nodded my head yes.
“Aldous Huxley is the author,” she said. “Remember why you are here.”
Her expression became that of concern, like a mother as she lets her child go alone into the world. Many a diseased she had seen walk through these doors, confused by these old and new emotions that played in the body and the mind. But only a select few, who were sincere, did appreciate the gift laid before them.
“Good night, Molly.”
“Good night, Matt.”
As I walked confident through the line of patients at the meds window, I noticed Bobby and decided to have a little fun.
“Bruce Lee,” I yelled.
“Peter Pumpkin Head,” returned Bobby.
“Asshole,” we both said and laughed as I passed.
My smile grew wider with every step, and then I realized that Barry Eugene waited for me. But I felt too proud and cocky, and refused to let him ruin my mood.
I entered the room and decided to take first crack at him as he lay on his bed, in hope to throw him off guard.
“Hey, Barry Eugene. You’re going home tonight, right?”
Stunned, Barry Eugene couldn’t believe that he’d forgot.
“Yeah. Going home. The nurse said she was going to look in on it. That’s what all those people down at the end of the hall are waiting for. They probably need to make sure there’s enough room for everyone. I hope that it’s not a lot of people in the druggy buggy. I get sick when there are a lot of people in the car. Hell, I got sick on the way up here, because my wife wouldn’t roll down the windows,” Barry Eugene mumbled.
I walked over to the closet, unlocked it, and pulled out my pajamas for the night. I took off my shirt and folded it neatly on the bed as Barry Eugene looked cautiously from his side of the room. As I slid on my t-shirt, I reached over to the closet, pulled out my hygiene tote, and threw it on the bed. Still oblivious to Barry Eugene, who watched my every movement, I removed my pants, hung them on a hanger, and was amazed by how much my stomach and breasts had grown.
“Hey, Barry Eugene, my air bag is fully deployed,” I said as I grabbed my stomach with both hands.
“Whoa. Stop right there. You’re not one of them faggots, are you?” he said as he started to shimmy over to the far side of his bed.
“Sure, Barry Eugene. I’m just crazy in love with old men who shit their pants,” I said as I pulled up my pajama bottoms.
He pushed himself out of bed, limped toward the hallway, and nervously stared as I flipped the comforter open.
“I noticed that you didn’t bring any extra clothes, Barry Eugene. So, if you want to sleep naked, that’s fine with me.”
With a quick limp, he exited the room and hobbled down the hall. I chuckled and grabbed my tote bag, walked over to the sink next to the door, and turned on the water. Still ashamed by the face I saw, I hurried with the teeth brushing, proceeded back to bed, and threw my tote bag back into the closet. I grabbed the Big Book from my nightstand and slid into bed. Like burning wood, the book crackled open as I started to read; if I got only a few pages in before the medication kicked in, at least it would have been a start , I thought. I fluffed my pillow and got comfortable.
Chapter 6
“Good morning, gentlemen; isn’t it a great day to be sober?” Carl said joyfully as he poked his head into the room. “Breakfast starts at 9 o’clock and your lecture times are in your daily schedule. For those of you who will be seeing the doctor today, he will be making his rounds this morning. Have a wonderful day, gentlemen.”
In the distance, Carl’s voice could be heard as he repeated the same speech to the room across the hall. Complacent, I started to roll and stretch, like a cat in front of a blazing fire.
As I sat up in bed, I gathered my senses, rubbed my hands across my face, and painstakingly maneuvered to the side of my bed. I looked back and squinted at the clock above the door that read 7 o’clock; the loud snore below it from Barry
“Aldous Huxley is the author,” she said. “Remember why you are here.”
Her expression became that of concern, like a mother as she lets her child go alone into the world. Many a diseased she had seen walk through these doors, confused by these old and new emotions that played in the body and the mind. But only a select few, who were sincere, did appreciate the gift laid before them.
“Good night, Molly.”
“Good night, Matt.”
As I walked confident through the line of patients at the meds window, I noticed Bobby and decided to have a little fun.
“Bruce Lee,” I yelled.
“Peter Pumpkin Head,” returned Bobby.
“Asshole,” we both said and laughed as I passed.
My smile grew wider with every step, and then I realized that Barry Eugene waited for me. But I felt too proud and cocky, and refused to let him ruin my mood.
I entered the room and decided to take first crack at him as he lay on his bed, in hope to throw him off guard.
“Hey, Barry Eugene. You’re going home tonight, right?”
Stunned, Barry Eugene couldn’t believe that he’d forgot.
“Yeah. Going home. The nurse said she was going to look in on it. That’s what all those people down at the end of the hall are waiting for. They probably need to make sure there’s enough room for everyone. I hope that it’s not a lot of people in the druggy buggy. I get sick when there are a lot of people in the car. Hell, I got sick on the way up here, because my wife wouldn’t roll down the windows,” Barry Eugene mumbled.
I walked over to the closet, unlocked it, and pulled out my pajamas for the night. I took off my shirt and folded it neatly on the bed as Barry Eugene looked cautiously from his side of the room. As I slid on my t-shirt, I reached over to the closet, pulled out my hygiene tote, and threw it on the bed. Still oblivious to Barry Eugene, who watched my every movement, I removed my pants, hung them on a hanger, and was amazed by how much my stomach and breasts had grown.
“Hey, Barry Eugene, my air bag is fully deployed,” I said as I grabbed my stomach with both hands.
“Whoa. Stop right there. You’re not one of them faggots, are you?” he said as he started to shimmy over to the far side of his bed.
“Sure, Barry Eugene. I’m just crazy in love with old men who shit their pants,” I said as I pulled up my pajama bottoms.
He pushed himself out of bed, limped toward the hallway, and nervously stared as I flipped the comforter open.
“I noticed that you didn’t bring any extra clothes, Barry Eugene. So, if you want to sleep naked, that’s fine with me.”
With a quick limp, he exited the room and hobbled down the hall. I chuckled and grabbed my tote bag, walked over to the sink next to the door, and turned on the water. Still ashamed by the face I saw, I hurried with the teeth brushing, proceeded back to bed, and threw my tote bag back into the closet. I grabbed the Big Book from my nightstand and slid into bed. Like burning wood, the book crackled open as I started to read; if I got only a few pages in before the medication kicked in, at least it would have been a start , I thought. I fluffed my pillow and got comfortable.
Chapter 6
“Good morning, gentlemen; isn’t it a great day to be sober?” Carl said joyfully as he poked his head into the room. “Breakfast starts at 9 o’clock and your lecture times are in your daily schedule. For those of you who will be seeing the doctor today, he will be making his rounds this morning. Have a wonderful day, gentlemen.”
In the distance, Carl’s voice could be heard as he repeated the same speech to the room across the hall. Complacent, I started to roll and stretch, like a cat in front of a blazing fire.
As I sat up in bed, I gathered my senses, rubbed my hands across my face, and painstakingly maneuvered to the side of my bed. I looked back and squinted at the clock above the door that read 7 o’clock; the loud snore below it from Barry
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