Corner Bar Magazine Volume 3 Number 5 Page 1 — A LAST THOUGHT BEFORE DYING by Simon McHardy. Mr. McHardy is an Australian archivist and historian. He has published numerous fantasy and horror short sto - ries which have appeared in such publications as Jitter, Kzine, Devolution Z, Five on the Fifth and 9Tales Told in the Dark . He is currently working on a short story compendium which will be completed in 2018. Page 8 — THE TINWEED MAN AND HIS FOND IMAGINARY WORLD by D. S. White. Mr. White teaches high school and loves the short story format. His work has appeared in Pif Magazine, Mystery Weekly Magazine, Scarlet Leaf Review, Mythaxis, Zimbell House, Zero Flash, 101 Words, Rollick Mag and Novopulp . He was born in the mountains but now lives by the sea. “A T HOUGHT BEFORE DYING ” by SIMON McHARDY Henry Olson was in the living room drove for two hours each morning to the leaning on the windowsill when the taxi next town for work. He counted the hours cab pulled into till his weekly grocery package was delivered the driveway and blared its horn. He but mostly he just thought about Jean and gulped another mouthful of coffee from the horrible way she had died. He won - the mug he was holding and placed it down dered if he could have done more for her. on the table, “Let the bastards wash that Then one day he opened a letter from the themselves,” he said. This was it, the last bank advising him that they were foreclos - moments in his home of fifty-seven years. ing on the mortgage and, as he had no fam - He felt a flood of relief, he was finally aban - ily or friends, they had taken the liberty of doning the source of so many bad memo - arranging for him to stay at a retirement ries, they had overwhelmed him, piling up home in a nearby town. upon him until he felt crushed by their The loss of his liberty did not anger weight. Jean stumbling down the corridor him, he knew that he could not go on throwing up after chemo, Jean, naked, star - much longer as he was, his own health was ing into the mirror at the surgeon’s butch - failing rapidly and dare he say it, he wanted ery and Jean coming home to die, unable to remember one last time what it felt like to be left alone with her pain and fear and to be happy again before he died. lying on the ancient couch which she had The taxi blared its horn again, Henry had religiously re-upholstered every ten wheeled himself out the front door not years – its current incarnation navy blue. bothering to lock it behind him. “Mr Then, Henry’s last image of Jean, still and Olson?” the driver said, getting out the car broken, all the life extinguished from her to meet him “need a hand?” he didn’t wait body. for a reply but helped Henry from his Henry remained in the home for sever - wheelchair into the back seat of the taxi al years after Jean died, aimless years, one that smelt of sun-baked vinyl. Henry knew of the last residents of a once flourishing the driver, Chad Mulligan, he had worked town, his money all but exhausted from with his father, Virgil, in the mine until it Jean’s long illness. He sat in the window closed in the winter of sixty-eight, the town and watched the one car pass by each day, a had been in steep decline since then. “I’ll pick-up belonging to Dan MacMillan who just fetch your bags for you.” Henry’s lug - Copyright 2018 Simon McHardy 1 Corner Bar Magazine gage comprised of two duffel bags filled “I was keen to get here,” Henry said, with mouldering clothes and a box full of and he felt like he really meant it. tattered paperbacks which Henry had been “It’s no bother at all,” the woman said, meaning to read for over thirty years and coming around the desk and offering which he hoped the bank wouldn’t miss. Henry her hand, “I’m Irma.” Henry smiled “Where are we heading?” Chad said flick - in way of a greeting. “We don’t get many ing the dial of the radio to a light jazz sta - new folk anymore,” Irma said, “so it’s quite tion, something he guessed Henry might a treat to see a new face.” enjoy. Henry turned and waved to Chad who “Greene Country Retirement Home,” was stacking his bags beside the desk as Henry replied. He hadn’t talked since he Irma pushed him through some double ordered the taxi from a neighbouring town swing doors down a long, silent corridor, yesterday and his voice was croaky and its lights dimmed to evening. rough. “Everyone’s been gradually moving on “Lucky you, nice place that, tricky to since the mine in Penance closed and get a spot, I tried to get Dad in but I was neighbouring towns are faring little better, told Greene Country is a state-run retire - but it hasn’t really affected us.” Irma said, a ment facility for people with no families.” little out of breath from the exertion of “Yes there is only me now,” Henry said pushing the wheelchair. “We are one of the simply, causing the conversation to end. only fully funded state-run retirement The drive to the retirement home took over homes in the whole state. Doesn’t cost you an hour along deserted country roads. a dime to stay here and coupled with the When they pulled into the car park of the excellent care we give, it’s no wonder our sprawling estate Henry was pleasantly sur - residents are with us for years.” Irma prised, the grounds were a little overgrown beamed with pride. but there was a sense of peace here. Chad “Sounds wonderful.” The twilight corri - helped Henry out of the car and wheeled dor was lined with bedrooms, their doors him into the lobby of the main building. ajar. Henry peered in, they appeared identi - “Mr Henry Olson for you,” he announced cal, beds neatly made, bedside cabinets and to the woman behind the reception desk. chests of drawers uncluttered, no obvious She was startled by the sound of the voice signs of habitation. but quickly recovered and offered a painful - “Where is everyone?” Henry asked. ly broad smile that showed as many teeth as “In the lounge watching television,” it did morsels of food. “I was just having Irma suddenly stopped pushing the chair, my morning tea,” she said wiping the cor - “Room 103, this is your bedroom, Mr ners of her mouth with the back of her Olson, have a look around and I’ll go and hand, “I wasn’t expecting you till after fetch your bags.” The room was like the eleven, Mr Olson.” rest, Henry wheeled himself to the only Copyright 2018 Simon McHardy 2 Corner Bar Magazine window which overlooked a neglected gar - laughing at how outdated Henry’s den, tangles of jasmine and honeysuckle wardrobe was. The yellowed paperbacks crowded a mature elm whose branches were given pride of place on the chest of stretched out to the window as if beseech - drawers and Henry vowed to read every ing Henry for help. There was a knock on one, he had the time now, it was a happy his open door and Irma and a young man thought. When they were done, David in nursing scrubs entered carrying Henry’s offered to take Henry to the lounge to meet box of books, “I’m David,” he placed the the other residents. box beside Henry’s bed and shook Henry’s The long corridor, lined with identical hand firmly. “Are you okay unpacking by bedrooms, continued until Henry noticed a yourself, Mr Olson? I can give you a hand if bedroom overflowing with stacks of books, you like?” magazines and papers. Upon the bed, “Sure, that would be great.” which was also partially covered by the liter - “I’ll leave you two boys to it then.” ature, lay a fragile figure, rigid and gasping Irma said. “Hope you enjoy your stay here, for breath. Short, ragged inhalations Henry.” rattled around in her puny chest like ball- They spent the next hour unpacking the bearings in a pinball machine. The ashen bags full of musty-smelling clothes and face pointed to the ceiling, the sunken eyes Copyright 2018 Simon McHardy 3 Corner Bar Magazine closed but fluttering as if lost in a dream. “Not me,” Henry replied, “I want to be “Is she okay?” Henry asked, putting his warm in my old age, always figured hell hands on the wheels to slow the would be like Barrow, Alaska, that’s what it wheelchair. feels like in here.” He chuckled and looked “Not really, but we’ve made her com - around the room for a reaction, but no one fortable and she is sleeping now. Sarah is was paying him any attention. over ninety and very frail, but she still loves “It’s okay, Henry, they are always like her books. She’s been here over twenty this, they all love their television, if you years and had her nose in a book ever since need anything please don’t hesitate.” I’ve known her. One of the staff reads to Henry slumped in his wheelchair, he her each afternoon.” David smiled fondly had had images of striking up a few good at the tiny woman and quietly closed the friendships in Greene Country, maybe even door.