Living Alone in Old Age

The Problem of Living Alone In Old Age: A vignette

Katherine is in her mid 80’s and lives alone just of a bus main road.  Two years age local children mounted a series of attacks on her house: stink bombs through her letterbox and so on. “I got to the point where I didn’t bother answering the door.  They were forever taunting me.  I felt under siege.  When you are on your own, all you can do is lock up and go to bed.”  When she found two boys smashing her gas meter, they ran off laughing.  Cars were driving past but no one stopped.  A constable came and promised to keep an eye on the children.  There was an article about it in the local newspaper. Katherine read it and felt even more humiliated.

That was two years ago.  A week ago, Katherine was wakened by a loud noise of something landing on her roof.  It was a brick and her heart sank.  Could it be starting all over again? “ I know that it’s just vandalism. They think, “She’s a silly old fool. She won’t be able to run after us.”   She thought to herself perhaps I should phone the police again.  But where does it all end?  I’ve been here a long time. I don’t want to move.”

What do you think??