The House Call summary

 

       2. The House Call

This is a story from Germany, took place on 26th December 1903 in Berlin. The story shows the love of a child even after her death for her mother.

Dr. Emil Braun, an honest and kind person, is the main character and a head surgeon in a hospital. A little girl of seven, wearing a cotton dress, shabby shoes, and a ragged shawl came in his house to call him for her sick mother. Although he was tired and his wife tried to stop him, he was ready to go with the little girl. He thought it was the work given by god. Then, he took his black bag and came out.

It was slightly raining outside.  When the girl saw him coming, she walked quickly and only stopped to confirm whether the doctor was following her correctly. He tried to catch her so that he could ask her a few questions but she was walking at speed as if she was in hurry. The Doctor remembered his young age when he used to be energetic. 

Finally, she came to an old rented house. She climbed five floors and stood in front of a doorway. She thanked the doctor. The doctor also thanked her for being obedient. He went in and the girl closed the door slowly behind him.

In the dim light, he saw a woman. He recognized her as Elda who once worked at the hospital. She was suffering from pneumonia. He gave her some medicine and sat on a chair by the bed. he asked about her return back from the village and about her daughter. She said that she had come back to Berlin three months ago after her only daughter, Adelheid, had died of the flu in September. 

The doctor was surprised. The little girl was not there. Elda told that she had kept heide's shoes and shawl as a memory. He saw the same ragged shawl on a hook and a pair of shabby shoes on the floor. Moreover, the shoes were wet. Elda said that she had been thinking about him earlier that night hoping and praying for him then felt asleep. He touched her feverish head, took his black bag, and came out closing the door.