Not Letting It Go.

 We've had a bit of a job this morning, all of my own making - who would guess? 

On the way to church I pointed out to mum where Norman lives.

"Yes, I think I've lived here long enough to know where Norman lives my dear." Mum replied.

I took that as mum's polite way of saying it was a stupid statement, which I agree, it was. Although to be fair to myself it was more of a hint that we might call in and check on him rather than factual information. Anyway disappointingly, that was that.

At church everything was much the same as usual. Although one old lady brought me a Victoria sponge cake that she made especially for me because I told her the other week about my adoption party, as I've come to call it, and how they came out with my fav cake at the end. That night was so awesome! I did think of offering everyone a piece of cake at the church but then thought that the lady made it for me so may not like me giving it away to everyone. So I shelved that idea.

On the way back from church I just asked mum straight out if we could stop at Norman's so I could check in on him.

"You're not going to let this go are you?"

"I can't now that I've thought about it, it's in my head." I said.

So we pulled up on the road outside and mum stayed in the car while I went to the front door, quite expecting to make a fool of myself. Mum wouldn't come because she said it was my idea. I knocked on the front door which is right on the side of the lane, but no one answered. Mum put down the window and said to try the back door as the front door doesn't look used. The whole house didn't look used to my way of thinking.

There is the house, and then joined straight on to the side there is a brick barn and both more or less form the edge of the road. To get to the back there is a passage way. In the passage was Norman's bicycle, so this most likely meant that he was home. At the end of the passage it opened out in to a sort of courtyard, the front of which looked out over a field with horses in it. To my right was another barn and to my left was what I was seeking, the back door. I knocked on it but no one came. So I knocked again and it was after this that I heard someone from within. Then the door opened and there stood Norman leaning heavily on a wooden walking stick, his left trouser leg pulled up to above his knee. He stood mostly on his right leg and I could see immediately what the problem was.

I said, "Hiya Norman, I'm sorry if this is an intrusion but I was talking to Rob at the stables yesterday and we got to wondering if you're okay as we hadn't seen you around, and added, I'm Kate from ______ Farm by the way." Just in case he had forgotten me from the past.

"It's me leg, it's all swelled up, I've never known pain like it." He said in a very strain voice.

It was more than swelled up, it looked terrible. It was as big at the bottom as at the top and very red in colour.

"I've been sitting with it up and some frozen peas on it, I've never known pain like it before." He said again.

Apparently he couldn't recall hurting it and said he just woke up with it like that the other morning. I had all the information I needed and the look of it told me it was bad, but I was unsure what to do about it. He clearly needed more professional attention than I could give him. So I went back to the passage and waved for mum to come and look. She put down the window and asked what was wrong. I told her she needed to come and take a look as it wasn't good. She didn't say anything but I got the feeling that she was a bit pissed, which isn't like her, she usually likes to help people. After all it was her who made dad come to my aid that night. She was fine when she saw what I meant and did everything she could without a problem. We helped him back to his chair and sat him down and then mum called 111 to get some medical information on the matter. She put a blanket over his legs, I think to keep him warm, although his leg was so gross to look at it was probably to hide it. Either way he jumped as the blanket brushed against his leg. So that tells what pain he was in. I know I hate medical attention myself, but I think even I would have done a bit more than put frozen peas on it by now.

Anyway the outcome of the call was that we had to call an ambulance straight away as he probably had some kind of infection that needed urgent treatment. It took them a while to come, and they checked him out and made him more comfortable before taking him away to York hospital.

It was strange when we got back in the car because mum was sitting there wiping tears from her face. I thought she was upset about Norman, so I went to comfort her and I said he would most likely be okay now and not to worry.

"It's not Norman, you dafty, it's YOU!" she said sniffling in to her handkerchief.

I didn't see any reason to cry but I was told to be quiet or we would end up crashing. So I didn't speak again until we got home. When we got out I went to get our things from off the back seat and she came and gave me a hug so I knew everything was okay then.