Influenza

Fun followed by sickness puts Miss Grayson out of commission for a spell

Billy Shaw and Farleigh attracted a lot of attention from the trolley passengers as they helped Brenda to unload the spare mannequins into Billy's little pick up truck. The pedestrians were gawking just a much when the truck headed to the Blundon house on the Oliver street side.

It took exactly an hour to tuck the "gang" into various rooms, and crannies. Billy had brought along a clean shirt, and dress jacket for the trip to "Stuart's" restaurant in Georgetown. The three friends piled into Farleigh's old car for the 30 minute drive. Brenda pointed out several display windows, and said that Billy could do every bit as well with a little schooling. She mentioned several thrift shops along the way, and added that not all display windows were selling something. Some of them were educational.

Stuart's was a small restaurant that had been in business even when Brenda had attended school in Georgetown. Her mother, Mary Phoebe, was a social butterfly, and bohemian free spirit. They divided their time between Beltsville, and Washington, D.C. Brenda didn't like public schools. They made her claustrophobic. When she had more time, she planned to explore the areas where the Blundons had lived, and worked. They, too, divided their time between Maryland, and Washington.

Billy said that he enjoyed the vegetarian meal. Farleigh paid the bill with money Brenda gave him for the occasion. On the way back to Riverdale Park, Brenda paid Billy, and repeated her offer to help him learn about window decorating. He said he would love to learn because the military "wasn't a good choice" and that "marriage" was a "long way off."

After Billy left the Blundon house in his truck, Brenda and Farleigh worked with the mannequins. She wanted a butler, and the entire Blundon family represented. Somehow she would find out who had which rooms. There were Blundon descendants in the area. Would they be willing to share such personal information ? And most of all, would Brenda have the nerve to hunt them down ? 

Farleigh said that his new years time wasn't very productive in a spiritual sense, and he wish he'd spent the time with Brenda. He set the table for Edwina, and Frederick, and felt foolish about it, and for the first time ever, he felt that they were mocking him, somehow. Brenda promised to consult Fiona very soon, and see what she could do to help. The Ouija boards could help, too.

The late evening snack consisted of apple pie, and hot chocolate. Brenda wasn't very hungry, and said that she was feeling tired, so they turned in early. After an hour of pillow talk in the ghost room, they fell into a deep sleep. Brenda dreamed about a man standing near the old dilapidated train depot across from her shop. He was holding a black wreath in both hands. It had to be Mr. Blundon.

Breakfast was very sparse, and Brenda told Farleigh that he had better leave. She wouldn't allow him to touch, or kiss her. She knew the signs. Sore eye muscles, fatigue, congestion, ringing ears, chills, fever, and lack of concentration. He said he would risk it. She insisted that he leave. She promised to make a huge quick pot of vegetable soup, and fill her thermoses with hot tea. The man at the slaughterhouse had infected her with his coughing.

Farleigh promised to call her as often as she allowed him to. He washed his hands before leaving the house, and touched the door knob with a paper towel. He looked worried, but Brenda shooed him away with a "blown air" kiss. When he vanished from sight, she began the pot of soup. Her headache peaked at about noon, and she loaded her body up with sweaters, slippers, socks, woolen sleep caps, scarves, and warm liquids.

Mr. Blundon's daughter, Carrie Lee, had died from the flu in her early 30's in Sibley hospital after a 5 day bout with the great flu of 1918/ 1919. Pneumonia sent her to a very early grave on January 31st 1919. Her February funeral services would be held at St. Jerome's church where so many of her family members had also passed through in caskets. She had been living on Oliver street with her husband Claude Warren, and young son, John. The Blundon home was just up the street.

Brenda began to lose track of time once the soup was finished, and set in the pantry to cool.Her feeling of helplessness increased when she climbed into bed, and the room began to spin. Her fever increased to 103 degrees. Calling a doctor might have been a good idea, but she dreaded hospitals.

She could only think about Carrie, and how her mother Fannie Blundon must have felt when she heard the word influenza. Another potential death in the family loomed again. The epidemic was claiming younger people. Mr. Blundon would greet Carrie on the other side, no doubt and guide her through the "transition" from one realm to the next.

Brenda made it to the bathroom several times during the night. She had dry heaves, and looked very pale in the mirror. She would try her soup in the morning if she made it through the night. She whispered to Carrie several times before falling back to sleep "We would have been good friends."

Farleigh phoned at 8 AM the following morning, and asked how she was. She couldn't talk very long, and asked him to call later. She said she felt so dirty, and that the cough was making her ribs hurt. Fever alternated with chills, but she was able to eat her soup broth, and a few chunks of potato. After he hung up, she phoned Helene and Harriet, and asked them to keep an eye on the shop, check the alarms, and call her every so often, and that she was "fine" and "just needed sleep."

A quick call to Fiona finished off her morning socializing, and she slipped back into the world of fever brained thoughts. Time was distorted, and she wished that Carrie could pay her a spirit visit. Her plans for an iron fence were in the works, but on hold. The pigs, and cow were safe from harm, and only god knew what Caitlin and Daniel were up to. The radiators worked perfectly, and it was just a matter of time before she could get back to normal.

By the time Daniel called, she sounded like a bullfrog. Every time he said something funny, her ribs throbbed from the coughing, and laughing. He asked if she needed anything, and in her usual Aries fashion answered "I have everything covered." When he suggested she "let it air out" her coughing began again in earnest, and she had to tell him good bye very quickly.

C J Marks