All in All! 2

I wasn't sure what to say, if I told them everything, someone would put me away! It was all too easily to disbelieve. It sounded crazy! Tears came to my eyes, what could I say?

Ben stroked my arm, “Look,” he said slowly, “Philip told us that these new neighbours of his move in to move you out. He said they got paid for it!”
That made sense. Brenda nodded,
“Tell her the rest, Ben, it might help her to know.”
Ben continued the story, “Course I can't remember all he said, but it has happened before him – many times.”
Brenda came in with, “They swear they have a reason, all of them have a grudge to get rid off. They're mad, really, all of 'em.”

Ben laughed, “Yeah, that's what I made of it, I used to be a school-teacher, and I wouldn't have believed it back then. Phil said they'd whisper through the walls, and then go to specific places and act as if there were holes they could look through.”

“Phil was scared to get dressed.” Brenda said, “He even got took into hospital once, the Doctor claimed he wasn't coping.”

“That Doctor!” exclaimed Ben, “I always avoid him – “
“I think he works with them,” said Brenda slowly.
“I think I've had both of those experiences,” I said, “Not the hospital one though!”
“You don't want it,” Ben muttered, “Twas the mental hospital.”

“The elderly around here, they always seem to be trying to do stuff,” I had noticed, they washed windows, and painted the outside of houses, they seemed to be desperate for work.
“Yes,” agreed Ben cheerfully, “I do that too, living on a pension, well it isn't enough!”
“Really,” I asked doubtfully...

Brenda shook her head, “When you count up your outgoings and then weigh them against the incomings, it's not enough to pay off all your bills and buy food.”
“I suspect that's why so many of us suddenly get Dementia, and end up in them special homes.” responded Ben grimly. “I imagine if they call it a mental illness home they get more money!”

I felt green with worry! What was I going to do? What could I do?
“Up until recently, if you proved a nuisance, they gave you those pills to kill you off quick!” said Brenda grimly, “The ones shown on T.V. Ends in 'pine' - God help us all.”

I wondered if we were all mad, “What if we got together over all this, it's probably techno not psychic – we could prove it!”
“Yeah!” said Ben happily, “After what happened to Phil, I'd love to have them put away.”
Brenda nodded, “I'm just sorry Philip left, he was funny.”