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Volume 1 (1999/2000)
Issue
1 (March 1999)
Issue
2 (Nov. 1999)
Issue 3 (Dec. 1999)
Issue 4 (Feb. 2000)
Issue 5 (March 2000)
Issue 6 (April 2000)
Issue
7 (May 2000)
Volume 2 (2000/2001)
Issue 1 (Sept. 2000)
Issue 2 (Oct. 2000)
Issue 3 (Jan. 2001)
Issue 4 (March 2001)
Issue 5 (April 2001)
Issue 6 (May 2001)
Volume 3 (2001)
Issue 1 (Sept. 2001)
Issue 2 (Nov. 2001)
Categories
Sport: 1
2 3
Lifestyles: 1 2
3
Commentary: 1 2
3
Review: 1 2
3
Writing: 1 2
3
Event: 1 2
3
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Justine Clare
The Kings Hospital
A short story
Henry Small was a nice man. He lived on Terrace Avenue in Foxrock, an
extremely respectable part of Dublin and was happily married to his wife
Maryann. They had been married for over three vears and had established
a good life for themselves. Henry was a political journalist, a job that
took him on trips around the world, and Maryann, well let's just say she
reaped the benefits of his strenuous labour. However, in this seemingly
perfect lifestyle there was one thing Henry wasn't telling her.
Victor Nesbit was also a very pleasant man by nature. He lived on Washington
Square in America's capital along with his wife Suzie. They had been married
for a year and were experiencing the new feeling of marital bliss. And
yet, Victor wasn't being completely honest with her.
It was a sunny day on the Emerald Isle. Henry was humming a happy tune
whilst shaving. Maryann lay motionless in a steaming bath beside him,
bubbles everywhere. "Won't you come in beside me?," she offered.
Temptation very nearly won him over, but he declined. "Sorry love,
I must be off soon, the office is posting me today." She grunted
a reply. "Well then there's definitely no point in going in today,
we both know where you'll be posted, the same damn place as for the past
twelve months!" He said nothing. When she got into a mood one had
to pick one's words carefully if one wanted to get her out of it. "Listen
Mary, I'll try and get somewhere different this time but they're solid
as a rock when they get a decision into their heads," he said soothingly.
He saw the tension lift from her face and knew that she'd he alright now.
Yet in his mind she screamed LIAR.
In the office Henry sat around a marvellous oak table in the conference
room, waiting for the editor. He came bearing coffee and doughnuts and
a folder that contained Henry's destination. "Well Henry, we have
a choice for you today", he started, "there is of course the
usual assignment or a story where two men have besieged the government
in Spain. It's messy and would make for a great story. What do you think?"
"I don't know Bill, I'm onto something where I usually am, something
big, I can feel it! I think you should send Carl to Spain", Henry
said.
LIAR
"Well that's fine, although frankly I'm surprised. You've been in
and out of there over a period of twelve months now, I would have thought
you would like the change. However, if you say you're onto something,
then I believe you. Your deadline is Saturday fortnight and you depart
Friday."
The phone rang.
"Victor darling! How are you? When are you home, I miss you?"
"Saturday Suzie, I can't wait to see you, it's been hectic over here."
"How's politics?" she inquired.
"They've pretty much resolved the resounding conflict. It's probably
the last time I'll have to come here", he answered.
"At last we can enjoy normal married life. I knew I'd rue the day
I married a journalist!", she joked.
"Listen Sue I must dash, I still have to write this darned article".
"What time do you come in?" she asked. He made the mistake of
telling her.
"I knew it," Maryann said, eerily calm. "Well, when do
we leave?", she asked perfectly calm."
"What do you mean, we", Henry asked tentatively, "you never
come, you hate flying!"
"Well there's only so much shopping one can do for starters, and
I'm sick of staying at home waiting for you to come back. This is not
a marriage, it's an airport. You just breeze in between stops taking it
for granted that I'll be here. I mean honestly, sometimes I feel I know
the dog better than I know you!"
"Honey, we don't have a dog" Henry said.
"How do you know? You've hardly been here long enough to notice.
This has been going on for a whole year now and I'm afraid that it's going
to continue until you uncover some govemment scandal and you get yourself
killed," she shouted.
"Mary relax, you've gotten yourself all excited. After this trip
I'll tell Bill I don't want to do anymore overseas trips, okay? But I've
agreed to do this one and I'm bound by contract. There's nothing I can
do", he told her.
"Well, since it's your last trip, I think I should be there with
you. I can even get started on my Christmas shopping", she smiled.
Henry felt a murmur of alarm somewhere between his left and right ventricle.
"Now honey . . . ", he began, but she was already tearing clothes
out of her wardrobe and onto her bed.
The answering machine kicked in.
"Hi this is Suzie, I'm not here right now but if you'd like to leave
a message I'll get back to you", her cheery voice came down the wire.
Victor wasn't so cheery.
"Hi Suzie, listen it's war over here, they've uncovered some bribery
or something. I'm completely in the dark and I'll have to stay here for
another while. I'm really sorry honey."
LIAR
"Bill hi, I was wondering if Spain was still free?", Henry asked.
"Sorry Henry, Carl flies out tomorrow. What's up? You can still go,
can't you?" he asked worried.
"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine. Thanks anyway Bill." He put
down the phone and cursed out loud. He'd just have to take the chance.
Suzie opened the door to her apartment. She was laden with shopping bags,
full of all sorts of culinary delights. She was going to prepare a romantic
welcome home meal for Victor. He was due home in a couple of hours. Before
she started any slicing or dicing she rang the repair shop about her broken
answering machine. The stupid thing just died for no reason.
Henry sat rigid on the aeroplane.
"We are now approaching Washington DC. We hope you've had a pleasant
flight and will fly with us again." Henry contemplated the box of
painkillers in his wife's vanity case, then told himself not to be so
stupid.
Suzie waited at arrivals. Right now her potatoes would be simmering to
perfection, and as for that casserole! She had outdone herself again she
knew. Just then she saw him and cried "VICT0R". Mary turned
around to Henry and said, "Who's Victor?".
Victor regretted not taking the pills.
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