A few days later, Natalie was eating lunch in a nearby park, when a man she vaguely recognised, sneaked up to her. He addressed her in a hushed tone. “I’m Barry, one of the wards-men at Crystal Gardens. Can I join you?”
“Yes, sit down.”
He collapsed onto the bench, beside her. “I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to have a discrete word with you. I know you’re working with the residents now, but do you really know what’s going on?”
“I’m not sure.”
“Matron wants to get rid of the three men to give herself a free hand. She knows the others won’t stir up any trouble without them. Staff members aren’t allowed to talk to you or any of the residents without good reason. She told us they’re plotting to have us sacked, so everyone’s on edge.”
“This is absurd. I had no idea it was so bad.”
“She’s keeping a watch on all the staff, using some of them as spies. Anyone caught interacting with residents is given the option of working at the cottage with the three men or resigning. Five have left already. I can’t afford to lose my job so I’ve agreed to work at the cottage.” Barry looked around furtively and shuffled away.
When she returned to Crystal Gardens, Natalie discovered Rosemary had already been moved into Unit 1. She went searching for the men, discovering them in the back area talking about their upcoming move to the cottage. “Matron has promised us a vehicle, exclusively for our own use, and given us permission to select the staff we want,” said William. “We’ll be free of Crystal Gardens for good. It’s the chance we never thought we’d have, to live a normal life in the community. No more worry about the buzzer system either. There’ll be 24-hour staffing.”
Natalie hesitated. “Do you really trust Matron to provide a vehicle and look after all your needs away from Crystal Gardens? You’ll be isolated and vulnerable up there on your own if things don’t go according to plan. I’m afraid Barry’s had a word with me.” She passed on what he’d said.
“We can’t desert the others, can we?” asked William. The other two agreed.
Later that afternoon, William turned up at her office. “We gave Matron a letter telling her we’re not prepared to move out of Crystal Gardens until all outstanding issues have been resolved. She laughed at us. Then she told us our chairs had been measured and they’re too big for the cottage. We have to wait for renovations to be completed.”
Natalie was furious. “So the chairs won’t even fit. She’s caused all this distress for nothing.”
Chapter 32
Before long, Noelene and two of the other women moved into the first unit with Rosemary. With it being the only one with views of the garden, this created resentment with the men, who hadn’t been given a choice. “Slag,” yelled William as Noeline passed him on the walkway.
That’s appalling. “What’s going on William?”
“Having the best unit has gone to her head. She’s all pally with Matron now and doesn’t bother with us anymore, always out shopping, having a good time. Poor Sam. She can’t be bothered with him now.” Natalie glanced behind her to see Sam sitting idly in his chair, a woebegone expression on his face.
A few days later, Natalie heard a timid knock on her office door. Noelene hesitantly entered the room. Tears began to trickle down her cheeks. “They all hate me now.” Shamefaced, she looked down at the new bracelet on her wrist. “Matron gave me this, but I’m not allowed to talk to the men anymore.”
Natalie sighed.
Though Sam was deeply hurt by Noelene’s betrayal, he continued to be drawn to her, often being seen hanging around her unit. Before long, the old friendship reasserted itself and Sam started having meals with Noelene in her unit. Matron, getting wind of this, created a new rule forbidding it. The only way they could find any privacy for a kiss and a cuddle was to catch the lift to the disused second floor of the old building. Subsequently, the lift was turned off, that floor being designated a fire hazard.
Fed up with their treatment, Sam determined to take Matron on. “Stick with me. I’ll sort her out,” he told Noelene.
“No, I don’t want any trouble. Matron’s been good to me.”
“You gutless, yellow bitch.” Sam smashed his wheelchair into hers before heading for Matron’s office, where he burst in unannounced. “I don’t like what you’re doing. It’s wrong. You’re a really nasty person. I’m not scared of you. I tried to compromise with you but I’m not worried what you think any more.”
He was already retreating before a shocked Matron found her tongue. “Who the hell do you think you are?” she shouted out the door.
The atmosphere at Crystal Gardens became increasingly strained. Tensions grew as it became clear staff were eavesdropping on residents to keep Matron informed of everything that was going on. Many of those who’d worked at the home for years left for other jobs or retired. Those who remained were brusque and nervous, hardly daring to speak. Alcohol consumption by the residents increased. Ron slashed his wrists but the knife he chose was too blunt to have much effect. With no escape available, the residents clung together in frightened little groups.
William arrived at Natalie’s office one morning. “We can’t let this go on. I can’t stand to see what she’s doing to everyone. I try to listen to their troubles and give them support but we need to do more.”
“Do you have anything in mind?”
“I think that we should have regular resident meetings where we can support each other and give one another strength.”
“That sounds like a great idea.”
“Will you come along and take the minutes?”
“Of course I will.”
Natalie joined everyone in a large room. A check was made that the door and all the windows were properly closed. The curtains were pulled shut. This is all a bit cloak and dagger. William offered her a cigarette, which she accepted, despite not having smoked for years. It provided an excuse for her to sit beside him, to share the ash-tray. Almost a generation older than the others, it felt like they’d become father and mother, protecting their family. William encouraged residents to express their anger with staff. Everyone was feeling the same, all victims of the abuse being dished out. Natalie talked to them about Gandhi’s non-violent resistance. Agreement was reached for residents to stick together, at least in pairs, so all ridicule and bullying could be verified and noted. No resident was to criticise another inside or outside the building.
Natalie realised William’s influence over residents was not created by fear, as Matron had suggested, but by his genuine concern for them and his willingness to listen. Unlike those from the outside world, these people shared their feelings with the innocence of children. As they opened up more and more, she came to see the beauty behind their crippled bodies. William and Natalie helped them believe in themselves, often for the first time in their lives. A bond developed between the two of them, giving them the resilience to offer whatever support was needed.
Natalie found herself thinking about William as she drove to and from work. She tried to put these thoughts aside but couldn’t help looking forward to his friendly wink and ‘g’day darl’ or ‘g’day love’ when they met up each day. She felt like he looked right inside her with his gaze and she found herself looking into his eyes, sharing his defiance of authority.
Chapter 33
Natalie noticed residents nervously whispering amongst themselves. “What’s happening?” she asked William.
“The president of the board and the chief executive officer are coming to speak to us. We don’t know if it’s a response to our letter or something else. You better come along.”
At the planned time, Natalie quietly joined the residents, sitting in hushed silence in the solarium. Matron strode into the room, her high heels clinking on the timber floor. She was followed by two sombre-faced, grey-haired men, both wearing suits and ties. They sat down on the three chairs positioned in front of the group. Matron, rather flushed in the face, stood back up. “Changes are being f
oreshadowed for this organisation. Mr Black has come to fill you in on them.” She glared at the huddled group, dark rings around her eyes. “You are the most ungrateful bunch of people I’ve ever worked with. Who provided you all with wheel-chairs? Who pays for the buses? Who organises your outings?” Struggling to contain herself, she plopped back down in her chair.
What’s going on, her talking like that in front of these men? Mr Black, the chief executive officer took the floor, reading from a prepared speech. “Crystal Gardens should not be viewed as a permanent home. Rather, it should be seen as a health care facility which provides a range of services to enable residents to be assessed and, if possible, be located into mainstream housing, or more appropriate permanent housing.”
There was an audible drawing in of breath from residents. Many of them had lived in Crystal Gardens for anything up to twelve years and always considered it home. Rumours that existing residents were being cleared out to make room for victims of head injuries were obviously true. Of course, that way the organisation could profit from clients’ insurance claims. Matron’s known this all along and been deceiving everyone. How dare she accuse William of wanting to take over. It’s all been a ruse. Natalie looked around the room at the frightened faces. What must they be feeling, being abandoned like this?
Matron rose to her feet once more. “From now on social interchange by residents will be closely monitored as it’s clear you can’t be trusted.” What about you? She then read out a new list of rules.
Clients are required to advise the registered nurse or Matron of all visitors to the building after dusk.
Clients are advised that use of the facility for meetings or group activities should only be initiated following the approval of Matron.
The nursing home and new units being established on the main campus do not provide an atmosphere suitable for the expression of sexual emotion and, therefore, such activity will not be permitted in these facilities.
Meal preparation in the individual unit kitchens will only be possible for the light meals of the day. Main meals will be prepared in the centralised kitchen.
Late night deliveries must be regulated in the interest of security.
The failure of residents to comply with my rulings in the areas of consumption of alcohol and aggressive behaviour will result in exclusion from the facility.
She stomped off, her colleagues in pursuit.
An eerie quiet pervaded the room. Then, hushed conversation started. They now knew Matron had the backing of the organisation. They were no longer wanted at Crystal Gardens. Despite all the talk of moving to the new units, these were not to be their homes after all. An air of despondency followed them as they left the room in ones and twos.
Presently, William turned up at Natalie’s office. “I knew she wanted us out.”
“Seems like there was a plot against you all the time. She was using you as a scapegoat to rally staff against residents. I’m not sure where we go from here.”
“We’ve got an appointment with the advocate tomorrow. In the meantime, we’ll carry on as normal. There’s no point taking any notice of Matron’s stupid rules. She’s just trying to intimidate us. I’ve been at Crystal Gardens six years now. You wouldn’t believe how bad it was when I first arrived. We not only had to share pyjamas but underwear as well. We weren’t even allowed out the front gate. I’ve been fighting all these years to change things. There’ve been some successes. I’m not ready to give up yet.”
William’s a thorn in her side. That’s for sure.
“We’re real people, with the need to live and love and work the same as anyone else. We’re angry because we’re sick of being ignored. I want people to see me for the person I am, not just as a cripple. How can I be understood if nobody listens to me? It could have been you trapped inside this useless body and then you’d spend your whole life screaming to get out, the same as me. All I want is a life for myself and those like me. I don’t want charity or sympathy.”
Late one afternoon, they were together in the office when William looked intently at Natalie. “Tell me about yourself.”
She pulled back in surprise. That’s not part of the social work role. Then she realised she was past playing a role with William. What they shared was real. He’d already given so much of himself. She opened up, sharing memories of her childhood in Newcastle, speaking of the loneliness of never having felt understood. “I didn’t fit into the mould with my family. My parents had everything mapped out for me – ballet lessons, tap dancing lessons, elocution lessons, the best school and my very own pony – but they never asked me what I thought or wanted.”
“You probably know I came from Newcastle too. Did you go to Lambton pool as a kid?”
“Yes, I did.”
“I probably pinched money out of your bag while you were swimming. My parents could never afford to give me money for Pluto pups and hot chips as yours would have done.”
She thought for a moment. “I can’t recall ever having money stolen.”
William shared memories of happy times, spent with his brother and his mates, trekking through the bush. They followed tracks for miles, always curious to see what lay around the next bend.
“Yes, I used to do that on my pony. It was wonderful.”
“And we caught tortoises and tadpoles in the muddy creeks.”
“My sister and I used to take the tadpoles home in jars to watch them grow into frogs. We saw them grow legs but we never saw them become frogs.”
William smiled at her as he reflected back. “We used to career down the hill near home on our homemade billy-cart. It kept getting faster until we lost control. I got so many skinned knees from that. Best of all though, was when my brother and I jumped a train to Sydney one Saturday afternoon.”
Natalie looked at William open-mouthed.
His eyes lit up and his smile broadened. “What an adventure that was. We hung out the window yahooing and waving at anyone we saw. Most people waved back. It was great fun waiting for each new tunnel. The best part was the view of the Hawkesbury River. It didn’t even matter when we got caught by the ticket collector at Central Station and got taken to the police station. Then we had to stay in Sydney with friends for two days until Mum came up with the money for the return ticket home.”
The colour in his face faded and William looked down into his lap. “It all ended when I reached adolescence. My muscles deteriorated and I was confined to a wheelchair at the time my mates were reaching out to life. While they went surfing, cycling and skateboard riding, I was left at home on my own. The only way I could get a kiss was to go into the cinema late and sit in the dark next to a girl. Once the film ended though, and she saw the wheel-chair, I got the cold shoulder. It really got me down. I couldn’t be bothered trying at school after that. I played hooky quite often and then after being hospitalised for a long time with an operation, I left school at sixteen with no certificate.”
Natalie felt her own body become heavy with the sense of loss. She shook her head sadly.
“That was when my life really changed. Day after day, year after year, I sat alone at home in my chair while the rest of the family went out to work or school. Without a ramp, I was trapped in the house. I’d sit there, looking through the window at the sunshine, the wind, the trees and the roof-tops. All I wanted was to walk out the door, down the steps and up the street but I couldn’t get out. My misery and isolation absorbed my thoughts. There was nothing to look forward to. I had no friends any more, no money and nowhere to go. I got angry with the family when they went out and left me but my dependence on them for everything meant I couldn’t say anything. I knew I was a burden on Mum. All the lifting and broken sleep, moving me around at night, was playing havoc on her health and it was horrible to watch. I withdrew inside myself. I wanted to cry, to be held, to be listened to and understood but there was no one I could turn to.”
Natalie’s heart went out to William. He always presented such a strong front to others. He k
new their pain in a way she could never really hope to understand. It must have taken a lot for William open up to me.
Chapter 34
Natalie heard the sound of shuffling outside her office. Barry, the wards-man, poked his head inside the door, stopped, turned and looked around. He edged into the room and crept over to her. His voice was little more than a whisper. “You want to be careful what you say at your resident meetings. Matron has staff sitting under the floor-boards taking down notes.”
Matron knows everything we say but this is utterly ridiculous.
“Any staff member who doesn’t co-operate is restricted to morning shifts. It’s costing me over $200 a week in lost overtime and penalty rates. You know how determined she is to destroy William. She’s told all the staff he’s behind a move to change Crystal Gardens from a nursing home to a residential unit. That would mean all the nurses would lose their jobs. Everyone’s worried. They’re going to the union. There’s even talk of a strike.”
“Oh my God! That’s dreadful. How will residents cope if they walk out?”
Barry shrugged his shoulders and left.
Natalie made her way to the solarium. The downcast faces and muffled undertone of residents’ conversation made it obvious rumours about the threatened strike had already spread. As she drew closer, she heard suggestions being made about ways of getting rid of Matron. “We could tamper with the brakes on her car,” said one.
“Maybe we could hire a hit man,” said another. These were idle threats Natalie had heard before. What worried her though, was the risk of one of the residents following through. With their limited life expectancy and sense of already being incarcerated, it was not beyond the realms of possibility.
Natalie stepped forward. “What can Matron really do? She can’t discharge you all at once. It’s time to fight back. The first thing is to stop the abuse. If a staff member is rude to you, tell her not to speak to you like that. Make sure there’s always another resident there to back you up. Demand your rights and support one another.”
Parallel Lives Page 17