Eulogy Of Doctor Pax

When Doctor Pax was a boy, he played on a tree at the end of his garden. And, when he was alone on that tree, he would pretend he was a hero from his favourite book. The tree often tested his skills; how high he could climb, for how long he could dangle, and how well he landed when he swung to the ground.
Now he was an adult, he could teach the same lessons he learnt as a child. About strength, teamwork and courage. And what better place to learn all those things than Gypsy Copse, an ancient woodland at the edge of his land.
Right at the heart of Gypsy Copse stood a tree which reminded Doctor Pax of his youth. An oak tree. Strong. Broad. Colossal. Above the tree, a canopy of leaves allowed dappled sunlight to touch the forest floor. Today,
he climbed the tree with Kipp trailing behind him. The bark felt rough under his hands as he used the main trunk to heave himself onto the branch above, and with his free hand, he helped Kipp shimmy along beside him.
‘Why is the tree fat and stout, not tall, like a pine or a spruce?’ asked Kipp.
‘Well, old people shrink and spread with age, and likewise, this tree is the same. Without a doubt, this tree must be 500 years old, if not more.’
They sat perched on the tree in silence. Silent, that is, until they heard the deep song of a wood pigeon. Coo coooo coo. Cupping his hands, Doctor Pax blew through the crack between his thumbs and made a soft, yet, throaty bird call. Consequently, Kipp tried to do the same, but his bird impression finished more like a goose. Honk! Honk!
From where he sat astride the branch, Doctor Pax had a clear view across the meadow full of wildflowers. Was that Clemmie he heard laughing in the distance? It wouldn’t take long for her to return from the post-box, just a short walk along the lane, over the stile, and across the field.
‘Okay, throw it up,’ he called to the boy below.
Squill, the tallest of the boys, threw two ropes so they arced over the branch. Doctor Pax bent forward to grasp one end, while Kipp caught the other, and they tied both ends around the branch. It had been Fish’s idea to make a swing. First, he had found a rustic plank of wood and planed it smooth, then drilled two holes on either side. Once he finished, he attached a thick piece of rope and bound two knots at each end.
‘Right, who wants to try the swing first?’ asked Doctor Pax.
‘Me, me, me,’ shouted several voices below.
‘Pebbles, you’re the lightest, so you go first.’ At first, when Pebbles sat on the swing, the ropes groaned, but Doctor Pax was confident they would hold. Slow at first, she swung back and forth, then higher and higher.
‘Be careful,’ Matron shouted from below when Kipp jumped down from the tree.
For Doctor Pax, up in the trees was like looking down on the world, as he clambered around and jumped from branch to branch. Although the tree was gnarled and twisted, each branch was sturdy enough to take his weight. Looking down, he noticed the children were occupied with fun challenges he had set. First, there was Gilt. She had taken Nettle and Gromwell and was showing them how to forage for food as mushrooms and berries were abundant at this time of year. Then there was Pigeon. He was doing a spot of bird-watching with Ophrys and Silene. Tansy was being taught how to play conkers, although by the look of her, she would have sore knuckles for the rest of the day.
Just then, Clemmie entered the woods, looked left and then right, as she stood undecided on which way to turn. To start with, she jumped over the stream, then ambled towards the ruins at the far end of the copse. What was left of an old church, kept secret by the trees, had worn and crumbled over the years. And when Kipp entered the ruins behind her, she dived behind a gravestone and hid herself from view. What on earth was she doing? Mere seconds later, in a torrent of howls, Clemmie crashed headlong through the bushes. 'Tag!' she roared, then clipped Kipp around the ear, only for Kipp to let out a war cry and take chase after her.
Meanwhile, Doctor Pax laughed when jumped to the ground, taking care to land on a dense layer of leaves which softened his fall.
‘It looks like Clemmie has some fighting spirit,’ he said to Matron, although he did not get a response. He turned full circle. One minute she was there, and then she was gone. Where was she? Where had everyone else disappeared to? Then, he heard a rustle of leaves behind him and felt a tap on his shoulder.
When he spun around, Kipp shouted, ‘Tag!’
A fine mist formed at the edge of the field and the smell of wood-smoke filled the air. Gypsy Copse, a place that enthralled people during the day, turned sinister when the sun began to set. An owl hooted. Leaves rustled. Shadows lengthened.
It was time to go home.
On the way back to the house, the boys and men had collected kindle for the fires.
At the kitchen sink, Doctor Pax washed his soiled hands and towelled them dry. ‘Has anyone seen Clemmie?’
‘She was with Fish the last time I saw her,' said Pebbles. 'She's not met him yet.'
‘Right you are.’ At first, he searched for Clemmie but she was nowhere to be seen. But then he heard a mad clucking noise. Of course, it was feeding time in the chicken coop, a fenced off area near the greenhouse. At the rustic wooden gate, he stopped, then, leant across and listened.
'Here, take this handful of pellets and spread them around,' offered Fish. The gardener had a red bulbous nose after staying in the sun so long. He had an earthy smudge on his cheek, the same colour as soil, and he was as bald as an egg. On his head, to stop him getting burnt, he wore a cap with his name on the front. Fish.
'Thank you, Mr Fish. Granfer used to keep chickens and they laid eggs every day. Indeed, we had plenty of eggs, even with
rations.'
'Rations, eh?
Well, my granddad had to ration his food during the last war. Do you remember where you lived?’
‘No, Doctor Pax said I’ve got amnesia. Granfer hated me, and I can’t remember why!’
For a moment, she looked bewildered. But this turned to surprise, and then delight, when she saw Doctor Pax. It took no effort to propel his agile body over the gate in one… giant…leap.
‘Look at me, Doctor Pax. Mr Fish let me feed the chickens’
'So, I gather.’ Since her grin was infectious, he couldn’t stop smiling himself. Until now, he would never have believed a young girl of her age would find so much enjoyment from chickens pecking at her feet. ‘Now, come with me. I want to show you a special place before it gets dark. Dinner in half an hour, Fish?’
‘Okay, boss! I’ll be there.’
After they left Fish, Clemmie chatted non-stop about this and that. Sprigs and meat-pie. Chores. Chalk and Cym. It seemed nonsense to Doctor Pax but not to Clemmie going by the way she gestured with her hands. To be honest, it all went through one ear and out the other.
'Take care with the steps,' he warned, as he stepped through a gap in the wall, tucked away at the side of the cottage. Next, he led her down a moss-covered path, through gap in the hedge, and entered another
garden.
There was a catch in Clemmie’s voice. 'Oh, how exciting! A secret garden.'
'Yes, that’s right. A haven, moreover, a place you can come for solitude. If you close your eyes, you can smell the fragrant flowers, hear the wind, touch the grass, then afterward, capture the senses in your mind and carry them around with you all day long.’
‘Matron said I could talk to her if I feel like a melon.’
A melon? No, I believe the word she used was melancholic. So, if a person feels sad or morose, they can ask for a hug, if they hug in return.
Nearby, a fountain tinkled and sprayed a fine mist through the air until it mingled with one or two spots of rain in the air. In the dying light of day, he beamed down at Clemmie and tweaked her red button nose. Of course, her healthy glow was down to the long ramble through Gypsy Copse, yet, part of the radiance came from within. What a difference a day made to the girl he met twenty-four hours ago.
'What is that over there?’ she asked.