Henry set in his chair looking out the window both tense and excited. This would be the day. He just knew it! Tuesdays had always been his lucky day. All good things in his life seemed to fall on a Tuesday.He waited to hear the jingle of the Postman bag and his familiar footsteps coming up the walk. He would run out the door and meet him in front of the house. He was sure the mail carrier would be shocked and Henry would enjoy every blissful moment of it. This would be the first in many wonderful steps for Henry and he knew it would happen today. It was Tuesday!!!
Although, the mailman seemed to be running late today. He usually came by at 11am sharp and it was already 10 past. But, Henry would be patient. After all, innumerable things could have kept him along his route.
Then he saw him. He was crossing the street to Henry’s house. Henry got up from the chair and walked towards the front door. He turned to look at himself in the hallway mirror. His face was red and perspiration rolled down his forward and cheeks. He didn’t care. It was his day to shine.
He reached for the door knob and could feel his hands shaking and his heart pounding through his chest. He held on to the wood casing and turned the knob. The sunlight sliced its way through the crack and blasted across Henry’s face.
He couldn’t breathe and started to feel faint. His knees were beginning to buckle under him. He slammed the door shut, locked it and grabbed at his chest. He ran to the safety of his chair and attempted to get himself under control.
Henry heard his mail fall to the floor from the mail slit in the door and watched the carrier walk away. He told himself it was okay. Wednesday is actually a better day to do it. He could do it tomorrow. Wednesday would be the day that Henry would definitely walk out his front door for the first time in ten years.
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I know! Poor Henry. Agoraphobia is a very real thing that a lot of people suffer from in different degrees. Today with internet, I think its a lot more prevalent than we know. In fact I’ve often thought I could easily become a hermit of sorts. Although, my reclusive dwelling would have to include a large piece of green property that I could wander around in everyday. Maybe that’s against the rules of being a shut-in? I don’t know but it’s the way I feel one day out of the week. The other six days I’m more than willing to take my chances out there.
Ever feel like that?
Vikki
The painting is called Conversation with Thomas. (The star is one of my absolutely gorgeous Thomasville chairs that sits in my study! Oh yeah!!) For this blog only I’m pricing the original at $225. You can contact me through the The Red Chair Gallery.
And if you haven’t been there yet- you must check out The Artist Challenge and Dante’s Pub. We’re having a blast! We’ll have a new Challenge gallery for you in March. The theme is -“The Fool.”
