He was staring at the old brown clock hanging on the wall opposite, it read 11.20pm, he was thinking, thank god only 40 minutes to go, when the phone rang, he leaned across the desk and picked the receiver up, âHello, Samaritans, can I helpâ?
A male voice started whining on about how he couldnât face life because of his massive debts, he had so many money problems, what was he to doâ? Dudley listened interjecting his moaning with, âOh dear, yes I understand, Oh thatâs terribleâ. Finally he gave him two phone numbers for financial assistant, reassured him it wasnât all that bad and hung up, thinking to himself, what a prick.
The clock read 11.35, the phone rang again, âHello, Samaritans, can I helpâ?
I quiet female voice sounded startled, âOh, eerrr yes hello, I donât know why Iâm ringing, I donât want to waste your time but I must talk to someoneâ.
He spoke calmly to her, âThen take your time and tell me what you want, it wonât be a waste of timeâ.
She cleared her throat, âI donât know what to do, Iâm so depressed, I have no friends, Iâve driven everybody I knew away, I just want to kill myselfâ.
Dudley grabbed a note pad and pen, âCan you give me a name to talk toâ?
âPauline Temp, eerrr Smithsonâ, he wrote Temple-----? âWell Pauline Smithson, would you like to tell me what has caused all this miseryâ?
He heard a little sob in her voice, âMy wonderful husband was killed in a car crash and I canât get over itâ, he asked if they had been married long, he thought to himself, she sounds quite young, âOnly four years, he was the only man in my life, I just want to die and be with himâ.
âOh no, you mustnât say that, is it money problemsâ?
She quickly said, âOh no, not at all, the insurance paid everything, no, no thatâs not a problem itâs that Iâm so lonely, people have tried to be so nice but I only want him, I canât get on with other men, their just not himâ.
Dudley pressed on, âHave you spoken to anybody elseâ.
She was really sobbing, âYes Iâve told all my friends I just want to die, I want to kill myself, I bore everybodyâ, she sobbed, âNow they have stopped speaking to meâ.
Dudley calmed her, âNow donât say that, have you got a phone numberâ?
She told him, â01795 552381â.
He asked, âIs that a local numberâ,
She carried on, âYes, whyâ?
Her wrote it on the pad, âI will get a special councillor to ring you tomorrow, is ten alrightâ?
She quietly said, âYes, Iâll be inâ.
As he put the phone down he quickly reached for the phone book, Temple, no nothing, Templeford, no nothing, Templeton, yes, the phone number matched, he wrote, 48 Cedar Grove, Ashley, he picked the phone up and dialled, a male voice answered, âYesâ, Dudley whispered, âSmith this is Williams, you and Jones need to be at 48 Cedar Grove, Ashley at ten tomorrow, her name is Pauline Templeton, money, husband dead, has told people she wants to die, really depressed, anyway you know what to do, good luckâ, he replaced the handset, picked up his jacket and left.
She sat on the chair, adjusting her pleated navy skirt and nervously straitening her sleeveless white blouse. Her eyes went from the clock to the phone then to a picture of her late husband that adorned the sideboard, smiling at him and saying, â Well Dave do I look all-right or am I being stupid putting make-up on to answer the phoneâ, she got up and walked towards itâ.
As she picked up the picture she was startled by a knock on the back door, she replaced the picture and went to the door. Through the glass she could see two men. One was large and a bit untidy; the other was smaller with a weasely thin face.
âYes what is itâ, the larger one came close to the glass, âMrs Templeton, we have come with regards to your call to Samaritans last nightâ.
This confused her, âBut I thought you were going to phone, how did you know my name I, Iâ?
The other smiled, âWe were very concurred at the report and thought a home visit most important, may we come inâ?
She opened the door and pointed to the lounge. They wiped their feet, smiled at her and went through to the lounge, she followed and asked them to sit; she sat opposite.
The larger man spoke first, âMy name is Smith and this is Mr Jones, we were told that you donât want to live anymore, that seems very strange for such a beautiful woman to contemplateâ.
The other man nodded, âThatâs very true Mr Smith, a very beautiful woman should never feel like thatâ.
She fidgeted as the men complemented her and gave a quiet, âThank youâ, before telling them of the car accident and how she had tried to date but it was no use. The two men sat quietly as she went in to detail on how she had annoyed people by continually talking about David and how she wanted to end it all.
The two men looked at each other, âWell Mr Jones what a sad storyâ.
âYes Mr Smith, it would be such a sad waste of life, but what do you suggestâ.
Smith looked at Pauline, âMrs Templeton, show me what you would write to the world if you were to leave itâ, Jones took a half used writing pad from an old battered brown case and past it, with a pen, to Pauline.
Pauline looked at them, Jones sat back down, âCome along Mrs Templeton, do as Mr Smith asked, remember we are here to help youâ.
âQuite right Mr Jones, we are here to helpâ.
Pauline wrote and pasted it back to Jones, who put it back in the case, she looked surprised, âI thought you wanted to read itâ?
Smith shook his head, âOh no we just need you to realize what you are thinking, now how would you do it, how would you leave this world, have you thoughtâ?
âI donât know, I suppose the carâ.
Jones said, âNot the exhorts pipe, oh no, shouldnât use that people could stop youâ,
âQuite right Mr Jones, she needs privacy, in the home, doors lockedâ.
âDo you think so Mr Smith, you mean hanging, and of course thereâs no going back from hangingâ.
Pauline looked at the two men, âWhat do you mean no going backâ.
Smith looked at her, âI think a demonstration is in order donât you Mr Jonesâ,
âIf you think so, Mr Smith, I have a rope, Mrs Templeton have you a strong ceiling fittingâ?
Pauline now a bit flustered, âI donât understand what your saying, what do you mean, hangingâ?
Jones pulled a length of rope from his bag, â What donât you understand, you want to join David, donât youâ?
âYou see Mrs Templeton, Mr Jones is right you are wasting peoples time and annoying people if your only pretendingâ.
â Thatâs right Mr Smith, she doesnât mean it, all this nonsense about her loving husbandâ.