angharad!
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Far Too Close to Burnout…
…for comfort. Thank goodness Cathy has put her foot down, because if she had carried on the way she was she'd have ended up as a basket case in a lunatic asylum. We were both worried that you might be trying to kill her off.
As mother to 3 little girls under 6, her first responsibility has to be to them and, as I know only too well it is hard enough at times to cope with one small child, so three must weigh heavy on the mind at times. Then there's Simon to keep in order and Stella who, although stable at the moment, could relapse again. And imagine what the girls could be like when they become teenagers!
Excellent work Ang; keep it up,
Hugs,
Hilary
(and ’er upstairs in bed)
Finally Cathy has stood up
Finally Cathy has stood up for herself and just wants to get on with her own life. I doubt if this will be the end of it all tho, as everyone wiil, including Sam, want her to come and heal others if she happens to be in the hospital again. J-Lynn
I fully understand where...
Cathy's coming from.
I can also understand Sam's point.
I do find it interesting that Cathy collapsed, and Susan Green had Cardiac Arrest. Implication is that whatever it was that Cathy did, or didn't do, it ended when she collapsed. *sighs* In her shoes, I might well run the other way too. In many stories, the "healer" heals - by taking on the injuries of the one being healed. In others, the healer gives of his/her life essence to heal. In some of the latter, this essence rebuilds itself... But, in all to many of the stories, the healer gives too much as they have no help for it... And end up either dead, severely depleted or burnt out.
One does wonder (okay, again it's me that wonders) what the root of Mima's speech issue may be. It'd be interesting finding that out. And, this wedding - Cathy keeps inviting bridesmaids... She'll have a big one whether she wants to or not - just to accommodate them all. :-)
Thanks,
Annette
too much stress
and like others I sympathise with both cathy and sam. Cathy though has spent too much time putting everyone else first. Needs to think of herself and her family.
I doubt
that this will be Cathy's last healing. However, she will from now on do it on her own terms when she is sufficiently moved to intervene. And if all the Dr Roses in the world have a problem with that then she should suggest that if she were able to give him her gift, would he take it ?
I have no doubt that Dr Rose would initially jump at the chance ... until he really thinks about what it would mean for his life.
Anyway, even if Cathy decides to intervene, she has discovered she does not actually have to be there to accomplish it. It gives her plausible deniability. She is going to have to keep a low profile as it is to avoid the fallout from what she has done already.
Finally, when it is all said and done I agree with Cathy. Human life is not the be all and end all. Too much human life on this planet will ultimately what brings about our doom on this planet if we don't stop it. That is also why I ignore those 'save the children' ads and stuff. I have enough work protecting my own life and those I care about as it is. If this echoes of Scrooge's 'decrease the surplus population', so be it.
Kim
Cathy
I was glad to see this chapter. I felt it was skewing the storyline. I've thought about this, if you had the power of healing, how could you have a life? Everyone would assume your top priority is everyone else, but there would be nothing left for you.
Bonzi snuck in to the
Bonzi snuck in to the production office, and raised Cain. that's why it ended that way.
Cefin
I totally agree
I totally agree with all the other comments. Imagine what would happen when the tabloid press got hold of the story. Also, rich people would offer her vast sums to cure their families and throw her to the wolves if she failed. Her life would be totally destroyed. No, she's done the right thing in refusing Dr Rose and he should understand that.