Slow and Go
It was a slow morning for Dez. She heard Cook come in, humming as always. Kettle on to boil for the morning’s tea. Fridge door opening and closing. Pantry door opening and closing. She edged carefully out of bed, the muscles in her legs complaining and stiff. “I’ve been doing too much for the last week.” She stood carefully, cautiously, leaning heavily on the footboard. “Christmas was pretty quiet out here. I spent most of the time, when it wasn’t snowing, walking the track and helping Samuel in the old garage. Maybe today I’ll just take it easy.” Picking up her cane from the bedstead where she had put it, she limped to the door of her room. Taking her housecoat down, she awkwardly put it on and opened the door. “Miss Dez! Did you just get up?! I just saw your door closed and thought you were already out working with Samuel. Here, come sit down and let me get you a cuppa. Coffee’s not ready yet, but I’ve some tea here.”
“Thanks, Cook. I’m moving pretty slow this morning. Don’t think I’ll be going out to the garage.” She sat down stiffly at the table, accepted the hot tea from Cook. “I am awfully tired. Maybe by this afternoon I’ll have my energy back.”
“Well you could start working on the bits and pieces you’ve been collecting in your room.” Cook had been keeping track of all the ‘bits and pieces’ brought through her kitchen. “But you don’t want them out here and this is the only place I can work on them. I’ve brushed most of the dust and grime from them. Some of them are just old baubles that may have to be discarded, one or two of them look precious. Some of them are even broken. This table would be great for sorting them all out.”
“Well, it’s too mucky out there for you to be going anywhere. Snow’s still all melting and mud is too soft. You just need to stay in today.” She made sure that Dez was sitting comfortably and said “I’ve got just the table cloth so you can work out here.” Cook went to the pantry where she kept linens. “Here you are, it’s not that pretty - all gaudy and floral. I’ve never liked floral, Martha likes it but if it will help……..” She spread it out, smoothing the folds flat. Made of vinyl, it was not all that cooperative after being folded and put away for long periods of time. “I’ll make you some breakfast and you just take it easy. I’ll call Samuel and let him know not to expect you today.”
~~~~~
Cook often waited til she was at work to have her breakfast. While she made breakfast for them both, Dez managed a shower. Dressed in her gray sweats, she returned to a warm plate of scrambled eggs, crisp bacon and fresh scones. Butter and a jar of blueberry jam sat on the ‘not that pretty’ tablecloth changing its whole complexion. “Samuel said to tell you to stay in and get rested. He said he’d bring in anything that you might be interested in.”
Dez was eating steadily, nodding as Cook talked. Cleaning up her plate with the last scone, she felt satisfied. “I was so hungry Cook!” She sat back and licked her fingers. “Well you haven’t been eating very well this last week, just on Christmas Day when we had a bit of a Christmas Dinner here with James and Martha. Too bad Dr. Jeremy and Miss Emelina couldn’t be here.” Sadly, that couple were self-isolating in Dr. Jeremy’s apartment in the city. In the last two years, he had avoided infection from the Covid virus. Unfortunately, despite being fully vaccinated, he had contracted the very transmissible omicron virus that was sweeping the country and the Island. Because Dez’s sister, was in contact with him, they chose to self-isolate as a precaution against spreading it out to the estate and further. Dez had spoken with her sister over video. Jeremy’s symptoms were very mild so they had enjoyed a lovely quiet Christmas. “I’ll be home next week Dez. It’s actually been quite nice to just spend time with him. No family around to interrupt anything.” A smile in her voice, she did sound very content.
“Let me clear the table, Cook. I feel positively taken care of…..thank you, thank you.” Dez noticed Cook's wrinkled forehead and said “I’m fine, Cook. Maybe a bit slow, but I’ve got to keep these legs moving. Can’t let them freeze up on me. Clearing the table is not much but it’s a start. I'll get a couple things from my room while I’m up. I want to show you the little bell woven from reeds that we found out there. I don’t think it’s that old but it needs cleaning and soaking to moisten it. It’s pretty dry.”
~~~~~
Throughout the morning, Dez was busy. She set up a small bag for any ornaments that were too broken to repair, a small labeled box that said ‘For Repair’ and another labeled ‘To Be Cleaned’. From time to time she sat to rest her legs. She’d have a cup of tea or coffee now and then. She stopped for lunch when Samuel came in. “You’ve got quite a system, Miss Dez! I’ll just put these in the box for cleanin’. Don’t think there’s much left out there.” He turned to Cook. “What’s for lunch, Elizabeth? Yup, I know ~ nothin’ unless I go wash up.” He grinned and went to the mudroom. The two women pulled the table cloth and its contents down farther on the long table, set out plates and soup bowls. Samuel returned to the kitchen. “Here, Elizabeth, let me get that.” Putting on oven mitts, he picked up Cook’s fresh pot of soup and brought it to the table. “Get me one of those cork things, Elizabeth. This pot’s too hot to just put on the table. Is James coming to eat?”
“No, he and Martha have gone home. They’re taking the afternoon off. It’s just the three of us.” Cook served up the soup, cut the cornbread and sat down to eat with her friends.
“When you rest, you catch your breath and it holds you up, like water wings.”
~ Anne Lamott
