Gérard & the Father

By Dimitris Apergis

Gérard's relationship with his father is a peculiar one. His father is old, grumpy, alcoholic, chauvinist, homophobic, overbearing, sexist, foulmouthed. When father dies, Gerard suffers a mental breakdown. Or not? Gerard will set out to find the solutions to the ensuing riddles with the help of his family and of psychiatrist Dr Isabelle Pinot.
A suspenseful mystery psychodrama about life, death, love, loss, despair and... murder.
"Gérard & the father" received two awards:
1) The First Literature Award from the Panhellenic Association of Writers in 2018.
2) The First Literature Award at the 8th International Literature Contest held by E.P.O.C. (Hellenic Culture Association of Cyprus) under the aegis of UNESCO.

Dimitris Apergis was born in Larissa, Greece, in 1978. He graduated in BA (Hons) Film Studies in England. He lives in Greece. He has received several awards for his literary work.
Author website: https://www.okypus.com/okypus-publisher

• Language: English
• Publisher: Okypus Publishing / Ωκύπους Εκδόσεις
• Release date: Jan 31, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370984398

Dimitris Apergis

Dimitris Apergis was born in Larisa, Greece, in 1978. He graduated in BA (Hons) Film Studies in the UK. He lives in Greece and owns the OKYPUS, an online rare books retail company.He publishes his books both in English and Greek languages.Dimitris has received multiple awards for his literary work.In 2018 he received the First Literature Award from the Panhellenic Association of Writers for his novel Gerard & the father.Additionally, in 2018 his novel Gerard & the father also received the First Literature Award at the 8th International Literature Contest held by E.P.O.C. (Hellenic Culture Association of Cyprus) under the aegis of UNESCO.In 2017 his novel ‘At the Whiskey County’ received the First Literature Award at the 7th International Literature Contest held by the Hellenic Culture Association of Cyprus under the aegis of UNESCO.In 2015 his novella ‘Jazz Room’ received the Second Literature Award from the Panhellenic Association of Writers.In 2013 he received a Praise from the Panhellenic Association of Writers for his short story LabyrinthIn 2012 he received the First Literature Award from the MONITOR Press for his short story Acid RainVisit Dimitris at his website: https://www.okypus.com/okypus-publisherWORKS:"Jazz Room & other stories" (2016)"At the Whiskey County" (2017)"Gerard & the father" (2018)"Lord Greywood, vampire" (2021)"The inhabitants of the world" (2023)---Ο Δημήτρης Απέργης γεννήθηκε στην Λάρισα το 1978. Σπούδασε Κινηματογράφο στο Πανεπιστήμιο Σόλεντ του Σάουθαμπτον στην Αγγλία. Ζει στην Λάρισα.Εκδίδει τα βιβλία του στην ελληνική και στην αγγλική γλώσσα.Ο Δημήτρης Απέργης έχει τιμηθεί αρκετές φορές με διακρίσεις για το λογοτεχνικό του έργο.Το 2018 απέσπασε το Α βραβείο Μυθιστορήματος για το μυθιστόρημα Ο Ζεράρ & ο πατέρας στον 36ο Λογοτεχνικό Διαγωνισμό της Πανελλήνιας Ένωσης Λογοτεχνων. Το ίδιο έργο απέσπασε το Α βραβείο Μυθιστορήματος στον 8ο Παγκόσμιο Λογοτεχνικό Διαγωνισμό του Ε.Π.Ο.Κ.Το 2017 απέσπασε το Α’ βραβείο Μυθιστορήματος για το μυθιστόρημα «Στην Κομητεία του Ουίσκι» στον 7ο Παγκόσμιο Λογοτεχνικό Διαγωνισμό του Ε.Π.Ο.Κ.Το 2015 τιμήθηκε με το Β’ βραβείο Νουβέλας για την νουβέλα «Jazz Room» από την Πανελλήνια Ένωση Λογοτεχνών.Το 2013 τιμήθηκε με Έπαινο Διηγήματος για το διήγημα «Λαβύρινθος» από την Πανελλήνια Ένωση Λογοτεχνών.Το 2012 απέσπασε το Α’ βραβείο Διηγήματος για το διήγημα «Όξινη βροχή» από την εφημερίδα ΜΟΝΙΤΟΡ.Ιστοσελίδα συγγραφέα: https://www.okypus.com/okypus-publisher

Book preview

Gérard & the father

Dimitris Apergis

FIRST LITERATURE AWARD

PANHELLENIC ASSOCIATION OF WRITERS

2018

FIRST LITERATURE AWARD

E.P.O.C.

[HELLENIC CULTURE ASSOCIATION OF CYPRUS]

8th INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE CONTEST

2018

I

Father was absolutely clear in regards to his instructions. The sequence of steps should be realized strictly according to his dictations and there was no margin for error whatsoever.

The first thing you’ll do is get hold of the serum’s stand with your left hand. With your right hand you’ll hold me from under my armpit and you’ll help me sit on the bed. You’ll then put my slippers on my feet. And then you’ll help me get up. When I get up, you’ll take the catheter carefully and you’ll hang it on the middle hook of the stand. This you can do with your left hand so that you will support me with your right hand at the same time. Now, as we’ll be walking towards the toilet, you’ll be moving at one foot from behind me. I want you to maintain this distance of one foot so that we avoid getting tangled up and suffer some accident. You’ll always make sure that the serum is above my head height. One thing I cannot stand in this damned hospital is watch my blood come off my vein and fill the serum’s tube. For this exact reason, the serum should always be higher than my head. If you need to raise the stand with your hands and carry it over, then you should do just that. Remember now, the serum should always be higher than my head. Now, once we reach the toilet… that’s the tricky part of the procedure. When we reach the toilet, you’ll let me lean against the door for one minute maximum. I believe that one minute is more than enough time for you to disinfect the toilet seat quickly with the antiseptic. I want a good disinfection. At the age of seventy-four I insist on dying a sweet death from natural causes and not from hospital’s infection. When you finish disinfecting, I’ll get in the toilet and you’ll come out. Once I complete my business in the toilet, we’ll return together to the bed executing the initial procedure vice versa which means that you’ll follow the steps as I explained them until now but the other way around. Any questions?

Yes. Is it necessary to follow the specific procedure to the letter? The reason I’m asking is because I may have missed some detail in regards to the order of steps. I wouldn’t want to cause any complication. At least not in a case as delicate as that of the toilet.

Let the witticisms aside, young man. If I desired sarcasm in my condition, I’d call the nurses to come and help me. I assure you that they possess talent much greater than yours in sarcasm.

"You are the only person who calls me young man. For that alone, I ought to show you unlimited respect."

Compared to me, you are still a young man. Compared to the rest of the people, you are an adult at an age advanced enough to understand that it is detestable to put his elderly father in a public hospital after such a serious episode of pancreatitis. Not having an income good enough to put your father in a private hospital is equivalent to failure. Or am I wrong?

You never gave me the impression of a man who’d prefer a private hospital over a public one. Especially when you know about the extravagant medical bills. I’m surprised you bring this up.

You are evading purposefully the subject matter of this discussion. You are either pretending to be naïve or the dramatic art which you chose as profession has rendered you absolutely incapable of comprehending the context of my talk. Whatever it may be, I do not intend to expand on this specific issue on that basis. I am in no mood whatsoever to analyze this naivety of yours. I am in a hurry to go to the toilet anyway. Do you remember what you have to do exactly?

Yes. I do.

Then why are you still sitting on that chair?

••••

The whole procedure lasted for about half an hour. It could last less but father stayed in the toilet for some time, more than was expected. He obviously intended to empty his system completely so that he wouldn’t need to go through the same procedure in a short while. Father stubbornly refused to wear diapers like the ward’s two other elderly gentlemen did. He considered this practice humiliating. He preferred to undergo the whole fuss of walking to the toilet every now and then rather than tolerate the nurses treating him like a baby. He was fond of supporting the view that these frequent strolls to the toilet were good for his circulation. He may have had a point there.

When they returned to the bed, father lied on his back and remained silent staring at the ceiling. The walls of the ward were in serious need of a good whitewash. The hospital’s water boiler happened to be just under the ward and its recurrent noise was perceptible when the balcony door was open: the sharp sound that resembled the beating of percussions and then the vibrating buzz of a turbine. Since the noise was continuous, it exhorted one to search for ways so that one would distract one’s mind off it. And that was exactly why Gérard was so absorbed in his crosswords magazine he held in front of him, at least for as long as father remained silent.

Father decided to break the silence referring to the subject of their earlier discussion. That was a regular tactic of his every time he fell into deep contemplations.

The reason I am being over particular about this whole toilet business is because in my age I tend to forget things. This is why I am describing the steps to you in such detail. Most probably I will forget them myself so it is necessary for you to be aware too of what and how should be done. This way I can watch you and be reminded of anything I may have forgotten. Unfortunately my shape cannot afford some possible accident or slipup. If by any chance I stumble or fall, that would be the end of me. That’s all.

You don’t need to justify yourself to me, pop. I know all that.

I just didn’t want you to think that I am becoming grumpy in my age. I am just being cautious. It is better to be over-cautious than regret carelessness.

You’re absolutely right. I totally agree with you.

What are you doing over there?

Nothing. Solving crosswords.

If you need any help, let me know. I am good at these.

City of Holland. Five letters. First letter is L.

O hell. I wouldn’t know… Listen. I think I need a cigarette.

No! Come on, pop. You’re kidding.

No, I am not kidding. I want to smoke a cigarette at the balcony.

It’s absolutely outrageous and foolish to ask me for a cigarette in your condition. And with that serum stuck on your forearm.

What’s the serum got to do with it. The serum does its job and I do mine.

What if the doctors see us?

They are not bothered. Anyway, they’ve seen me already.

You mean you’ve actually gone to the balcony and had a smoke?

That’s right.

When did that happen?

You weren’t here. I asked a visitor for a cigarette.

You’re a piece of work, aren’t you. Well, I don’t have cigarettes on me anyway. You know I’ve quit smoking some time ago.

I know that. You’ll need to pop over to the store across the street and buy me a pack. An Orleans, the blue one.

Splendid. I tell you I’ve quit smoking and you make me go buy cigarettes.

I didn’t ask you to join me in smoking. I need the cigarettes for myself. I’ve no intention whatsoever to convert you back to them.

Now, is this really necessary? Do we really have to talk about this? Can’t you think of something else and just forget the cigarettes?

Gérard, you cannot deny an old man his asking dose of nicotine. My hormones have dried up and my time in this world will soon come to an end. If I tell you I need to smoke a cigarette at the balcony, that means I have my reasons for asking you.

••••

Father enjoyed watching the hospital’s yard as he smoked his cigarette at the balcony. Sat on the crude plastic chair, he scrutinized exhaustively the parked cars and the people that drove them in and out. He didn’t talk at all, at least not during the first cigarette. The sight of an elderly man smoking at the hospital’s balcony with the serum stuck on his forearm made some of the visitors laugh. Couldn’t blame them really. If anything else, it was a funny sight.

Gérard sat beside him. His insistence to resist the temptation of a cigarette lasted for about ten minutes. After the passing of ten minutes, he decided to have one after all. Six months of complete abstention from nicotine’s excitations at once gone straight down the pan. Oh hell, let it be so.

Upon finishing his first cigarette, father went about to light the second one. Gérard complained to him but father was adamant. Lighting it, father was all of a sudden in a mood for chit chat. It was because of the nicotine no doubt.

Your brother didn’t show up at all. No sign of him.

He told me he came by the day before yesterday. Didn’t he?

That was two days ago.

He’s got a family, pop. He’s excusable.

I’m his old father. I’m in the hospital. I could die at any moment. Shouldn’t he spare some time for his father? He may never see me again.

Quit talking like that, pop. Nothing’s going to happen to you. You know that very well and he knows it too.

I know nothing. Your brother is a quick study. He settled down just fine. A job, a wife, three kids. Still, however, I do think he could score better than Yvette. She’s not very bright, is she? What do you think of her?

Yvette’s fine. She’s kind. Most of the time.

I don’t like her type. I never liked this kind of women. She’s too detached. She’s the sort of woman who’d feign an orgasm.

Pop. Please.

What’s the matter with you? You’ve got a problem with discussions about female orgasm?

I do have a problem having this sort of discussions with you.

"But