Stanley And The Women (Vintage Classics) by Kingsley Amis

Author:Kingsley Amis [Amis, Kingsley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2011-09-29T20:00:00+00:00

THREE

Relapse

STEVE WAS WORSE when I saw him next. He talked, but not to me or to anybody else who was there. I could not make out half of what he said and the rest made no sense. His mouth was very dry, with the drugs presumably, and there was a crud or something of what looked like half-dried-up saliva sticking to his teeth. He obviously had no idea of where he was or what was going on, and the way he moved his eyes, which had dilated pupils, made me think he was seeing things that were not there. Still, he seemed calm.

On the next couple of visits his hallucinations, if that was what they had been, seemed to have blown over, but nothing or very little was getting through to him. That was what I thought, anyway, and Susan agreed the day she went with me. So it came as quite a surprise when Trish Collings rang up that evening and said she was transferring him to the St Kevin’s day clinic, which meant he would be spending his nights at home, and would I please come and fetch him at 5.30 tomorrow. His condition had significantly improved, she said.

I held down any desire to cheer, no longer knowing what I thought of Collings. ‘Since this morning?’ I asked.

‘The improvement has become obvious since this morning, but it’s been taking shape for some time now.’ As before, she sounded extra west-of-Winchester over the phone, bursting with cricket and cream teas. ‘Anyway, you’ll be able to judge for yourself very soon.’

When I got to her terrible office she started explaining about how it was up to me to arrange for Steve to be brought to and fro. I interrupted her.

‘Aren’t we going to wait for Mrs Hutchinson?’

‘I didn’t ask her to attend. This is between you and me, Stanley.’

‘Oh, so when it comes to getting something done I’m not such a disaster.’

‘Will you please try to contain your aggression towards your ex-wife at least while you’re here.’

She spoke quite stroppily. I apologized, and she went on to caution me against assuming that Steve was now completely and permanently cured, and put it on record that she was not a magician. After that she talked about what a bad thing it would be if I or anybody else, but particularly I, showed any resentment towards him for any upset or inconvenience he might unintentionally cause. She also warned me against thinking that quite run-of-the-mill possible bits of behaviour on his part, like smashing crockery or staring into space for a couple of hours at a time, were really abnormal violence or withdrawal respectively. If anyone, me for instance, got it across to him that that view was being taken, then he would become more alienated.

‘May I ask a question, doctor?’

This set her off on one of her merriest guffaws. When she was able to she said, ‘My, we are being formal today.’

‘Well, I thought so. Anyway, just, if he’s done so

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.