"J is for James who took lye by mistake"
For how this picture plays out, young mousy James, is the proud son of a single parent doctor. Who made medicine for the sick, healed the wounded, treated everyone the same. James father believed in helping more than the more dumb matters, high class tend to favor more.
James' busy parent figure to always be away, he wished he too go with him, but sadly enough he stayed home, out of his father way's, so he could work in peace. Yet, unknowing to his father, of how high a fever James got during the small plague his father deal with, that he never knew he brought home. But, James doesn't want to bother his father's work, so he'll handle the fever by himself. If his father could do it, so could James.
The ideal of how children first role model in life is the parent, they'll do the small things to mirror them. Watching their every move they do, wanting to be like them, follow steps too deep to fill. Yet, children try. In this case, yes, James is no different. As time goes on, James does find in treating himself well, the fever had yet to break, but wasn't a death toll now. James keeps at it, the short days still go amiss to his father, not noticed icepacks or a tablet missing for James thinks he has.
The father paying no mind to his son's matters: speaking short words with his son, maybe during dinner or before bed, until long hours never to see again. Not long the sick is getting worst, finally the father noticed and handles it, though when works calls, he must go. Making sure enough, his son is in bed, letting him know the cut had what he needed. Warning not to leave that bed, even if need of another cup of his medicine.
The father doesn't want to leave his son, but he was making a breakthrough with his medical care. James couldn't take the pain anymore, he needed another dose of his painkiller, but his father hadn't return. He couldn't wait. No, the fever hurt too much.
So with weak legs goes to the study where his father kept all the bottles. Recalling the color of the medicine, found the bottle that had it too, the smell the same too. James took a slip, just enough as before, not long a cold shiver comes over him. The fever didn't burn anymore; James felt only tied and needed to get back to bed, before his father knew.
James didn't make it far, misplaced the bottle as it felled from the shelf and broke when crashing to the ground. James too landed next to it, falling asleep, happy to feel the fever was gone. His father would be pleased to know, how close he followed his father's steps, to the end.
Proudly and sure, though for the boy's sake, let's keep it that way, shall we?