The Reader - Week 24

Holding

              Admission Summary: Andrew Larson, WM, DOB 10-21-60

Police were called to William’s Pub, “A man acting strangely”, subject had been ejected from the pub after reacting to the bouncer’s request for a cover charge. Subject insisted that the bouncer had been murdered the night before, that subject had been interviewed by police as a witness. No recorded incident of any kind in police records for the previous evening. Subject began to harangue police officers, but was incapable of making any sensible remarks. He was not considered a threat to the public, and was transferred to County Welfare agents for transport to the county medical facility for observation. Subject apparently under persecution delusions, thinking that a murder had been covered up, that his girlfriend, known only as ’Jennifer’ was being stalked and may have been abducted by a man from a former relationship. Injected 50MG Thorazine, subject became calm and was placed in holding cell to be evaluated in the morning.

Andy woke up alone, in a cell. He had had a variety of dreams, of having been arrested and given an injection, but he could not verbalize what had happened to him. He sat on the edge of the cot, his head reeling, trying to make sense of the previous 24 hours. An orderly came in with a breakfast tray: Orange juice, oatmeal, toast, and a glass of water. He couldn’t eat. After a short time, the orderly returned and took the tray, saying nothing. A guard came in and signaled that Andy should get up and follow him. Andy could barely stand, but did manage to leave the room and walk down the hall, ultimately arriving at an examination room.

The room had a desk, with three chairs on one side, and one chair on the other. Behind the chairs was a large one-way mirror. The guard motioned to the single chair. Andy grasped the table as he sat down, he felt as if he didn’t grab something he would keep going down until he hit the floor. There was a window in the room that overlooked a drab courtyard surrounded by blank walls. After a short wait, three men holding notebooks and wearing lab coats entered the room and sat down opposite Andy.

“Good Morning, Mr. Larson. How are you feeling?” said the man on Andy’s left.

Andy could think of what to say, but was unable to talk. He made a sign with his hands as if he were writing with a pencil.

“Can you tell us your name?” said the man in the center.

Andy shook his head and repeated his pencil movements.

“I’m sorry, it is not possible to give you writing tools at this time,“ said the third man, “We’ll meet again, tomorrow, you might be able to talk then.”

And the left the room. The guard came in and brought Andy back to his cell and locked the door.

Andy began to cry.

The Reader is serial fiction, published every Friday