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Farewell To Shadow Brook Haven
Seventy-six year old Rosetta Cornwall relaxes in front of the second story window of Shadow Brook Haven retirement home. She watches two mourning doves bathing in the enormous wishing well located just inside the seventeenth century wrought iron gates. The royal family that had originally owned Shadow Brook estates had the Italian fountain imported to Charleston, South Carolina at the turn of the eighteenth-century.
The popular legend associated with the fountain has circulated throughout the city for centuries. According to the legend, a beautiful angel descended from heaven and wept her virtuous tears into the marble basin, before she was transformed to stone and became the fountain's centerpiece; supposedly anyone who tossed a penny into the wishing well would be blessed by angel tears.
How many pennies had she aimed at that magic fountain, only to discover they had landed directly beneath the window and her wishes would never be granted. She was awakened every morning by the uniform clad zombies carrying miracle medications in plastic containers. Everyday she endured the cruel punishments inflicted on the residents by the owner, Mrs. Williams and her personnel.
Rosetta returns her attention to her room-mate, sitting in front of the mirror brushing her sparse silver tresses. She is admiring her flaxen- haired, green-eyed reflection, completely unaware of the realistic vision Rosetta sees of an eighty-eight year old wrinkled woman sitting there. Camellia's rare psychological disorder seemed like a blessing in disguise and she envied her ability to reside in a non-existent world of make-believe. Camellia fumbles through the dressing table drawer and retrieves a self- addressed envelope. "I received another letter from my daughter today. Would you like me to read it aloud for you?"
"Sure, I would love to hear your letter."
"Dear mother," she begins reading affectionate words from a blank page of butterfly printed hallmark stationery. Rosetta pretends to listen attentively, as Camellia continues to read confabulated words of loving bliss.
"You are fortunate to have such a wonderful daughter."
The cherished sentiments of Camellia's imaginary letter brings moisture to her eyes and she is reminded that her own children, living only thirty minutes away, rarely come to visit her.
She returns to the open window and removes one shiny penny from her pocket. She rears back and hurls it out the window. She watches it soar through the air and land in the center of the fountain. She does not belive in fairytale legends, but she is desperate. She prays for the residents deliverance from the nefarious Mrs. Williams.
She hears Mrs. Williams thunderous footprints approaching on the creaky floorboards of the corridor. She quivers when the barbaric she-devil enters carrying their dinner. The six foot tall, two hundred pound, sinister Mrs. Williams slams the Tupperware serving tray down in front of Rosetta.
The pungent aroma arising from the stale cornbread, leftover pinto beans, and dried pickle beats, was an instant appetite suppressant. Rosetta angrily shoves her plate aside in a maneuver that does not go undetected by the eagle-eyed tyrant Mrs. Williams. She approaches Rosetta in a threatening manner. "I assume you have a complaint about the food preparation."
Rosetta is unable to contain the anger escalating inside her. "You have the nerve to call this garbage, food! We barely receive enough nutrition to keep us alive."
Mrs. Williams angrily grabs Rosetta's Styrofoam plate from her tray and hovers it over her head. "You either eat it or wear it."
Rosetta Cornwall is an African-American woman who is accustomed to defending her humanitarian rights and she is not surrendering without a confrontation. Rosetta unexpectedly raises her serving tray and brings it down on Mrs. William's head with a hammering thud. "You wear it !"
Still wielding her Tupperware weapon, she frantically escapes into the corridor, and runs directly into the powerful clutch of the orderly. She sinks her dentures into his muscular shoulder forcing him to relinquish his grip. Rosetta's heart pounds violently inside her chest as she races down the corridor with the panting Mrs. Williams close behind. She collapses from exhaustion on the first step of the staircase.
She shuts her eyes and awaits the infliction of her punishment. Hearing an unfamiliar voice, she opens her eyes. Surrounded by police officers, a social worker is standing over her. She graciously helps Rosetta to her feet. "Are you all right, ma'am?"
She turns to Mrs. Williams, who is being handcuffed by the police officers.
"Shadow Brook Haven Retirement home is permanently closed, effective immediately. All residents will be transported to the Charleston Memorial Mission Hospital for examination. Mrs. Williams, you will be escorted to the county jail. I will recommend to the judge you remain there until your arraignment."
Rosetta feels like she has been exonerated from her prison sentence. She scrutinizes the social worker standing before her. She is an attractive dark-haired slender lady in her mid-forties dressed in an expensive tailored three piece suit. Her emerald eyes possess a gentle kindness when she speaks to Rosetta. "Don't worry, we are going to find appropriate living facilities for the residents."
Hearing the commotion, everyone comes running into the corridor to see what is happening. The residents cheer as Mrs. Williams is escorted away by the officers.
"Veldessa Harrison," said the social worker introducing herself. "My pleasure to meet you all. I have arranged transportation for everyone to the local hospital until further arrangements can be made, but first I have a surprise. Everyone follow me."
The obedient residents descend the spiral staircase, holding onto the wooden railing. Camellia, who is confined to a wheel chair, is carried by an officer.
They cross the first floor of the retirement home. Rosetta had not been further than the locked door of the second-floor since her arrival at Shadow Brook Haven. She is amazed by the immaculate condition of the first floor home of the selfish Mrs. Williams; crimson draperies hung over the arched stained glass windows and French provincial furniture graced the spacious living room's well-polished wood flooring.
A gentle night time breeze brushes across Rosetta's dark-skinned cheekbone as she follows Miss Harrison onto the lawn. Tears of joy overwhelm her when she sees her entire family awaiting her. The resident's relatives congregate on the lawn, welcoming their loved ones with open arms.
Her children and grandchildren smother her with affectionate hugs and kisses. Over her oldest daughters shoulder, she reads the bold red lettering on the large wooden sign, situated at the driveway; 'Quarantined: absolutely no visitors allowed.' This information explains the absence of family visits.
Camellia maneuvers her wheel chair across the lawn to the magical fountain. The tears from her sunken, sapphire blue eyes cascade down her sagging cheeks. The reality of desolation has finally registered in her feeble mind. Devastating memories she had sub-consciously blocked suddenly came flooding back. A fatal car accident had stolen her husband and only daughter and various diseases had taken her remaining relatives. Her fragile body quivers as depression overcomes her. No relatives await her with cherishing arms of comfort.
Ninety-one year old John Bellenger approaches Camellia, wrapping his consoling arm around her shoulder. He can relate to the anguish she is experiencing, because he has felt the same annihilation for years. He dips a handful of water from the fountain and tenderly cleanses the tears from her eyes. "Everything will be all right, Camellia."
Rosetta observes John and Camellia from across the lawn. John was an enormous man, six-feet, eleven inches tall, and over three-hundred pounds.
He had spent numerous hours entertaining the residents with hilarious stories from his past. He was the oldest resident at the retirement home and possessed the vitality of a teen-ager.
Rosetta remembers the pennies hidden inside her brassiere. She retrieves a penny from the bust line of her aquamarine dress. Perhaps the magical well holds a miracle for Camellia and John. With powerful force she catapults the penny across the lawn. She impatiently waits for the splash, but all she hears is John hollering, "ouch." Rosetta joins John and Camellia beside the fountain. "Sorry John, that was an accident."
John Bellenger caresses his throbbing head. "Rosetta, are you trying to give me a concussion?"
Rosetta laughs at John's exaggeration of the incident.
"Oh John, an atomic bomb couldn't penetrate your thick skull."
"Rosetta, you are one fiesty woman. I will miss aggrevating you." He knew after tonight, he would probably never see the residents of Shadow Brook Haven that had replaced his family and fulfilled his loneliness.
Rosetta gives John an affectionate punch on his enormous shoulder. She grabs Camellia in a motherly embrace, before wandering over to where Isaiah Jacobson is standing with his family. "Well, Isaiah I suppose this is Good-bye."
Isaiah was a short African-American male with a traditional afro of snow white hair. He was a former locksmith, who had become notorious among the residents for sneaking down the corridor at midnight and unlocking their rooms, so they could gather in the corridor reminiscing about their younger days over a card game. Isaiah Jacobson hugs Rosetta and gives her a sagacious wink. "I will miss our midnight randeveaus, although you did cheat at cards."
Rosetta was astounded by Isaiah's accusation, she did not realize anyone had seen her slip those cards up her sleeve. "I will make you a promise, if I ever have the pleasure of playing another card game with you, I will not cheat."
"I will hold you to that promise someday, Rosetta." He replied, hugging Rosetta Good-bye.
Her family gathers her personal belongings and packs them in her daughter's car. She reluctantly follows her eldest daughter to her vehicle. She slumps down into the velour passenger's seat. She presses her tear-stained face to the window and watches her cherished friends disappear in the distance.
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