Like a guest who’s overstayed his welcome, my virus is still with me. I’ve told him bluntly to get out, but he is a persistent little bastard. However, as I lay around doing next to nothing, my fertile imagination has come up with the germ of a plot for a new novel. Let me share my proposed cast of characters with you:
Kaitlin Pomeroy, 3rd year surgical resident at a preeminent teaching hospital who suffers a nervous breakdown. After a brief hospitalization, Aunt Hettie invites her to recouperate at Greystone.
Lyle Pomeroy, MD – Kait’s father, world renown transplant surgeon. A cold man.
Petula Pomeroy – Lyle’s second wife and Kait’s step-mother.
Hepzibah Planchette, MD (aka Aunt Hettie) – Kait’s aunt; fertility expert; practices in Boston; owner of family estate “Greystone”. Also, a renown sculptress.
Faith Planchette Pomeroy – Kait’s mother, a poet; believed to be bipolar; committed suicide when Kait was 5; Kait found her hanging from the rafters in the attic.
Kyle Mason, MD – classmate of Kait’s – is in love with her.
Fitzgerald Palmer, MD – Attending at Kait’s hospital and her sadistic lover
Raoul Medicia – Hepzibah’s husband; a dealer in antiquities
“Greystone” – summer estate of the Planchette’s – located (guess where?) on an island in southern Maine.
Various and sundry islanders – possibly a virile fisherman (Dex?) to provide an alternative love interest.
Okay – that’s the basic cast – now is it a ghost story? a psychological thriller? a story of black magic? Give me your thoughts. Help me write it!
L
It’s Sunday and the virus and I basically spent the day in bed . Yes, I got up. Yes, I walked my dogs and fed them. But the rest of the day was spent on the couch, watching tv and, mainly, sleeping. I did, however, do one positive thing — I got out my hard bound copy of my favorite book, John Fowles’ “The Magus”, the 1966 version, the original. I just opened it and read passages – many that I know by heart. Many that are as familiar to me as my slippers or my comfy old robe. When I was young, I identified with Allison – “an anagram made flesh”. I googled the book just for fun and was surprised to find it was Fowles first book, albeit his third published. Oh, to have such a tome be your first!
Well, now my virus and I must feed the dogs. More to come on my new best friend’s progression, or, hopefully, lack thereof in the days to come.
L
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I thought I was going to make it. I’d gotten through December, January and February without the slightest suggestion of a cough, sneeze, or anything. But, you just can’t get too complacent, can you? Just as we were about to get the first sunny day in a month, I come down with it! Sore throat, fatigue, congestion – yup, the whole nine yards. I ask God, “Why did you do this to me?” She answered, “You know what you did. Live with it!”
Okay, I get it, but what I want to understand is why my body does all these things to make me feel so lousy? It is my awesome immune response that triggers my sinuses to produce voluminous amounts of mucus that clog my nose and irritate my throat. So, what’s up with that? Why is my own body, that I treat like a temple, doing this to me? Again, I get the same answer, “You know what you did. So, live with it!”
Well, I’m living with it; I don’t like it; but I’ll get through it. Just wish I felt good enough to enjoy the sunshine.
L