Hardening of the Arteries

Creative Non-fiction
by John RC Potter

When her husband passed away after a brief battle with cancer my grandmother tried to lift him up from the casket.

Five years passed.

She was found wandering around town during the winter, without a coat. Her family reluctantly put my grandmother in what was then known as an "old people’s home."

Grandma had what was referred to at the time as "hardening of the arteries."

Visiting her became a chore; eventually my grandmother did not recognise anyone, not even my father. Although Dad faithfully continued his weekly visits to his mother, my sister and I did not; our teenage lives took precedence. A few years went by.

Then curiosity and guilt.

Finally, my sister and I went to visit. The nurse brought a woman to us: wheelchair-bound; a wizened, hunched over old crone, eyes still periwinkle blue, but vacant.

I thought of the song, "Is That All There Is?"

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John RC Potter is an international educator from Canada who lives in Istanbul. His story, “Ruth’s World” was a Pushcart Prize nominee, and his poem, “Tomato Heart” was nominated for the Best of the Net Award. The author has a gay-themed children’s picture book that is scheduled for publication. He is a member of the League of Canadian Poets. Website / Twitter