The long nap

For Girlie on the Edge‘s Six Sentence Stories for July 25, 2021.
PROMPT WORD: DISTRACTION

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Betty turned off the television, turned to Harold and smiled.

A fan of General Hospital since its premiere in 1963, Betty may have missed Doctor Hardy and Nurse Audrey, but outside of her daughter Patty’s appendectomy in 1966, and the day of her own hip surgery in 2001, she never missed an episode of the daily drama.

Harold, on the other hand, had only begun watching the show with her after his retirement from the post office five years ago; and having no real interest in the lives of Port Charles’ residents, he was often openly critical of Betty’s devotion to the show and wasn’t overly shy about sharing his opinions, because for him the show was, as he was always fond of saying – today and everyday – something to do between taking a walk and taking a nap.

Betty pressed the button to raise the lift chair, stood cautiously and stepped over to Harold who had been sitting in his matching lift chair wide-eyed and unblinking since the first commercial break.

Against the complaints of her right hip, she bent over, and with the speed, precision, and skill of Dr. Alan Quartermaine, General Hospital’s only real Chief of Staff in her mind, yanked the size 9 metal knitting needle from Harold’s left ear.

“I love you, dear, but I’ve told you I don’t know how many times that I wouldn’t tolerate another distraction from you during my show.”