Chapter 3

There is a famous psychiatric study, 'On Being Sane in Insane Places'; perfectly well individuals were admitted to acute psychiatric units and found it was extremely difficult to convince the staff that they were, in fact, perfectly sane.

Emmanuel Wagner had, of course, shown clear signs of not being 'well' for two years and his recovery, occurring quite without any medical intervention, intrigued, puzzled and worried the professionals. His parents struggled mightily and only managed to get permission to take him out for a few hours. Not that there was any legal reason to keep him.

Gillian Marshall visited with Karen as often as she could – a couple of times a week – and progressed from 'Mr. Wagner' and 'Mr. Cuddles' to 'Mannie', though Karen sometimes still used her old name for him occasionally.

One problem was that Emmanuel's parents had given up the lease on his flat and placed his bulkier property in store, so he had no-where to go and his employer had, not unreasonably, given his job to someone else. He'd been kept on as 'sick' for six months, then on reduced pay for another six months, but he was now without a job.

His parents were willing, if reluctant, to give him a bed, but he didn't want that. Gillian Marshall offered him a room too, but he was uncomfortable with that; grateful, but uncomfortable.

Karen's other friend, 'Mr. Jesus', ensured that she insist her mother take her to St. Mary's each Sunday. It would not have been Gillian's first choice of activity on a Sunday, but she was surprised how much she enjoyed herself and Karen was just happy. The mainly older congregation made them very welcome and, of course, made quite a fuss over Karen, who particularly liked Rosie and Emma.

Dulcie's friendly enquiry, "How is Emmanuel getting on?" set Gillian to thinking.

"He seems to be doing well, but he's getting frustrated. The Retreat seem reluctant to let him go and he doesn't have anywhere to live anyway."

"Can I help at all?"

"I don't know ... can you?"

"I suppose I could go back to the Retreat and see..."

"Would you? Perhaps you could come with Karen and me. I don't think Mannie saw you before. We'll introduce you."

"Sounds good. When do you go?"

"Oh, we'll go this afternoon, then probably Wednesday evening."

"Why don't I come this afternoon to meet him? Then if there's anything I might be able to do, I could see his doctor during the week."

"Would you? That would be wonderful!"

The visit this time could hardly have been different. Emmanuel... Mannie... saw Gillian enter with Karen; his face lit up and he stood and put down the book he'd been reading. Gillian and he hugged before he picked Karen up; her little arms tightening around his neck. He made a strangling sound and Karen giggled before relaxing her hold a little. Gillian said something to him and his eyes tracked round to look at Dulcie, who stepped forward.

"Mr. Wagner..."

"Mannie ... you're Dulcie Hanson? The Vicar?"

Dulcie didn't get into the difference between a Vicar, Rector and a non-stipendiary minister like herself."That's right. We haven't met, but I was here once before with Gillian."

"Yes..." he cocked his head as he looked at her. "Yes. I feel as if I know you."

"Good. Can we go somewhere – perhaps in the garden? It's a lovely day."

"We can but ask."

The nurse in charge smiled and told them they were free of the grounds, which were several acres in extent. The door wasn't locked and no-one approached them, but Dulcie thought Mannie would have been diverted, probably quite subtly, offered a companion or discreetly followed had he tried to walk out on his own.

Once clear of the building, whilst strolling along, Karen holding Mannie's hand, Dulcie spoke.

"Well, Mannie. I'm here to help, if I can. What would you like to happen?"

"I just want my life back. I know it wasn't much of a life, but I want to be able to make my own decisions..."

"You know you have no job at the moment, and no flat."

He frowned. "I know. And I'm not happy about it. It was ... I guess ... the right thing to do, and I have some money because of it, but I'm not happy."

"Would you be willing to live with a family, do some odd-jobs and try to find a paid job?"

"Are you offering?"

"It's possible. I'd have to check. But there's no point if you're not prepared to do your part."

Karen let go Mannie's hand and ran to investigate a group of artistically arranged boulders. The adults watched her clamber up and about them. Her attention was distracted by an inquisitive squirrel; perhaps it had got used to being fed by visitors, and she slipped.

There was the usual pregnant pause before she began to cry, but Mannie was already running towards her. It seemed to the women watching that Karen stopped crying immediately when he reached her. That wasn't the case, but certainly she calmed down very quickly when he scooped her up. After a few moments, she allowed him to put her down and look at the damage, grazes on her knee and elbow.

"We'd better get back and get those seen to," he commented, looking up at Gillian.

Back at the Retreat, the nurse was apologetic but firm. "I'm sorry, but I just can't do it or let you use our facilities. I'd love to, but the policies are firm. It's all the litigation, you know."

"Never mind," Dulcie reassured Gillian, "I have a first-aid kit in the car. We can clean up the grazes and pop some plasters on."

"I want M ... Mr. Cuddles to do it," declared Karen.

"I'm sure your Mummy would do a better job," he objected, but the quivering bottom lip soon overcame any further resistance, from any of the adults.

They were walking back to the house when Mannie turned to Dulcie.

"Mrs. Hanson,"

"Dulcie," she corrected.

"Mrs Hanson, just now. I would be very grateful if you can arrange something for me. I will do my best to co-operate."

"Very well, Mr. Wagner, " she smiled. "I'll have a word with the nurse."

The nurse was not very encouraging, but agreed to pass on a message to the doctor responsible for Mannie's oversight. "I expect he'll contact you in the week and ask you to come for a meeting," he said.

With that, Dulcie, Gillian and Karen bade Mannie goodbye and went home, in Dulcie's case to an intense discussion with her husband, who bit off the 'politically incorrect' comments he was tempted to make, sighed, and agreed, only insisting that Emma and Rosie be consulted too. "It's their home, too, Dulcie, and we'd be introducing a young man into it."

The girls didn't hesitate. "It'd be hypocritical of us to refuse. Besides, it might be fun," Rosie declared, "though you might make it a condition that if his ... behaviour ... is a problem, he has to leave. Not that I think there'll be a problem."