The Heart in Exile by Rodney Garland

Author:Rodney Garland
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Romance, Fiction, Gay Men, Short Stories (Single Author), General
ISBN: 9781873741238
Publisher: Millivres Books
Published: 1995-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

ALL Gordon's drawings had one theme in common: falling down. This time the design was on the Humpty Dumpty theme, and as usual there was the symbol of the new moon in the background. I thought the time had come when I could ask him the question that had been puzzling me for some time.

"Gordon," I said, leaning over the armchair, "did you hurt yourself when you had the fall?"

He looked up, but as usual he avoided my glance. After a time he shook his head.

"Are you sure?"

He didn't reply. I saw that he was blushing. Stubbornly, he looked at the sketch-book, then very suddenly he wrenched out the page and tore it to pieces.

"Why did you do that?" I said.

Instead of an answer, he began to cry. This was more or less what I'd expected. The bolt had gone home. There had been a fall. And at night, too. "All right, Gordon," I said. "Have you got a handkerchief?"

He nodded. I reflected that when he'd finished crying I'd ask him to draw another picture. Then we should see. Perhaps a little music might help.

As I turned towards the radio, the front-door bell rang. It was half-past ten and Terry was out shopping. My next patient wasn't due till eleven. I asked Gordon whether he'd like to play the radio. "I'll be back in a second," I said as I went to answer the door.

It was Ann.

"May I come in?" she said.

"I have a patient with me," I replied. "What is it?"

"I tried to ring you yesterday afternoon, but the first time your telephone was busy, and the second time there was no reply." There was a slight reproach in her voice and I realized she was uneasy.

"I was expecting you tomorrow morning," I told her.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Could I sort of wait?"

"It's very difficult," I said. "I have two more patients before lunch and several this afternoon. You just happened to have picked on my busiest day."

"Could you lunch with me?" she asked.

"I'm afraid not. I have to be back rather early. I'll tell you what. Can you come back at ten past one and have something to eat here? It'll have to be sandwiches and coffee; I don't eat much for lunch. But I'll give you nearly an hour. How about it?"

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