She hears the door open, and footsteps. Harry. Harry is home, and her heart skips a little beat just the way it always does when the love of her life returns from anywhere. She had never gotten over the excitement she still felt for her husband, even after all these years, and the births of the children.
"Mary," he calls, his footsteps coming closer. She stands at the counter, putting the last touches to the salad, not forgetting his favorite, the cucumbers.
"You're home, Harry," she says, just as she always did, feeling his hands on her shoulders, turning her, and pulling her into his arms. She loves the way he brushes his lips across hers, and the smell of his skin, as she pushes her face into the warmth of his neck.
"Dinner's ready," she smiles. "You sit down, and I'll call the children." She walks toward the door, ready to call the children, but then she feels his hands on her shoulders, shaking her roughly. "Mary! Mary! Come on, it's time to eat! Don't be difficult, Mary, it's time to eat!"
"What?"
"What is wrong with Harry? she thinks. "Why is Harry hurting me? Why is he yelling at me?'
She feels rough hands pulling at her, shaking her harder. "Come on, Mary! Got to take these meds before the trays get here!"
"What? What is Harry talking about? Medicine? Trays?"
She turns to look at Harry. She is filled with horror!
"You're not Harry!" she screams. "Who are you? Who are you?" She beats at this stranger who is yelling at her, and pulling at her.
"Harry, Harry, help me," she screams. Her head is spinning. Where is Harry? Why won't he help me? "Get these people out of my house, Harry!" She tries to rise, but realizes that she is tied up, and held with some strange kind of contraption around her waist. Her heart beats wildly. With her fists, she beats her chest, and sobs, "Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry!"
"Crazy old lady," says one attendant to the other. "I ain't got time for this...she just gets crazier all the time."
"Harry? Harry? Mama, where is Harry?"
"Mama?"
"Mm-mm-mm," says the attendant. "Just like I said...crazier by the day!"
