Age In A Time Of Insanity and Other Short Stories

By Glorianne Hajdu

When 89-year old Amanda confronts the prospect of having her assets and freedoms confiscated by her nursing home...when vulnerable Sarah who is being abused by her boy friend sends out urgent telepathic cries for help to Marge...and when divorcee Caroline aids an ailing, homeless musician - these adults, youths, and seniors must make--and stand behind--critical choices.

Age In A Time Of Insanity and Other Short Stories has 21 tales about today's fast-paced world that deal with men, women, and children needing each other, finding each other, and helping each other over the bumps and potholes of modern life.

The general accent is on brevity, and the stories lend themselves to reading on a commuter train, in a waiting room, or over a latte. One story can be read in minutes; all of them can be read in a few hours.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Glorianne Hajdu
• Release date: Jan 16, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301625901

Book preview

Age In A Time Of Insanity

And

Other Short Stories

Glorianne Hajdu

Copyright 2013 Glorianne Hajdu

Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Mitch’s Guitar

Last Night’s Magic Show

Age In A Time Of Insanity

Angels Everywhere

Mom, Make It Go Away

Things My Sister Won’t Let Me Tell You

Only Four

Best Election Yet

Brain Bath

Molly’s Not So Smart

Doctor Boss

A Safe Place

The Last Garage Sale

Bumps and Pot Holes

Winter’s Basket

The Golden Gatekeeper

One Family’s Christmas Story

After Hours

Cousin Jenny

Morning Glory and Sunflower

Uninvited Guest

About the Author

Mitch’s Guitar

It’s important not only to bring about our own change for the better, but also to help others. Josh was having a terrible time correcting his own mistakes. The thought of being even slightly influential or important to anyone else was the farthest notion from Josh’s mind when he met Caroline. During Josh’s more sober moments, he fought severe depression and loneliness. The rest of the time, drugs and alcohol dulled his pain. Funny though, as critical as Josh’s family was of him, no one was more critical than Josh himself. An extremely talented guitarist, Josh was much too sensitive for the big time. Although his music was in constant demand, he always managed to play for the small, intimate crowds. To eek by, Josh sometimes found piece-meal construction work. Most recently, he had taken on a few extra hours teaching rock guitar at a local music studio.

Josh really liked being a music teacher. He was finally enjoying his life’s work when Allen, Josh’s boss, called his attention to the unusually striking woman who was standing in the studio’s doorway watching Josh instruct his first class. Too engrossed in the lesson to care and still healing from his recent divorce, Josh ignored the intruder’s stares.

Hey, Beethoven, do you take requests?

Startled by the strange interruption, Josh looked up into the purest green eyes he had ever seen.

"Sure, what’ll it be?’’

Do you know ‘Stairway to Heaven’?

Josh more than knew it—it was his favorite. As he played through the song, he wondered how this newcomer happened to come by his classroom. She later told him that she ran a small boutique down the hall from the studio, and after hearing him play wanted to know who he was.

That was amazing—Thank you. I’m Caroline.

Josh had been schooled in all forms of guitar from classical to hard rock and often incorporated one form with another. Only more advanced musicians recognized Josh’s remarkable techniques. Maybe Caroline was a fellow musician.

As they talked, Josh learned that Caroline was a classical dance instructor, divorced mother of two, small shop owner and only a few years older than himself. Lots of women were always flirting with Josh. He was tall, charming and good-looking. Although accommodating, he never took any of them seriously. Caroline was different though, she wasn’t demanding. This time Josh found himself coming on to her. It was as though they had known each other from another day. Ending their short chat, they agreed to see each other later that evening for coffee.

From that time on their relationship was sealed. As chaotic as each of their lives was, they only grew closer together. Neither of them had either their own home or any savings, but that didn’t matter. And both were suffering from physical and mental abuse. When they were together nothing else was important—they healed and found peace. On one occasion, because of family objections and their own individual feelings of inadequacy, they agreed to stop seeing each other. That lasted for less than a week. When they reunited, they regretted their loss of valuable time and vowed to never do that again.

During all this period, Josh desperately struggled with his addictions. At one point it appeared as though he was actually winning. He had cut way down on his alcohol, stopped smoking in Caroline’s presence and seldom needed or used marijuana for pain. When he wasn’t with Caroline, he was fixing up his 19th century home or working on his old Mustang. In addition to being a great guitarist, Josh was a brilliant stained glass artist. Some of his early works can be seen hanging in the local churches and historical buildings. He also went back to writing music.

Unfortunately, Josh’s health had been compromised. His tortured body has undergone too much mistreatment and self-inflicted neglect. More and more often, Josh turned down construction job offers from his union because of ill health. As a result, his mortgage became overdue and the banks foreclosed on his house. Josh found himself on the street with no one caring and no place to go when Caroline invited him to share her home with her. Caroline was certain that if the shoe had been on the other foot, Josh would have taken her in. Except for the basement, she didn’t have much space to offer him. Josh gratefully accepted.

Still trying to survive his latest loss and regain his health, Josh stuck with his battle against his addictions. More than ever, he wanted to change so he could help Caroline and her boys solve their problems. Caroline too had severe injuries and losses. She seldom complained of back pains, but Josh knew she was suffering. She had a metal plate in her skull because her ex-husband had cracked her head against a wall during their last fight. Josh wanted to make sure no one would ever hurt her again. A long, nasty divorce left Caroline with only child support for her two boys, Mitch and Bruce. Because the legal fees and actual courts costs of the divorce had eaten up the profits from her business, Caroline’s business was now going bankrupt. Medical bills had depleted her savings, and her occupational retraining was draining the little time she had left after working a meager part-time job. In spite of everything, Josh was determined that together they would somehow make it though all their hells and land on their feet.

Caroline believes that after attending his younger brother’s funeral, Josh lost his will to go on. Andy was only 42. Like Josh, Andy drank too much and didn’t take care of his health. The loss of both his brother and his home was more than Josh could bear. He said he had his family’s curse and like all his male relatives, he would die young. He was devastated and reverted to his old habits. Oddly though, Josh never missed teaching any of his guitar classes.

Winter came and by now Josh was badly run down. He caught a cold that turned into pneumonia and was rushed to the local emergency room. After a short examination, the doctors must have informed Josh that he had less than a year to live because Josh told one or two people that he wouldn’t be around in June. His heart and liver were giving up. Suspecting but not knowing the terminal nature of Josh’s illnesses, Caroline angrily sought other help as Josh’s deterioration accelerated. Barely having enough money for food, she persuaded doctors to issue prescriptions free of charge for Josh’s pain. They were reluctant and would do nothing more.

June came, and just as Josh had predicted everything abruptly ended. On the evening of June 24th, Josh and the boys talked late into the night. The next morning Mitch and Bruce found Josh lying motionless in his bed. The boys, when they first met Josh, were very distant from him. They too treated him like a worthless drunk.

Maybe it was because of what had happened during Josh’s last Christmas that the boys grew closer to Josh and were actually showing him respect. Overwhelmed by their poverty, they all wished Christmas was already over. That is everyone but Josh. Sensing their gloom, he managed to miraculously turn their sad holiday into one they’d always happily remember. Caroline feared that her sons wouldn’t form a good relationship with Josh because of the bad one they had had with their father. But Josh was gentle, patient and worked extremely hard to win them over.

That last Christmas, Josh took the family to the veterans’ hospital where they all visited with the soldiers. Later, Josh brought out his guitar and everyone joined him in a movingly spirited sing-along. One of the men thanked the boys for giving up their Christmas and sharing their father with them like this. Neither boy disclaimed Josh. He wasn’t at all like their father, he was better, and he was becoming their friend. The loss of this new friend tore at all their hearts. Knowing Josh had changed their lives.

This family’s shock and grief is immeasurable. They recall and retell everything they ever knew about Josh. And they hungrily listen for any new stories. Each one claims Josh is still with them and that sometimes they can actually see him quietly cutting glass, or writing his next song. Caroline talks with him constantly and carefully follows his advice. Bruce says Josh helped him rebuild his brakes, and Mitch says he’s going to learn to play the guitar and be just like Josh.

Hard times continue to trail this family. The bank’s foreclosed on Caroline’s house and they’ve been forced to move into substandard housing. Jobs are scarce, but they all accept work from anyone needing help and willing to hire them. Soon Caroline will have completed her studies and hopes she’ll earn a better income. Bruce is working as a tutor and is continuing on with his college studies like Josh wanted him to do. And Mitch is busing tables. He doesn’t have a guitar just yet, but will next week.

Although Josh left instructions for Mitch to have his guitars if anything happened to him, Josh’s family took them for themselves after Josh’s funeral. Not wanting any trouble, Caroline gave in to their demands and has remained in touch with Josh’s sister, Loraine.

If you don’t think Caroline’s all there when she says that she can see and feel Josh, and that he’s is watching over her and the boys, read on and tell me what you believe after you read this --

A week before Josh’s third death anniversary while in meditation, Caroline prayed for guidance and help so Mitch could get a guitar. Sometime during the next hour, the phone rang. It was Loraine, Josh’s sister, calling. Only a month before, Caroline had asked Loraine if Mitch could borrow Josh’s guitar for a few months. One of Josh’s buddies promised to give him free lessons when Mitch had a guitar. Loraine said that her husband, Joe, had taken to the guitar and knew he wouldn’t part with it. But she said she’d talk to him anyway. Now Loraine was finally calling back to see if she could come over and visit with Caroline. Caroline wondered if Loraine had gotten her husband to change his mind, but thought no matter what, it would be nice to see Loraine again. Begging for an hour to straighten up a bit, Caroline told Loraine to come on over. Although they often talked on the phone, it had been almost a year since they had last seen each other.

During their visit, Loraine brought up the issue of the guitar and again said that Joe wouldn’t part with it. Then she did something that struck Caroline as really weird. Loraine reached into her purse and pulled out $150 for Mitch to buy a new one. Embarrassed, Caroline refused. Not accepting her refusal, Loraine shoved the money into Caroline’s purse and quickly left.

Not immediately telling Mitch about what had happened, Caroline prayed that night for an answer. She says by morning Josh had told her that he had talked with Loraine and convinced her to either give back Josh’s guitar or buy the boy a new one. Caroline was now certain of what she had to do. Caroline has no doubt that Josh really did intervene and that he continued his surveillance when Mitch went to the music store to buy his guitar.

Quite coincidentally, one of Josh’s best students, Russ, was working for the store. He immediately remembered Josh and told Mitch about all the kindnesses Josh