George on an autumn day(Dill McLain) GEORGE ON AN AUTUMN DAY
by Dill McLain


The door slams. George looks up from his book and takes off his glasses. He is surprised and turns round.

Silence in the house.

Then, he slowly gets up from his seat, steps into the corridor on the second floor and walks down the stairs. The entrance hall is empty. Her suitcase is not there anymore.

'Gone, I can’t believe it !‘.

On the last step George hesitates a moment, then he rushes towards the entrance door. And stands still there for a long while. He moves two meters to the right, opens the window, leans his hands on the window sill and looks out into the park.

It is a wonderful autumn day. Golden leaves cover the ground around the house and form mountains around the stems of the old trees. Rays of sunshine find their ways through the naked tree tops and draw patterns on the carpets of leaves. It is still warm.

'My god, she finally has left !.'

George blows his nose. Then he stares quite a long time into the autumn leaves. The last 5 years were a horror trip in his own house. He could hardly stand her anymore and tried to keep out of her way. However, she kept on following him upstairs to his study room with that cynical smile on her face. 'My love, when would you like to have the tea today?’. Was it guilt? was it cruelty? He found it absolutely absurd, that masquerade.

She had a lover – and spent as much time with him as was at all possible. George knew it from the beginning. First he felt surprise, then sadness, then he was hurt. Later, he found it a release. She stayed with him only because of his finances.

Jasper – her lover – a middle-aged architect with high flying ideas but seldom a concrete project, had no money. Certainly not enough for the escapades of the two. He was a charming, tall man with dense, curly brown hair, passionate eyes. His manners were perfect. An irresistible appearance. Full of wit. Good at sports. Elegant at dinner parties. Artistic charisma. Conversational skills. But, a Bohemian. In fact they were living off George’s money.

In the first weeks after he discovered that they had a serious affair – an ongoing relation – George felt offended. But he was unable to interfere. He could not lower himself to that level. He could just not do it. And with time he got used to the situation. She organized the household – the only thing she learned – and reigned over the handful of servants and workers. She was a devoted cook, yes that was all true. George lived in a well established and cared for house in a park which he had inherited from his parents. His father had told him several times: 'One day she will turn you mad, George!' And George used to counter: 'I hope not!’ Deep inside he was not persuaded at all and deep inside there was always a mixed feeling or an irritation which he tried to control.

She fulfilled her duties in the house with meticulous gesture and impertinent correctness. But, the expression on her face and the attitude shown inspired George various times – he must confess – to think about all those unhappy husbands who one day could not stand it any longer and thought about poisoning their wives. Or in the simpler case, to leave them immediately and never come back. Yes, sometimes he could understand them. It gave him a kind of amusement as well as pleasure to paint in all details these possible plans. Sometimes, when he was alone in the house, he sat in his chair and played his scenario thoroughly through and felt amused. Or was it revenge? His personal revenge. His secret. While they – his wife and Jasper - were together. Laughing about him?

George never understood what Jasper saw in her, apart from the money – which was not even hers. He played with the thought that Jasper might maintain several mistresses – or one after the other? And that one day his wife would be abandoned by Jasper. Put aside. Would come back and always be present around him in the house. A nightmare. An unbelievable misfortune. It would turn him mad. Therefore, George maintained a friendly atmosphere and good relations with his wife as well as with Jasper, who then and when crossed his path. At parties. In the concert. Or in the opera. And very rarely in the club.

George, 51, medium-sized, dark blonde hair, blue eyes, a passionate horseman, great music lover, General Manager of a well-running enterprise which he founded right after finishing his degree, is an upright pacifist and devoted supporter of third world activities where he helps establishing homes for children who lost their parents. He travels often to these places and for many children he is not only the nice uncle but also a friendly mentor.

His wife never traveled with him – apart from one time – since she could not endure the inconveniences such trips involve and she could not face at all children in a poor environment, nor could she develop an interest or ability to help. Despite the fact that she could not have children herself, it was an irony of fate that she could never show nor develop the slightest enthusiasm for the work of her husband and for the children involved.

They married after his studies because her parents found it appropriate and he was a dreamer, could not object, and thought it all would work out in the end in a positive way. Unfortunately, in the course of the years he had to realize the bitter truth.

There were moments when he really hated himself and he would have liked to do something, however, it was not possible, he was not the man for that. Thus, life went on.

Yes, it was sort of a relief to learn about the affair of his wife with Jasper, because it did not demand action from his side.

But now she has left ! Thank god, she has left. The world spreads out in front of him. A rebirth.

First of all, he has to examine everything in and around the house – a real sightseeing tour in his own property. Yes, this is the very first step. He wants to find out how all these modern machines function: Her kitchen full of machines as well as all other machines and fancy tools in the household. Good gracious, where are all the manuals for these machines ? He has no idea, he never bothered about such trivialities. Well, he once studied physics, so it will be easy for him to find out how it all functions. It would be ridiculous if he could not do it. Then he will talk with Mabel, the housekeeper, and offer her a generous salary increase to do things his way.

Once a week he will cook from now on. He will install a TV in the kitchen and follow some of these cooking presentations with famous chefs. He will be the great chef in his private kitchen – for peeling potatoes and all other inferior work he will have servants around – and celebrate great dinner parties for his horsemen.

Furthermore, some pieces of furniture will be replaced. He will buy a grand-piano and – after a brush up with a piano teacher – practise Beethoven for dessert. Wonderful !

Some of these stiff paintings – old portraits in dark colours and dusty landscapes which obviously were influenced by fog and depression – must be replaced too. Oh yes, he knows a gallery with fabulous oil paintings showing large sized bosomy half nude beauties. A harem on the walls, what a terrific idea !

And he will buy a new car – a sports car – and book a trip to the Pacific Islands – he always wished to spend some long weeks there. Now is the time when dreams come true.

Tomorrow, he will call Morton, his lawyer, to prepare the divorce documents. He will be generous. So it will be a quick case.

A squirrel hops across the lawn towards the trees, stops for a moment, looks out left, then right, jumps up the tree and disappears in the branches. George thinks of his own soul jumping with excitement.

Freedom ! George claps his hands and cries at the top of his voice: 'Yes, freedom, world I am coming!‘.

He shuts the window. Turns round, jumps up in the air, pulls up his legs, cries again, 'freedom‘, and sees her standing there. He lands on his ankle and falls over in front of her feet.

There she stands and she says – it is like the crack of a whip: 'Are you mad?‘.

George has heard this demotivating humiliating question just one time too many. He realises that he must reply correctly. Now or never.

George counters: 'And who exactly are you?‘.

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