It was just another lovely day, and then...well, what would you have done?

    

    I was encased in carrier bags and I know I had a stupid grin on my face, the sales had been good for me and I was now rushing to the taxi rank for home. Passing a phone booth, I realised it was ringing, and a few steps further along I stopped. Passers by were looking at it and turning away or some would make what they thought were clever remarks to their friends, like..."You've been stood up, Mate!" and they would laugh. It was still ringing, someone expected 'someone' to be there for the call.

     "Oh Heck" I thought, "I'll just tell them that whoever they had expected to be here, isn't around" so juggling all my bags, I finally managed to open the door, despite that 'let's make it difficult' hydrolic hinge and then the smell hit me! Why do people use public phone booths as public loos! "No bags on the ground here" I decided and tried as best I could, to hold them in one hand whiles't my body held the door open for air circulation...and it was still ringing, so it was a relief to pick up the receiver.

     " Oh, thank God...I've done it!" he said, "I've taken them!"

     I interrupted "Hello, I'm not who you think I am!" but, the voice just carried on regardless. "That's alright, I just wanted you to know that I have taken them, talk to me, please"

     Of course, I started to look around for a television camera! This was not a normal conversation, had he taken ... what? Photos, holidays, children to the zoo? My last thought made me chuckle and I heard him shout "It's not funny, I have cleared out the medicine cabinet!" I don't want to die alone" Then his voice calmed and he whispered, "Please, stay and talk to me, it shouldn't be much longer now, I'm getting tired"

     My mouth dropped and I looked around, could this be a joke? Somehow, I didn't think so, but as I tried to support my bags on one of my knees since my hand had become numb, "I hope this isn't a joke!" I muttered, pinning the receiver under my chin, then, what I'd just said hit me, "Hold on a sec. Are you ok? Have you someone with you?"

     "Please don't hang up, just talk to me for a little while, I have been alone since she left" Something in his tone obliterated the ghastly smell from my nostrils and I tried to be more comfortable so I might hear him better. "Look" I pleaded "You would be better talking to the Samaritons or the police even, but I don't know you and I can't do anything from here" then as an afterthought, I asked him, "Why phone this particular booth anyway, if you're feeling like this?"

     His voice sounded weaker and I couldn't help but wonder, what if he really has taken what he says he has? He sounded an older man, an educated person and he didn't actually sound drunk, he did sound very sad and I could hear him struggling for breath as he answered...

     "She used to phone from there when she was ready to come home from shopping, until that last time six months ago" Things were beginning to make some sense now, then he continued slowly, "Till that last time, when she laughed at me and said she wouldn't be coming back"

I continued to put two and two together,then I heard the noise of his phone dropping, "Are you alright?" I asked. He was making sounds as though he could be being sick, "Are you alright" I shouted louder, now, I was becoming concerned. I heard him pick up his phone. Somehow, I had become part of this.

     "What have you taken?" to which he replied "All the stuff in the cabinet". His voice was noticably weaker and his speech much slower than ten minutes ago, I was definately worried. "Look" I told him "Give me your address and I will get someone to you right away" I opened the door of the booth to ask shoppers if they had a mobile or if they'd go into a shop and phone help, but before I could finish, they would just look at me and walk on. The most reaction I had when I finally called out "I have a sick man here" was "Well, hang up on him, Love, he'll soon come to his senses"

     As I returned the receiver to my ear to hear him quietly muttering, "Just talk to me, I didn't expect her to be there, I didn't want to die alone, nobody should be as lonely as that"

     "Tell me where you are!" and I stamped my feet in anxious frustration, "I can't help you from here!" His breathing was softer, more shallow and all he was whispering was "Just talk, so I know I'm not alone, just talk to me" I was beginning to feel responsible! But, what else could I do? My mind was racing, my heart was beating like mad. I didn't know what was best to do!

     His phone dropped again and I heard him coughing and spluttering and then a sigh..." No" I yelled down the phone "You 'talk' to me, keep awake and tell me where you live!" There was along silence, then the phone was picked up again, "Thank you, it won't be long. I just need to sleep" I heard him exhale "You made it easier for me, thank....."

     The door of the booth flew open just then and a guy asked bruskly "You going to be much longer?" "Great" I replied "Can you find another booth or a ...." but he had turned around and was gone already.

     I held the phone to my ear, this had taken all of about twenty minutes, so perhaps...but, no, the silence lingered on too long this time. I pulled myself together and hung up. I dialled 999, but I knew.....it was too late.

They were looking at me, as they passed by. I stood there, in floods of tears, but, they all passed by, oblivious.


(C) ZYDHA HART 2005