COMPASSION

Chapter 18

The Offer

Catherine is looking out her front window with the always present fog. Her husband is in his library writing in his journal. Catherine is upset because her sons are fighting in her home and she is ready to confront her husband about it.
 
“Did you see Tommy almost killed Joe last night? I told Joe when I die Tommy would go crazy. I knew this was going to happen.”
 
Tom replies, “Yes I did. Do you remember Joe told you he was going to move out of the house and you told him no? You said you didn’t want to have him pay rent to someone else and he could live at home for free. He was trying to start his own life and you stopped him.”
 
Tom hopes Catherine doesn’t realize it was him and not Tommy choking Joe. He thought if he took Joe to the brink it would drive him finally out of the house. He did not realize Joe wants to die to escape his depression and unbearable grief. Tom thought he could slap the depression out of his son. He could not.”
 
“What are we going to do about it?”  Catherine asks.
 
“Nothing! Tommy hates Joe because he is content. Nothing bothers Joe. On the other hand, Tommy is bothered by everything. He does not respect his boss because he learns he is cheating on his wife so he quits his job. He sees a pretty girl on TV and he calls her a whore. Both boys are screwed up mentally because they did not have a Father to raise them. The reason guys fight is because they do not know how to get laid. That is the problem with Irish boys. The church teaches them to respect women so they put women on a pedestal and they want women to live their lives like the Virgin Mary. Tommy had five girlfriends and they all wanted to marry him. Then when they want to have sex with him he tells himself they are all whores and he leaves them. The Catholic Church is as much to blame for Tommy’s perverted view of women and sex as you are. You turned him into a hostile animal to protect the family. He will never be a normal man and his sex drive is driving him crazy so he takes it out on Joe.”
  
“Sex is not the answer to every problem a man has. It is not a cure-all for everything,” Catherine reminds her husband.
 
Do you remember  Dr. Parmo wanted to introduce Joe to someone special?”
 
“Yes there is a girl who works as a dental hygienist that the Doctor wants to introduce Joe too,”  Tom tells his wife.
 
Catherine replies, “I tried to fix Joe up with a nice girl at the bank. I was at the bank one day renewing my Bank Certificates and I came out to the car and told Joe he should come in the bank because they were giving me a hard time. Joe gets out of the car and we go to the counter and I introduce him to Cindy. She was so nice and sweet I thought she would be perfect for Joe. Joe sees her and his face turns red. He looks at me and storms back to the car. I finish at the bank and get back in the car and he tells me. He screams at me Don’t ever do that again.”
 
“Have you seen her?”  Catherine asks Tom.
“No.” 
 
“Catherine asks, “How can the Doctor arrange an introduction between Joe and this girl?”
 
“Remember the energy theory and possession. He is connected to all his employees in his office. When Joe calls his office for his next cleaning or he gets a toothache the Doctor will schedule him with the girl he wants Joe to meet.”
 
Catherine asks Tom. “Can you take me to see the Doctor so I can ask him about the girl?” 
 
“I don’t think Joe is ready to meet any girl right now.”
 
“Well, it does not hurt to talk to him.”
 
Tom shakes his head and replies, “Why do some people want to fix up single people? Maybe Joe is better off without a girl.”
 
“Joe needs a wife. He needs someone to cook for him. Clean for him. Take care of him. Men are no good at living by themselves.”
 
“I don’t like this idea and besides we don’t know Dr. Parmo that well. We know nothing about this girl and why would he even mention to a patient he has a girl for her son?”
 
Catherine replies, “I lived between two Italian Families for twelve years. One family had a son who became a Priest. The other family had two daughters that became Nuns. The Parents told me they regret not finding a wife for the son and husbands for their daughters. The Priest left the Church and the Nuns left the Convent and now all there are happily married with children. Dr. Parmo probably feels sorry for Joe without his parents there to help him find a wife. I am telling you that how Italians are. They are very compassionate people. Not like some Irish People.”
 
Tom warns Catherine, “Okay if you insist. But remember this is your idea and if anything goes wrong you are to blame. Let’s drive over there now.”
 
The Havards enter the doctor’s office and no one is at the receptionist desk so they walk down the hall and enter the surgery room where they find the good doctor sleeping in his molar chair. They turn around to leave but the doctor awakens.
 
“Mr. and Mrs. Havard thank you for coming. How is everything going are you getting used to being here Mrs. Havard?”
 
“It gets a little better each day. I am learning to adapt,”  Catherine tells the doctor.
 
“Yes, and you have to remember I am only here two months longer than you. You know when I first met your son I took a liking to him immediately. Then when I learned he was single I thought about introducing him to a woman who works part time for me as a dental hygienist. Her name is Sandy. She works full time as a Pharmaceutical Saleswoman. She complained to me she was ready to meet the right man and settle down and have children but could not meet Mr. Right. I thought your son Joe would be a good match for her  but for some reason, I could not make the introduction when I was alive.”
 
Tom enters into the conversation, “ Doctor we appreciate the offer and I am sure Sandy is a nice girl but we do not think Joe is ready for a relationship with any woman now while he is going through a depression.”
 
“Well think about it and if you change your mind come and see me and we can discuss it further.” 
 
“Thank you, doctor, for thinking about our son but my husband is right this may not be the right time. You don’t have a photo of the girl?” Catherine asks.
 
The doctor goes to his drawer and pulls out a photo album with photos of his staff. He flips to the page with Sandy’s photo and shows it to the Havards. A chill comes over Catherine and she sees Sandy’ s photo for the first time.
 
“That girl works in your office?”  Catherine asks.
 
“Yes.” 
 
 “ She looks like a model,” Catherine remarks.
 
“As I said think about it and if you change your mind come and see me.” The Doctor puts away his photo album.
 
Tom and Catherine leave the doctor’s office and get into their car and Catherine comments on Sandy, “That girl is way too beautiful for Joe. She would be too much for him.  Why is it that the doctors always have beautiful blondes working as office managers, bookkeepers, nurses, assistants, hygienists? Those girls want a doctor because they make big money and have power.”
 
Tom wonders out loud, “Why would the doctor think that girl would even be remotely interested in a guy like Joe? He has no money, no land, no position. I don’t get the connection. You don’t try to match up a guy from Wal-Mart with a girl who shops at Tiffany’s.”
 
 
Catherine comments, “I really wish Joe could have found a girl when I was alive. All he does is go to work come home avoid Tommy and go back to work. I am afraid without me there they are
going to always be fighting over something stupid.”
 
“Billy and I use to fight all the time then when we went into the service we stopped fighting with each other. It is normal for brothers to fight. It is part of growing up.”
 
“Where does Billy live now?” Catherine asks.
 
“With my Mother.”
 
“I saw your Mother on my way to Dr. Parmo’s office the morning I arrived.” 
 
Tom replies, “Yes you told me.”
 
“She still is upset we got married. If Billy never died I think she could have accepted our marriage but without Billy or me no longer living with her she felt we abandoned her. Let’s forget about my Mom and Billy and think about us for a change,” Tom leans over
and gives his wife a kiss.
 
The Havards say goodbye to Doctor Parmo and thank him for his matchmaking offer and head for home.