A sneer spreads across his face. I have lost whatever scant respect he may have had for me. “The nurse will get you a slot at Ryde. Wait outside for a few minutes.” I return to my mother and Jim in the waiting room. “What’s going on?” my mother asks. “I don’t know. I have to go to Ryde for tests. Then come back here to see the doctor again.” “What did the scan show?” “Contusion.” A nurse comes out within moments with a slip of paper. “We’ve booked you in this afternoon at two o’clock. Is that ok? They have your details so all you need to do is show up.” In the hospital car park, my mother asks, “What else do they need?” “I have no idea.” “I’ll take you.” “No. Jim can take me.” I don’t even ask him. “That’s fine,” he says. “I’ll take her.” I start to argue with my mother. She wants to come. I’m in no mood for this. I snap. “Fuck off!” And she does. I don’t hear a word from her other than a birthday card for nearly a year.
J
im drives us straight to McDonalds. All this waiting has made him hungry. We find an empty table next to a life size cardboard cutout of Ronald McDonald. I watch him eat two McHappy Meals. He pretends he has no interest in the two plastic Hamburglars, but I see him slip them inside his trouser pocket. McDonalds makes him happy. I am not hungry. I am glad we broke up. Apart from the fact we ran out of things to say to one another long ago, I don’t have to eat here anymore. He finishes his food, wipes his hands on a fresh pile of serviettes, deposits his rubbish in the bin like a good McDonald’s citizen and we walk back to the car. Inside, 38