THE ANNOUNCEMENT Part 3

Throughout the two days preceding the move Kim had kept in contact with Ron via telephone. She had watched the ambulance rush away with blue lights flashing and, desperate to be with Ron, had got into her car and attempted to follow the ambulance. It was rush hour however and the hospital was a good few miles away in the city and she did not know the way. She realised that there was no way in which she would be able to get to the hospital. Nevern had she felt so alone in her life. It was difficult to find out what was happening at the hospital, but eventually Ron was able to tell her that they were going to operate under an epidural as it was too dangerous to give him a general anaesthetic due to other health problems that he had. He sounded pretty perky when she spoke to him, and he promised to stay in touch whenever he could. All that she wanted however was to be with him holding his hand. This was all wrong. But there was nothing that she could do about it. So much was on her shoulders now.

Kim and Ron had chosen the removal firm carefully. They had asked them a lot of questions and they seemed to be the best firm. They had promised that they would do any packing that was left that Kim and Ron had been unable to do. Kim had, however, been able to get the main things into boxes, labelled with the room that they needed to go into at the new house. Kim had gone over to the town they were moving back to one weekend to try to find a house that they could afford to buy. They thought that they would only be able to buy a run down house in a bad area, but Kim was surprised to find a nice house in a nice road that would be just perfect for them. Nothing modern but certainly not run down. Ron had been unable to go with her to find a house but when she told him about it he approved of her choice. All that Kim wanted to do was get moved now, and begin their new life back in her hometown. She had no idea of the trauma that was about to befall her.

The removal men arrived on the appointed day. The idea was that they would load up the van one day and travel to the new house the next day. In the event all things changed, and Kim had to go and stay one night with her mother. The one thing she had never wanted to do. There were the two dogs to accommodate too and this complicated matters. However Kim’s mother said it was fine if she took the two dogs there. It was only for one night.

As Kim watched the removal van being packed it became obvious that not everything was going to go in. She watched in horror as the removal men chopped up her organ and put it into the skip. It was a two keyboard organ with stops and bars which she played with her feet. Her heart broke as she watched it being broken up in such a brutal manner. It was part of her life going. Part of her. She had to quash her feelings however. This was no time for feelings. She had to be practical.

By now Kim was deeply traumatised and the removal men told her to get into her car and make her way to the new house. They would finish off without her. Kim got into her car in a daze. As she drove along the ridge above a valley she stopped in a lay by, got out of her car and, looking out over the valley, bade it goodbye. She still could hardly believe that this was happening. The journey along the motorway was the saddest journey that she had ever made.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT Part 2