And Comes the Fourth Generation – part 56

Don Rashford and Joe Rashford Grindley relaxed at the Matron’s flat at Miriam House.

Selma Rashford Grindley, Don’s sister, Joe’s mother, had, for a few months, been employed as the Matron.

It might seem odd that they would use her ‘work place’  as the venue for the ‘wake’.  It might also seem odd that Selma was allowed to decline and die at Miriam House.

Originally, Miriam House was given to the Church for that very purpose.  It was a place for old, indigent, female church members who had  no one to look after them, to go.

Then, the Directors of the Church, needed to make money.

They didn’t change the registration of Miriam House.  As far as the government knew, it was a ‘charity’.   But it was really a low security prison for rent paying tenants.

The Directors were people who took no interest in anything.  They had hired ‘one of their own’, Selma Rashford Grindley.   They had no inkling she was incapable after one month on the ‘job’ and had spent from January to April deteriorating in one of the bedrooms of the Matron’s flat.

The only reason that they knew of Selma’s condition in April, is because the cleaner, Odette, who had languished from January to April, doing nothing but steal and cash her pay cheque, became worried that Selma would die and she’d get into trouble, so had phoned Selma’s son.