The incredulous wait in that empty room seemed so daunting, as if I had been there for an eternity. The door knob slowly turned, a doctor stepped in. She sits down opposite me then places her hand above mine. The impression on her face suggested that there had been a terrible tragedy. She calmly whispered “We gave your husband the best treatment possible unfortunately his heart stopped functioning and we were unable to revive him, I’m very sorry.” Water streamed from my tear ducts flowing like a river, pouring down my depressed and heartbroken face. I felt as if part of me had passed on and taken an enormous chunk out of my body making me incomplete. At that precise moment the doctor embraced me in a caring hug, I held on to her with a tight grip for several minutes. I think she was relieved I let go at the end.
Soft music plays as a tear drops from Elizabeth’s eye on to the photograph.
Elizabeth is placing flowers she received in a vase.
There was a wonderful turn out for his funeral. All his friends and relatives came to grieve. The Police were there again. Many people said “Your husband was a lovely, caring, social kind of guy who never created trouble.” The time came for the coffin to be buried; it was slowly and gently laid down to enjoy eternal rest. The vicar presented the speech that he had written. He said “O Holy Father please welcome this new soul into your realm of eternal rest and happiness, please accept him and all his attributes.”
Light fades to black
Elizabeth is gazing out of the window
There was a loud repetitive knocking sound coming from the hall way. I arose from my chair post-haste and decided to figure out what this loud repetitive banging sound was. I slowly walked towards it, putting my ear against the wall. The vibrations got louder, the pounding got harder and faster. Then I heard a bell go off and realised that these intolerable noises had been a man knocking upon my front door. I wasn’t surprised it hadn’t been knocked down the way he was hitting it. He said “May I come in?” I said “Yes of course you may”.
We took to the lounge and seated our selves in my recliners. I asked him the nature of his business and he said “I was a colleague of your late husband’s I’m very sorry to hear of your loss, it deeply upsets me and I will miss him very much. I’m investigating why your husband suffered such a severe heart attack, when he had no previous heart problems. He said “You don’t mind me asking you a few questions do you?” I said “No.” He asked if my husband received large quantities of work, I said “Yes he did and he was very much pressurised in his job, I wondered why he got so much work though and wasn’t satisfied with what he told me. The man asked me what my husband had told me. I said “My husband said that they were understaffed because of people on leave and they asked him to take on more work.” The man said “Thank you for your time and I appreciate your cooperation.”
Light fades to black
The next day, early morning Elizabeth is arranging the post.
The man returned the next day informing me of recent new evidence he had discovered and needed to discuss with me in private. We were sitting down in the kitchen on two of the handcrafted chairs my husband had designed and manufactured himself. He sure did enjoy all those hours he spent slaving over his wonderful contraptions. A breeze drifted in from the open window sending shivers down my spine. The man was extremely well dressed, he looked immaculate. He said “One of your husbands work colleagues said that he was having a hard time with the boss and the boss was deliberately punishing him with extra work. He was making his life a living hell. Your husband’s work mate said he made conversation with your husband after he had been roasted by the boss.” He referred to such comments like “Your kind shouldn’t even be allowed in this country, you’re a disgrace to our society and many other abusive terms that are too rude to mention.” The man said “Did you know anything about this?” I pondered for a moment bemused by this new knowledge that had just surfaced and proved to be significant. I said “No, my husband never mentioned such disgraceful and horrible remarks.”
Everything freezes, music plays.
The man said “I have reason to believe that your husband was being discriminated against and immensely pressurised. As he did before he said “Thank you for your time but now I must go to carry out further investigations.”
Light fades and goes black
Reappear focused on Elizabeth’s face
I received a call from my husband’s co-worker who was working along side my husband at the time of the incident. He said “We had just lost some one and then he clenched his heart and keeled over, he lay spread eagled upon the concrete pavement. I immediately performed the correct medical procedures and placed him in the recovery position. I told him everything would be all right and that I had called for an ambulance. Within minutes the ambulance arrived and he was rushed to the hospital. That day had been particularly stressful for him due to an aggressive confrontation with the boss and he was under so much pressure.” I said “Thank you for telling me your side of the story but now I must go”.
Focus on Elizabeth sitting in a chair.
The man who had previously visited appeared at my front door once again. He was turning out to be a regular visitor. He said he had solved the case and the proper procedure would now be followed. He said “I have discovered that your husband has suffered a heart attack from immense pressure and prejudices. I realise that his boss is to blame because he was the one enforcing these ghastly deeds.” The man left in a hurry as he received a call on his mobile phone.
Light fades and goes black
Elizabeth is reading a newspaper article.
I was reading The Times last week and I noticed an article about my husband, it read “Policeman dies as a result of pressure from abusive boss”. The article described how Superintendent Jenkins was arrested on suspicion of extreme racial abuse. His statement in the news article was absolutely disgusting, it was a horrific and extremely prejudiced; I was appalled when I read this as many people loved my husband no matter what colour his skin was. I now know the real story not the imaginary one that I had conjured up in my head. I’m glad that the case has been solved and I know the truth about what really happened to my husband.
Light fades, slowly getting darker.
