“Um…,” I just sat there, kind of staring at this man that was definitely going to have a prominent effect on my life. From being in hospitals before, I knew that the main way to get out was to convince the psychiatrist in charge of you that you were “normal” enough to be released, even if you were medicated to the brim.
“Thomas, I think Kevin and I could use a bit of privacy. Would you mind if I stole him away from you for a minute or so?” He smiled. I imagined that, like Darc, he got far in life via his charm.
“Certainly, sir. No problem at all.” Then he turned to me with a slightly hardened expression and said, “No problems, Kevin. Its not going to be orderlies you’re dealing with if you make trouble again.” He stared at me. I looked back at him and nodded slowly.
I’m not going to be intimidated.
Sometimes it’s better to just play ball, Kev.
Thomas walked off and Dr. Melcher led me into a small room down the hall. He opened up the door and peered inside.
“This ought to do nicely. Why don’t we step in here…” He walked into the room and motioned for me to sit at a small table. He sat down next to me and opened up my file.
“You’ve led quite a life, Kevin. You’re a veteran, eh?” I nodded. “Me too. I was in Vietnam, actually. I was quite young back then, must’ve only been eighteen or so when I enlisted. My reasons for getting in to the service were quite clear cut. I came from a very patriotic minded family. All the men were in at some point or another. What was your reason for going in?”
“I was looking for structure.”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t know what to do after high school. I thought the Corps would give me the direction I was looking for.”
“It didn’t quite work out the way you planned, did it?”
“No, sir, it didn’t.” I lowered my head a little. Every time I thought about my time in the Corps, I got a little dejected. It seemed Melcher picked up on that quickly, because we were off on another subject right away.
“Kevin, what lead you to the life you’ve been living for the past few years? Why would a man of your skills and background want to live on the street?” If I could only answer this one myself, maybe I’d have a slight chance of giving him SOME idea of what it means to feel the way I felt. Might as well try.
“I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I’m still not. I couldn’t hold a job, I couldn’t be a good boyfriend or son. And then when I got in to that fight with my dad, I just left. And the street was the only option I had.”
“You understand now that there are better options, right, Kevin?” He looked right in to my eyes. I found myself almost hypnotized by his bright blue eyes. I felt like I could believe him. I felt like he was a good guy. I felt like I could tell him anything.
You can, you may, and you shall.
So, I spilled the beans. I told Dr. Melcher everything about me. I told him about Christian, about the guy I killed, and about the feelings I was experiencing in this hospital. The whole time, he just sat there and listened. He didn’t make one mark on the pad in front of him.
“Sounds a little crazy, doesn’t it?” I remarked.
“We’ll take care of it, Kevin. And no, it doesn’t sound crazy. However, we’re going to need to keep you here about a week or so. Hopefully, by then, we’ll have your various problems worked out so you are able to function outside of this hospital. You won’t have any problems taking any meds I prescribe for you? You’re not allergic to anything?” I shook my head. “Good, then it looks like we’re on the same page with everything. Here’s my advice to you while you’re here. Try to have some fun, don’t hurt anybody, and get all the food and sleep you need. Participate in all of the activities that are offered to you, and most of all, Kevin, please…don’t start any fights.” After his last sentence, he looked at me in a very strange way. Almost as if to say, ‘if you fight, even I won’t be able to help you’.
“I understand, Doc.”
“Okay, buddy, then we’ve got an agreement, huh?”
“Yeah.” We got up and started to walk out of the little room. As we stepped in to the hall, Melcher said, under his breath, almost in a whisper:
“Kevin, don’t share the important stuff with anybody but me.” I looked at him questioningly, but he had already started walking down the hallway toward another section of the hospital.
“Thomas, I think Kevin and I could use a bit of privacy. Would you mind if I stole him away from you for a minute or so?” He smiled. I imagined that, like Darc, he got far in life via his charm.
“Certainly, sir. No problem at all.” Then he turned to me with a slightly hardened expression and said, “No problems, Kevin. Its not going to be orderlies you’re dealing with if you make trouble again.” He stared at me. I looked back at him and nodded slowly.
I’m not going to be intimidated.
Sometimes it’s better to just play ball, Kev.
Thomas walked off and Dr. Melcher led me into a small room down the hall. He opened up the door and peered inside.
“This ought to do nicely. Why don’t we step in here…” He walked into the room and motioned for me to sit at a small table. He sat down next to me and opened up my file.
“You’ve led quite a life, Kevin. You’re a veteran, eh?” I nodded. “Me too. I was in Vietnam, actually. I was quite young back then, must’ve only been eighteen or so when I enlisted. My reasons for getting in to the service were quite clear cut. I came from a very patriotic minded family. All the men were in at some point or another. What was your reason for going in?”
“I was looking for structure.”
“What do you mean?”
“I didn’t know what to do after high school. I thought the Corps would give me the direction I was looking for.”
“It didn’t quite work out the way you planned, did it?”
“No, sir, it didn’t.” I lowered my head a little. Every time I thought about my time in the Corps, I got a little dejected. It seemed Melcher picked up on that quickly, because we were off on another subject right away.
“Kevin, what lead you to the life you’ve been living for the past few years? Why would a man of your skills and background want to live on the street?” If I could only answer this one myself, maybe I’d have a slight chance of giving him SOME idea of what it means to feel the way I felt. Might as well try.
“I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I’m still not. I couldn’t hold a job, I couldn’t be a good boyfriend or son. And then when I got in to that fight with my dad, I just left. And the street was the only option I had.”
“You understand now that there are better options, right, Kevin?” He looked right in to my eyes. I found myself almost hypnotized by his bright blue eyes. I felt like I could believe him. I felt like he was a good guy. I felt like I could tell him anything.
You can, you may, and you shall.
So, I spilled the beans. I told Dr. Melcher everything about me. I told him about Christian, about the guy I killed, and about the feelings I was experiencing in this hospital. The whole time, he just sat there and listened. He didn’t make one mark on the pad in front of him.
“Sounds a little crazy, doesn’t it?” I remarked.
“We’ll take care of it, Kevin. And no, it doesn’t sound crazy. However, we’re going to need to keep you here about a week or so. Hopefully, by then, we’ll have your various problems worked out so you are able to function outside of this hospital. You won’t have any problems taking any meds I prescribe for you? You’re not allergic to anything?” I shook my head. “Good, then it looks like we’re on the same page with everything. Here’s my advice to you while you’re here. Try to have some fun, don’t hurt anybody, and get all the food and sleep you need. Participate in all of the activities that are offered to you, and most of all, Kevin, please…don’t start any fights.” After his last sentence, he looked at me in a very strange way. Almost as if to say, ‘if you fight, even I won’t be able to help you’.
“I understand, Doc.”
“Okay, buddy, then we’ve got an agreement, huh?”
“Yeah.” We got up and started to walk out of the little room. As we stepped in to the hall, Melcher said, under his breath, almost in a whisper:
“Kevin, don’t share the important stuff with anybody but me.” I looked at him questioningly, but he had already started walking down the hallway toward another section of the hospital.