"What have I said
about rudeness
and disrespect?"
the nun said.
Anne stood by the table
in the nun's small office
gazing at the crucifix
above the nun's head.
"What rudeness?"
Anne said.
Benny stood by the door
gazing at the nun
who stood firm faced
and stiff
as an ironing board.
"Your rudeness
to the other children
and some of the nuns"
the nun said.
"I don't recall rudeness,"
Anne replied,
"do you recall rudeness,
Benny?"
Benny looked at her.
"Can't recall,"
he uttered.
The nun sighed:
"Let me remind you:
two children witnessed
your rudeness
to Sister James,
for instance."
Anne moved away
from the table
on her crutches.
"All I said was
she resembled
a toad."
Benny looked away,
trying not to laugh.
The nun did not smile.
"Unacceptable behaviour,"
she said.
She looked at the girl
standing between crutches.
"If I hear of any
more rudeness,
I will consider
having you
sent to another
nursing home."
The nun stopped.
"Can I sit?
My leg stump aches,"
Anne said.
Benny carried a chair
for her to sit
and she sat.
The nun said
nothing at that,
but carried on
her lecture
of lists of rudeness
on and on.
Benny stood
behind the chair
and stared
at the darkness
of Anne's hair.
Jul 12, 2018
Jul 12, 2018 at 4:46 PM UTC
"What have I said
about rudeness
and disrespect?"
the nun said.
Anne stood by the table
in the nun's small office
gazing at the crucifix
above the nun's head.
"What rudeness?"
Anne said.
Benny stood by the door
gazing at the nun
who stood firm faced
and stiff
as an ironing board.
"Your rudeness
to the other children
and some of the nuns"
the nun said.
"I don't recall rudeness,"
Anne replied,
"do you recall rudeness,
Benny?"
Benny looked at her.
"Can't recall,"
he uttered.
The nun sighed:
"Let me remind you:
two children witnessed
your rudeness
to Sister James,
for instance."
Anne moved away
from the table
on her crutches.
"All I said was
she resembled
a toad."
Benny looked away,
trying not to laugh.
The nun did not smile.
"Unacceptable behaviour,"
she said.
She looked at the girl
standing between crutches.
"If I hear of any
more rudeness,
I will consider
having you
sent to another
nursing home."
The nun stopped.
"Can I sit?
My leg stump aches,"
Anne said.
Benny carried a chair
for her to sit
and she sat.
The nun said
nothing at that,
but carried on
her lecture
of lists of rudeness
on and on.
Benny stood
behind the chair
and stared
at the darkness
of Anne's hair.
A girl and boy in a nursing home in 1959
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