“Kevin, over here…” I looked around to see Thomas calling me from the nurses’ desk. I walked over, hoping to be spared any more condescending speeches.
“We’ve got you set up in Room 3. Your roommate is in there right now. You might want to go say hi to him and make friends.” He grabbed a bag from behind the desk and handed it to me. “Here’s the bag your dad left. Now, listen, we’ve got about thirty minutes till dinner. You might want to grab a shower. There’s a bathroom right next to your room. Just lock the door when you get inside so you don’t get any unwelcome visitors. Some of our patients tend to…..wander. Stay out of trouble, Kevin. I’ll see you at dinner.” He patted me on the back and I started walking in the direction of the dorm rooms.
I located Room 3 easily enough. It was at the end of the hall. Strangely, there was no Room 1 or 2. I walked in to the room and surveyed my new home away from the street. It consisted of white walls, wooden beds, plastic covered mattresses, a couple of dressers for clothes, and a writing desk in between the beds. There were also two closet-like structures next to each bed. The room was normal enough. Then I noticed my roommate. He was asleep.
He looked to be about seventy or so. He was sound asleep, but his breathing didn’t sound normal. He wheezed every now and then and he didn’t seem to be comfortable because every minute or so he would mumble to himself. This would definitely be an interesting stay, considering all of my previous problems.
I started putting my clothes away. As I was sorting through the bag, I noticed a few things that I hadn’t expected. For one, there was a bible inside. No huge surprise, I guess my dad wanted me to keep things in perspective. Secondly, there was a deck of cards. I had never been any huge card player, but I guess dad figured I’d need something to pass my time. And lastly, there was a picture. It was a picture of my parents, Amy, and Christian. I turned the picture over. Written on the back was a small note from Dad, “You’ll be joining us soon.” Man, what a positive thinker.
I carefully positioned everything in my dresser, and got ready to take my shower. As I was walking out the door to the bathroom, I heard a voice behind me mumble something unintelligible. I paused for a second, then kept walking.
“Young man, come here!” my roommate’s voice interrupted me as I was stepping out of the room.
“What?” I asked, surprised to hear words coming out of this old man’s mouth, let alone forceful ones.
“When I talk to you, you listen! Got it?” he practically shouted at me. I could see his face now. It was your typical, old, white, craggy-featured, unshaven, mental patient face. I felt annoyed that I had to be stuck with what I was sure had to be a bigot.
“Can I help you with something, sir?” Politeness was the best idea at the moment. Fighting was not going to get me anywhere.
“Do NOT come in to this room when I am sleeping, do you understand me?” His eyes were wild and crazy. Why did I have to get stuck with a guy like this? Still, I was determined not to get in to a fight with him.
“I’ll try not to, sir.” I started walking out of the room again.
“Son, I am not done talking to you,” he shouted once more. I turned around. I wasn’t going to deal with this any more.
“Listen, old man, I’m here for one reason and one reason alone and I do not….”
“I know why you’re here, boy,” he said, smiling, his mental patient eyes dancing crazily.
“No, you don’t. I’m here because…”
“You’re here because reality doesn’t suit you. You’re here because there was something out there that you just couldn’t deal with. Something that told you that being in here was a better idea. Well, now you’re here. Are you fucking happy now?” And he laughed. He laughed long and hard. And then he choked and coughed. I took the opportunity to leave.
As I stepped in to the bathroom and began to strip down, there was one thought going through my mind, over and over. I need to get out of here.
“We’ve got you set up in Room 3. Your roommate is in there right now. You might want to go say hi to him and make friends.” He grabbed a bag from behind the desk and handed it to me. “Here’s the bag your dad left. Now, listen, we’ve got about thirty minutes till dinner. You might want to grab a shower. There’s a bathroom right next to your room. Just lock the door when you get inside so you don’t get any unwelcome visitors. Some of our patients tend to…..wander. Stay out of trouble, Kevin. I’ll see you at dinner.” He patted me on the back and I started walking in the direction of the dorm rooms.
I located Room 3 easily enough. It was at the end of the hall. Strangely, there was no Room 1 or 2. I walked in to the room and surveyed my new home away from the street. It consisted of white walls, wooden beds, plastic covered mattresses, a couple of dressers for clothes, and a writing desk in between the beds. There were also two closet-like structures next to each bed. The room was normal enough. Then I noticed my roommate. He was asleep.
He looked to be about seventy or so. He was sound asleep, but his breathing didn’t sound normal. He wheezed every now and then and he didn’t seem to be comfortable because every minute or so he would mumble to himself. This would definitely be an interesting stay, considering all of my previous problems.
I started putting my clothes away. As I was sorting through the bag, I noticed a few things that I hadn’t expected. For one, there was a bible inside. No huge surprise, I guess my dad wanted me to keep things in perspective. Secondly, there was a deck of cards. I had never been any huge card player, but I guess dad figured I’d need something to pass my time. And lastly, there was a picture. It was a picture of my parents, Amy, and Christian. I turned the picture over. Written on the back was a small note from Dad, “You’ll be joining us soon.” Man, what a positive thinker.
I carefully positioned everything in my dresser, and got ready to take my shower. As I was walking out the door to the bathroom, I heard a voice behind me mumble something unintelligible. I paused for a second, then kept walking.
“Young man, come here!” my roommate’s voice interrupted me as I was stepping out of the room.
“What?” I asked, surprised to hear words coming out of this old man’s mouth, let alone forceful ones.
“When I talk to you, you listen! Got it?” he practically shouted at me. I could see his face now. It was your typical, old, white, craggy-featured, unshaven, mental patient face. I felt annoyed that I had to be stuck with what I was sure had to be a bigot.
“Can I help you with something, sir?” Politeness was the best idea at the moment. Fighting was not going to get me anywhere.
“Do NOT come in to this room when I am sleeping, do you understand me?” His eyes were wild and crazy. Why did I have to get stuck with a guy like this? Still, I was determined not to get in to a fight with him.
“I’ll try not to, sir.” I started walking out of the room again.
“Son, I am not done talking to you,” he shouted once more. I turned around. I wasn’t going to deal with this any more.
“Listen, old man, I’m here for one reason and one reason alone and I do not….”
“I know why you’re here, boy,” he said, smiling, his mental patient eyes dancing crazily.
“No, you don’t. I’m here because…”
“You’re here because reality doesn’t suit you. You’re here because there was something out there that you just couldn’t deal with. Something that told you that being in here was a better idea. Well, now you’re here. Are you fucking happy now?” And he laughed. He laughed long and hard. And then he choked and coughed. I took the opportunity to leave.
As I stepped in to the bathroom and began to strip down, there was one thought going through my mind, over and over. I need to get out of here.