The Boy from the Wrong Side of the Tracks

By Hayden Lee Hinton

Another fictional novel with the usual twists and turns with most every turn of the page as is the writing style of Hayden Lee Hinton. This smooth reading, exciting, and unusual story of a dying elderly man reflecting about his troubled life from his hospital bed. There are several stories within the main story of the book. The mysterious and shocking events throughtout the story will bring tears of joy and saddness, as well as, horror filled emotions. A book you won't want to put down.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 30, 2010
• ISBN: 9781456725396

Hayden Lee Hinton

Hayden Lee Hinton was born in Tucson Arizona in 1955 a military brat.  He attended Knob Noster High School graduating in 1973.  Was by no means an academic high achiever, but did excell in sports.  Joined the Air Force at age 17 during the Viet Nam War after graduation he enjoyed tours in Germany and England.  Seperating in 1981 he obtained degrees in Psychology and Sociology.  Upon graduation he returned to the AF only with the Civil Service this time. In1997 he obtained his Master in Public Administration.  This year he received his 30 year pin for serving his country.

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© 2010 Hayden Lee Hinton. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 10/22/2010

ISBN: 978-1-4389-9719-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4567-2539-6 (e)

Printed in the United States of America

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Synopsis

Boy from the Wrong Side of the Tracks

Another fictional novel with the usual twists and turns with most every turn of the page as is the writing style of Hayden Lee Hinton. This smooth reading, exciting, and unusual story of a dying elderly man reflecting back on his unfortunate childhood from his hospital bed. There are several stories within the main story. The mysterious and even shocking events throughout the story will bring tears of joy and sadness, as well as, horror filled emotions. A book you won’t want to put down.

To my loving family.

The Boy from the Wrong Side of the Tracks

Doll come here I need you, called out Nurse Rhine. Doll came around the corner entering the nurse’s station on their floor. They worked in the care unit for the elder residing in the hospital. This was for older folks who couldn’t take care of some or all of their personal needs any longer.

Yes Nurse Rhine? Doll replied.

Doll, I need for you to take this letter to Mr. Matthew’s room, the older, experienced nurse told her. Doll was a young Candy Stripper going to college to get her degree in nursing. She had now worked a few months with Nurse Rhine. The two got along, but Nurse Rhine was a fairly strict supervisor, but knew her job as good as any nurse in the hospital. All the other nurses on the floor knew Nurse Rhine was in charge when she was on duty. They respected her, but none were so called friends of hers. Nurse Rhine didn’t believe the hospital was a place for social relationships and made that clear to everyone.

Doll was out of High School and in her first year of college. She was an average looking girl, and wore rather thick glasses. High School had been a rough time for Doll as she didn’t really fit in with any crowd, and only had a few friends. She’d always been a shy girl, never talked much and wasn’t very good at much of anything. Both her parents worked so Doll grew up spending most of the time by herself being an only child. She didn’t like reading or watching TV much, so Doll spent most of her time looking out the living room window day dreaming.

Being a Candy Stripper was different for Doll. Nurse Rhine didn’t bother her much and she liked coming to work each day. Doll wasn’t a bubbly young woman, but the other nurses seemed to like her as she never sassed them when they asked her to do something. Doll would always do whatever it was they asked her to do.

Doll also enjoyed helping with the patients, and most of the patients liked her. She did what might be considered gofer type stuff for the other nurses and the patients. Mostly getting the patient’s water, cleaning up messes, making beds, and in general keeping the patients clean and comfortable. Doll was always on time and stayed until time to leave. She seldom took breaks, and never complained about her job. Nurse Rhine would allow her to do some of her college work when things were quiet, and the other nurses would help her study occasionally — really to pass some time.

Doll still lived at home, but her parents had decided it was time for her to get out on her own. They’d been looking for an apartment close by, but not too close. This appealed to Doll as she was use to being alone. Her parents wished she had a friend to move in with her, but they’d have to wait for that to hopefully happen. Besides, the small community of Newport Rhode Island was quiet and relatively safe. A major crime seldom happened here.

Nurse Rhine, on the other hand, was a woman in her late forties or early fifties. She was a rather large, not heavy set, woman that always had a stern look on her face. She kept her hair short, and always wore her nurse’s hat. She took pride in her appearance as every work shift she was in a clean, pressed, nurse’s outfit. Nurse Rhine still preferred the traditional white, while all the other nurse’s wore the up dated colorful smock and pants. They all wore nurse’s white shoes as they were quiet while walking about and didn’t scuff the shiny, polished tile floors.

Nurse Rhine had worked at the hospital for as long as any of the other nurse’s could remember. She’d worked other floors in other areas, as she was a Registered Nurse with years of experience. It was known that when Nurse Rhine worked in ER, she became too controlling to the point the doctors finally asked for her to be transferred. Nurse Rhine seemed content with where she was now working. Doll had been at the hospital long enough to see most everything that could happen on this floor. Some patients had passed away. There were often emergencies on this floor. Usually the control panel monitoring each of the patients signaled the nurse’s station about an emergency with a patient. There were patients who had lost control of their bowel movements, and that was one of Doll’s jobs — to clean them up.

Doll always watching, had come to admire how calm and patient Nurse Rhine was during a crisis situation. She’d seen nurse’s go into panic, and literally lose control during an emergency situation with a patient. Some couldn’t handle the pressures and hard work of being a nurse and never returned after such a crisis. Doll didn’t like seeing patients being in a hospital, but knew the importance of nurse’s and even Candy Strippers.

Doll, with the letter in hand, headed for Mr. Matthew’s room. Mr. Matthew was a man in his eighties. Or so it was assumed as his records didn’t have a date and no one challenged this. He didn’t say much and never asked for much of anything. The nurse’s and doll would have to make a point of remembering to get him water and check on him occasionally. Meals were brought up from the kitchen personnel on a timely schedule, so they didn’t need to remember that. There was a staff that gave each of the patients a sponge bath every evening so that was something else they didn’t have to worry about. The nurse’s did have to check personally in the patient’s room. They would look over the patients chart and check their monitoring devices. They also talked to a patient about how they were feeling and doing. This was done with each change in shift. Patients were constantly looked upon without being made to feel like they were being spied upon. It was also important for all these different activities to be done on a regular schedule as these patients were long term and some would become scared and others angry, even hostile, if the schedule wasn’t kept.

Mr. Matthew was generally polite, but he kept to himself most of the time. He had a streak of being difficult at times, but that was to be expected lying in a bed day after day. Doll and the other nurses didn’t know much about Mr. Matthew. They all realized he was a dying man trying to pass away as dignified as possible. He could no longer sit up in the bed on his own. He did like to feed himself, but no one knew how he did as he’d always asked to be left alone to eat in peace. Mr. Matthew didn’t like to be fussed over, so they would almost have to coax him into letting them help him to the bathroom. He could manage that by himself once placed on the toilet, and liked for the door to be closed. It scared Doll some when she would close the door for fear of him falling to the floor, but he never did. The other nurses all respected the few desires the elderly man requested.

The old man had his scruples about him. Sometimes Doll would sit in the room and look out his window with him. He would tell her about the plants the two could see. He knew all about every type bird that would pass by the window. He seemed a well educated, worldly gentleman, but no one knew for sure. He was constantly a topic of conversation at the nurse’s station, except for Nurse Rhine. Nurse Rhine never talked about patients. The older woman was aware of the gossiping that went on amongst the other women nurses, and would chastise them a bit when she felt they were getting carried away with their idle chit chat. Nurse Rhine knew this came with nursing, she’d just never cared to get involved in patients personal lives.

The nurses had tried several things over time to keep Mr. Matthew stimulated and self sufficient by taking him in a wheel chair to the activities room, but he’d just sit starring out the window there also. It got to the point where he’d have to be strapped into the chair so his head and upper body wouldn’t fall over in the wheel chair. Eventually they gave up on this idea. Next they tried bringing other patients into his room to visit with him, but again he’d just look out the window. They gave up on that idea. Nurses had even tried spending time themselves, some to just try to find out something about the man, but he’d do the same thing to them. It was evident to all that Mr. Matthew was content on starring out the window, with the exception of Doll being in his room. Nurse Rhine was aware of all these attempts and appreciated what her staff was trying to do for the man. She also was aware of Doll spending time, and how the old man seemed to relate to her for some reason. Nurse Rhine let the situation alone. As long as patients appeared happy, quiet, comfortable, and content then she was doing her job.

Doll arrived at room 4I0. She politely knocked on the door before entering the room. Opening the door Mr. Matthew appeared to be sleeping soundly. She quietly walked over and placed the letter on the table next to his bed and left the room.

Returning to the nurse’s station where Nurse Rhine was still going through patient’s folders, And how is Mr. Matthew doing? the nurse asked.

Oh, he was sleeping so I put the letter on the night stand and left the room, she told the nurse.

Doll then asked, Has Mr. Matthew ever received a letter before?

I don’t believe so, the nurse said at least giving her an answer.

Doll went on, I wonder who it is from? Does his folder list whether he has any family? He seems like such a nice enough man, but so lonely.

Doll, why don’t you and I go have a cup of coffee together, the nurse asked her. Doll nodded yes somewhat surprised as she’d never known Nurse Rhine to take a break, especially taking a break with her.

The two women got their coffee and sat down at a table in the break room. I don’t drink much coffee anymore, use to drink the stuff all night long when I worked ER and then couldn’t get to sleep when I got home, but that is another story, said the older woman. Now Doll, you know I don’t believe in prying into patient’s personal lives, she said hesitating, but since Mr. Matthew appears to have taken a liking to you I will tell you that I believe that when he was admitted there was an extensive search attempting to find any next of kin. I shouldn’t say this, but I think it was more in search of trying to find out if there was family they might be able to get more money from. Now, you didn’t hear that from me Doll. The nurse seemed to feel talkative as she continued, Mr. Matthew is one of the most unusual patients I think I have had in all my years. I don’t mean he is strange, and she hesitated as if searching for the right words, I mean his situation. Doll sat quietly knowing this was rare for Nurse Rhine to talk, and evidently to be confiding in her. Mr. Matthew came to us over a couple of years ago. His poor old body was just giving out on him. What was strange was that he was placed here under the care of Mrs. Handcock’s estate when the elderly, wealthy widow passed away. Nurse Rhine could tell by the look on young Doll’s face that she seemed confused. She continued, Mrs. Handcock had been a widow for some time. It must have been about I5 years. The Handcock family was a very prominent family here in Newport as the family came here back in the early I900s when the area became known across the nation for the many industries that popped up providing good paying jobs. Now the industries are gone for the most part, and now wealth retirees are attracted here for the serenity and lack of violence. Being a water way to the ocean has been another attraction as I know you see all the yachts docked in the harbor. Doll nodded yes. Anyways, Mr. and Mrs. Handcock were the last of their family lines and never were able to have children. They never adopted a child either. While Mr. Handcock was alive they were very much socialites amongst the community, and threw several of their own events throughout the year. Well, that all came to an abrupt end when Mr. Handcock died. Mrs. Handcock all but became a recluse living in that huge estate. It wasn’t long before the place began to deteriorate from lack of attention, she paused to take a sip of her coffee. Damn, it is already cold, she said putting the cup back down. Doll seldom drank coffee and hadn’t taken a drink of her cup. The young woman was captivated by ever word Nurse Rhine had to say. Nurse Rhine continued, People aren’t sure how, but Mrs. Handcock met Mr. Matthew. Some say she was in the florist to get flowers to put on Mr. Handcock’s grave when she ran into Mr. Matthew. That he supposedly popped up and recommended a beautiful flower that could endure annually literally on its own without much tending to. Oh my, said the nurse. "Look at the time. I’m late on my rounds to the patients. Doll, we will finish this later, and the nurse got up leaving Doll sitting there with her mouth hanging wide open. How could she do this to her? Doll would just have to wait to find out the rest.

Doll spent the rest of the day wondering about Mr. Matthew and who the letter was from. She saw the person taking the food tray out of his room later and asked him if he noticed a letter in the room. He had. She asked him if it had been opened. He told her it hadn’t. He couldn’t tell if Mr. Matthew even knew a letter was there.

Doll wanted desperately to go to Mr. Matthew’s room to show him he had a letter. Actually to see if he would like for her to read the letter to him. She ended up leaving that day not knowing a thing. Tomorrow she’d take him some water and see what she could do about the letter.

Doll arrived the next day. She’d been excited the entire evening to find out more from Nurse Rhine about Mr. Matthew, and to see if he’d let her read the letter to him. She’d have to wait a bit longer for all the morning preparation and other things that the day shift had to complete and finished before going into his room.

Breakfast was over and Doll watched as the food staff began removing the breakfast trays from rooms. The nurses were finishing their rounds checking on the patients. Doll went to get a glass of ice water and headed to Mr. Matthew’s room. She knocked as usual and walked into his room

Mr. Matthew was lying in his bed with the letter in his hand looking at it. He didn’t notice her coming into the room. Doll did a gentle little cough so as not to startle him, and he looked up.

Mr. Matthew, Good Morning, Doll said in her cheerful self. I see you have something? as if she didn’t know what it was.

Yes Doll. It appears I have received a letter, he said still holding the envelope as if not knowing what to do with it.

Oh yes, it is a letter. Who sent you a letter? she asked in anticipation of finding out who had sent it.

I don’t know. I can’t read the address. Could you help me? the old man asked her politely extending his hand with the envelope out to her.

Why sure Mr. Matthew, and she took the letter from him. She read the hand written address on the envelope. She read it to him.

Newport Medical Hospital

Mr. Sam Matthew, Room 410

Newport, RI 34002

There was no return address. The letter was clearly for him. She was able to make out the post mark stamp — Peoria Illinois. Turning the envelope over there she noticed was a hand written return address on the back.

Janet Neal

Route 4, PO BOX 29

Peoria, IL 46578

Mr. Matthew, do you know a Janet Neal from Peoria Illinois? she asked him.

Mr. Matthew thought a while, No, Doll, that name doesn’t mean anything to me.

Would you like for me to read you the letter Mr. Matthew? she asked holding back the excitement she was feeling inside.

That would be nice of you, he replied.

Doll carefully opened the envelope so as not to tear the addresses on it. She pulled out what appeared to be a few pages of stationary. The letter was hand written:

Dear Father,

Dear Father? Mr. Matthew said to Doll surprised. What did you say the name on the envelope was again?

Let’s see, she said picking the envelop up and reading aloud to him, "It says Janet

Neal. Does that ring a bell with you?" she asked him again.

Janet Neal, he repeated and in thought. Finally he said, Janet Matthew. That is my daughter, was all he said not elaborating.

Wow, your daughter. Let me continue reading, she said.

He then began speaking as if to himself, Janet, Jane is I2. No she is I3. She just had a birthday. It is a beautiful day. We are all at a lake at a park celebrating Janet’s birthday. It is a very beautiful day. This is a special birthday. Janet will finally be a teenager. ‘Give me a hug Dear’, he said out loud as if she was in the room. He was talking as if there were a birthday party taking place in the room right now. Doll listened not knowing exactly what to do. He went on about her hugging him before going to bed and her telling him how much she loved her Daddy.

Mr. Matthew drifted off to sleep. He was smiling as though he was continuing to be thinking about that day. Doll put the letter back in the envelope and placed it back onto the table. It wouldn’t be right for her to read his private letter without him being aware she was. Nurse Rhine’s attitude about patients must be rubbing off on her. She gently took the pillow that was propping him up out from under his back and put it on the bed next to him. Turning out the light in the room, Doll quietly left closing the door behind her. She would return after he woke from his nap.

Going back to the nurse’s station no one was there. She didn’t have anything pending to do, so she sat thinking about what had just happened with Mr. Matthew. He did have family. Doll couldn’t wait to tell Nurse Rhine.

A few minutes later Nurse Rhine entered the nurse’s station area. Doll could tell her the news as the nurse was jotting some notes down in a folder. Doll would have to wait with her news until the nurse finished. Doll was so excited she could barely hold back. Nurse Rhine finally finished writing and filled the folder away.

She hadn’t noticed Doll standing in the area. Good Morning, she said to Doll.

Good Morning Nurse Rhine, Doll replied. I have some news about Mr. Matthew. The letter is from his daughter, she quietly told the nurse.

Hum, said the nurse at the news. Doll, let’s go take another break. I feel I should finish telling you about Mr. Matthew, and the two women headed to the break room. This time they just sat down at a table. No one else was in the room.

I think I left off with him telling Mrs. Handcock about the plant for her husband’s grave site, Nurse Rhine said. As I’ve heard, Mr. Matthew was a handsome man in his forties at the time. She talked to him a bit asking mostly questions about himself. He told her he was unemployed working odd jobs for the city. He been mostly sweeping sidewalks and cleaning out the gutters along the city streets. That he spent most of his spare time looking at the planets at the different florists in the town. Sometimes it was to get in out of the weather, but he enjoyed the plants. Owners of the stores had come to know him, they found him harmless never bothering anyone, and some even got into conversations with him about plants. Evidently, Mr. Matthew knew a lot about plants. The two parted that day. It was a few weeks later that Mrs. Hancock was sitting in a restaurant, one of her rare occasions out, sitting eating with a friend sitting at a table near the window overseeing the street, Nurse Rhine had to pause. Doll, again, just sat quietly waiting for her to continue. Continue she did, So there she sat when she noticed a man outside sweeping the sidewalk. It was the middle of winter and freezing outside. The man pushing the broom was Mr. Matthew. Excusing herself from her lunch guest, Mrs. Hancock went out to where Mr. Matthew was sweeping. She insisted that he put the broom down immediately and come home with her right then. Doll just sat in amazement. What a nice lady this Mrs. Handcock was to take a near total stranger into her house. Doll wanted to hear more. The nurse continued, So Mr. Matthew put the broom down and went home to Mrs. Handcock’s estate. It’s said that having Mr. Matthew seemed to bring lift back to Mrs. Handcock. She took him on as the caretaker of the entire estate. She put him up in the servant’s quarters of the house. For most, the servant’s quarters in that house was like a very nice large house with everything independent he needed from the rest of the house. There was a kitchen area, bathrooms, a living room and three bedrooms. In no time Mr. Matthew had both the inside of the Handcock home and grounds of the estate looking like new. He was allowed to fix the plants and yards of the estate however he wanted. Soon Mrs. Handcock was back to having people over and socializing again. Over the years there were naturally rumors about the two living in that large estate alone together, but truth was it turned out Mr. Matthew was a recluse. When he wasn’t working, he would be content to sit and look out the window in his place. That has always been the real riddle to the story. What handsome man can sit so much and contently look out of a window? Mrs. Handcock had even personally taken it upon herself to try and fix Mr. Matthew up with many a wealthy woman friend, but he politely never took an interest. Then Mrs. Handcock became ill. Mr. Matthew took care of her needs that he was capable of. Whatever she asked, but it wasn’t long before she needed a full time woman nurse. Mr. Matthew continued to keep the place up. What was even odder was that no one could remember once him leaving the estate other than to go to one of the florist shops, to the grocery store, or to the pharmacist to get Mrs. Handcock her medicine. He never drove a car or took a taxi. He always walked. He was also always polite with everyone he came into contact with, but never carried on a conversation with anyone in town. Once again Nurse Rhine noticed the time and told Doll she would have to finish the story later. That she was late again in making her rounds with the patients, and mentioned how the patients get upset when she is late. After the nurse left Doll just sat thinking about what the nurse had just told her. She knew Nurse Rhine had found out most of this information from patients, as wealthy or Medicare - patients ranging between the two were on this ward. Friends of the Handcock’s must have been patients at sometime as it sounded like most everyone in Newport knew the couple. All information she heard left her with a million questions. However; they all really amounted to one - so who is this Mr. Matthew?

After lunch for the patients was over Doll decided to pay Mr. Matthew another visit. Knocking on