Faith
Faith watched the preparations for the reopening of the Institution after its refurbishment. She smiled to herself at the use of china for the dignitaries and paper cups for the institutions inmates. It seemed that people were still fearful of catching diseases from individuals like her. A child born to a mother in the insane institution.
Faith had never been outside the walls of what they now called a hospital. Although most of the doors had been unlocked. She still worked in the sewing room. She wondered if anyone would remember that today was her birthday. Perhaps nurse Ratharty might.
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Another Greenacres resident? If you’ve never seen the outside world or known any different, then you may be content with what you have.
In the future she may be admitted to Greenacres, time will tell. In some way or other many people end up acquiescing to society’s demands on them
Poor girl, I hope someone remembers.
I am pleased that Faiths story rang true. Thank you.
So unfair when the children of the insane are pegged as being like their parents…
That is true, I am grateful that this side of Faiths story came across. Thank you Dale
I liked the paper cups for the inmates
Thank you Neil, the supplying of paper cups was the first thing to strike me from the prompt
Such a touching piece.
I am grateful to hear how Faiths story came over. Thank you.
Sad, she works hard but no one remembers her birthday.
That is true. I was glad to read your comment. Thank you.
What an unfair judgement of a person. Hopefully her birthday is remembered.
Thank you Jelli, I found it hard to recall birthdays being celebrated, but the hospital sewing room did seem a happy environment
Your capitalizing of “China” confused me for a moment.
I felt sorry for Faith. I remember once how people didn’t want to be around someone who had cancer, as if it were communicable.
Sorry Sascha, the capitalising of china was down to Google’s autocorrect, I am sorry that I did not spot it occouring… A illness that is not understood can cause false fears. I do recall my own concerns.
So sad. I can’t imagine smiling at the continued distinction between inmates and dignitaries. I hope Nurse Ratharty does remember Faith’s birthday.
Faith was a gentle and intelligent soul who well understood the unfairness of her lot, but she had learnt that anger and tears hurt her more than smiles. I met quite a few individuals like her when I worked in large ‘often locked’ former Victorian hospitals.
A poignant piece indeed. Them and us.Happy birthday Faith.
.Click to read my FriFic tale!
Thank you Keith, Faith was a gentle and intelligent soul who well understood the unfairness of her lot, but she had learnt that anger and tears hurt her more than smiles. I met quite a few individuals like her when I worked in large ‘often locked’ former Victorian hospitals.
Dear Michael,
Such a sad tale. Growing up like that one would understand if Faith did go insane. Nicely done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Thank you Rochelle, the credit belongs with Faith, who was a gentle and intelligent soul who well understood the unfairness of her lot, but she had learnt that anger and tears hurt her more than smiles. I met quite a few individuals like her when I worked in large ‘often locked’ former Victorian hospital.
What a sad story. And what an imaginative take on the prompt.
Thank you Penny, As I said to Rochelle, the credit belongs with Faith, who was a gentle and intelligent soul who well understood the unfairness of her lot, but she had learnt that anger and tears hurt her more than smiles. I met quite a few individuals like her when I worked in large ‘sometimes locked’ former Victorian hospital.
I hope Nurse Ratharty remembers her birthday.
I also hope so. But often they where not, however the sewing room was one of the better places to work, and I am sure a cup of tea and a kind word was forth coming. !
Birthdays are special and everyone expects a special treatment. Apologies for the delayed response, was caught up with various commitments.
Piyali, thank you for finding the time to comment, I have rather elderly family visiting at the present time, commitments can be special.
Thank you for understanding
Great take on the prompt, Michael.
Thank you Sandra, I appreciate that coming from you. However the credit should go to individuals like Faith, who I met as I worked in a large sometimes locked former Victorian hospital.
Oh my. This hit close to home. I’m a therapist, and I have a client who was remanded to a “home” when he was a child because his mentally ill mother couldn’t deal with him. It’s quite a story, full of loops and twists that are just really hard to believe. People who had been in that institution their entire lives and had no memories of ever being outside the premises. Thank God, the place is now closed.
Sorry to stir up memories… The credit for the story about Faith, a fictional name; should go to the individuals like her who often where gentle and intelligent souls who well understood the unfairness of there lot, but had learnt that anger and tears hurt them more than smiles. I met quite a few individuals like Faith when I worked in large ‘often locked’ former Victorian hospital.
You wrote this perfectly Michael. It’s close to my heart as people close to me have suffered from depression & one of the people spent time in hospital. The stigma still associated with mental illness is terrible.
The credit should go to those individuals who I met like Faith [a fictional name] when I worked in a former Victorian hospital in the late 1960s. Many where gentle and intelligent souls who well understood the unfairness of their lot, but had learnt that anger and tears hurt them more than smiles.
Tell Faith Happy Birthday. It is not easy to navigate an institution whose rules wrongfully condemn her to a narrow slice of life. Nicely done.
Message passed on, received with thanks by Faith, and myself.
It seems as if Faith is content to be where she perhaps due to the fear of an outer world she’s never seen. A great take on the prompt.
After nearly sixty years behind locked doors and high walls, Faith feels able to tackle the world outside. But Nurse Ratharty is going is planning to support her, they will going shopping and then later take a trip to Blackpool
Having to grow up like that… but she does have a mother close, and maybe foster care would have been even worse.
Sadily I believe that in the Edwardian times mothers and children could be housed in completely separate wings of the hospital.
An interesting story, Michael. Growing up in a protective environment must have been very different and strange. It would make a great longer piece.
Thank you Russel, at one time I planned to put a series of related stories together. This would have been one of those stories, although each would need to be more developed