Room no. 203
Life is like a game of Tic Tac Toe, just a fixed set of intersections and a limited number of options at times alternates. If you are lucky you would be facing some one dumb; if you are not they'll be facing someone dumb that's all there is to it. Intersections, options, and luck versus alternates and must I add there are no heroes just convicts and villains or as they call it 'Those that are caught and those that are not.'
Our Main character, wait! before that, protagonists are just too overrated there is a person of interest and that's that. [Jermaine, why because that's the name of my favourite rapper,] This is a story about Jermaine and how his life is a plot twist, [well doctors would later on decide to diagnose it as schizophrenia but that's just an elaborate word for people in lab coats isn't it. Well I love to believe so, anyway.]
Our Jermaine is your ordinary run of the mill- cog in the machine-born in the middle class: just the right amount of problems; just the right amount of education; and just the right amount of exposure, or as they say kg at 3, grade 1 at 5, grade 5 at 10, grade 10 at 15, grade 12 at 17, graduated 20, Masters are 22, and unemployed thereafter.
oh and I forgot to mention just the right amount Spice that is all the regular nasty/ cringy things in between too like--
[Before proceeding I would like to mention I love Bullet points and subheadings and where was I oh] 'the right amount of Spice'
1 domestic conflict
2 estranged parents
3 middle class economy
4 experiment with masturbation
5 the birds and the Bees
6 Bullying
7 delinquent syndrome
a)experimental smoking till he gets caught
b)fake tattoos
c)probably a piercing
8 and every other relatable thing
[Before proceeding I would like to mention I love Bullet points and subheadings and where was I oh] 'the right amount of Spice'
1 domestic conflict
2 estranged parents
3 middle class economy
4 experiment with masturbation
5 the birds and the Bees
6 Bullying
7 delinquent syndrome
a)experimental smoking till he gets caught
b)fake tattoos
c)probably a piercing
8 and every other relatable thing
You see our boy Jermaine was wholesomely typical: a secret sketch artist with box full of ‘her’ who happened to be his life long crush who would eventually crush his hopes at prom and if it's any consolation would become his best friend for life, the kind she doesn't hesitate to introduce to her parents.
[Now as I mentioned I straight God damn love subheadings and so here goes nothing:-]
[Now as I mentioned I straight God damn love subheadings and so here goes nothing:-]
1. A Rejection at prom.
Having invested years and years of time, money, hopes, efforts, resources, contacts, connections, and dreams all he ultimate got was a big fat no and what does he do? something what any average 15 year old would: to get depressed and low; down in the dumps syndrome;[ as I would like to call it.] spend the next 2 years in misery change schools for +2 cut off all ties, destroy all mutual contacts, yet reserve few souvenirs, go down the emo track mix into bad crowd, do experimental drugs/ smoking, get the occasional fake tattoos... well that might be escalating it a bit too much but you know he did do all of the usual stuff write poetry at the beginning, stalk, propose, get rejected, do self harm blah blah if not all necessary in the same order. Because there's always that one girl isn't it, always that one spicy, adorable minx.
Having invested years and years of time, money, hopes, efforts, resources, contacts, connections, and dreams all he ultimate got was a big fat no and what does he do? something what any average 15 year old would: to get depressed and low; down in the dumps syndrome;[ as I would like to call it.] spend the next 2 years in misery change schools for +2 cut off all ties, destroy all mutual contacts, yet reserve few souvenirs, go down the emo track mix into bad crowd, do experimental drugs/ smoking, get the occasional fake tattoos... well that might be escalating it a bit too much but you know he did do all of the usual stuff write poetry at the beginning, stalk, propose, get rejected, do self harm blah blah if not all necessary in the same order. Because there's always that one girl isn't it, always that one spicy, adorable minx.
2. The boy at the bridge.
Our story's first scene begins with a boy in the dead of a winter's night. Families traveling all over town for Christmas and all Institutions closing for the final week celebrations. Draped in his late father's long Khaki coloured over coat Jermaine sneaks out of the house and heads towards the bridge, [what was the name again, ugh nevermind he was too drunk to remember the name anyway.] He sits on the bridge's ledge with a new bottle of alcohol,[ mind you while he was already drunk,] with a bundle of album-size photographs and a catalogues full of sketches with their last pages full of poetry, singing the carol with unnoticed tears and skimming through his collection of all the souvenirs he has of her. The night deepens more the distinct merry making noise eventually dying out as people have gone home. He throws every item in his collection while recalling one specific memory for each, into the gushing frigid waters down under. Some time passes on the freezing chill presses on as the night descends further into darkness and his sobs almost incoherent. Later with all his souvenirs flushed into the water below he stands on the ledge thinking 'how theres always a woman behind every man whether successful or otherwise, always' just before he is ready to jump he meets an oldie..
Our story's first scene begins with a boy in the dead of a winter's night. Families traveling all over town for Christmas and all Institutions closing for the final week celebrations. Draped in his late father's long Khaki coloured over coat Jermaine sneaks out of the house and heads towards the bridge, [what was the name again, ugh nevermind he was too drunk to remember the name anyway.] He sits on the bridge's ledge with a new bottle of alcohol,[ mind you while he was already drunk,] with a bundle of album-size photographs and a catalogues full of sketches with their last pages full of poetry, singing the carol with unnoticed tears and skimming through his collection of all the souvenirs he has of her. The night deepens more the distinct merry making noise eventually dying out as people have gone home. He throws every item in his collection while recalling one specific memory for each, into the gushing frigid waters down under. Some time passes on the freezing chill presses on as the night descends further into darkness and his sobs almost incoherent. Later with all his souvenirs flushed into the water below he stands on the ledge thinking 'how theres always a woman behind every man whether successful or otherwise, always' just before he is ready to jump he meets an oldie..
3. Chaotic Christmas
[Another introduction coming up] Dr Cole, world's most renowned psychologist and philanthropist three times Nominee of the Nobel Prize for actions towards helping humanity, on his latest visit to his daughter's home for the festivities; heads out at around 2:30 past midnight for a walk partially to digest the food and completely to avoid his son in law's face. Wandering the streets the old man digs his hands deeper into the pockets of his lined coat. A barely audible hum escaping his nose and ear phones playing an old '70s country song inadvertently he finds himself near a bridge which itself was rebuilt around the same time. The bridge was iconicly relocated in '71 almost four decades ago when he had just graduated well this was his penultimate year of his life before he would retire his old bones, at least legally. While walking aimlessly as far away from his useless son-in-law he walks further on the bridge recalling the last time he was here in such a freezing night. Thinking about it well, back then the bridge was at a different place anyway and now so Is he. Just when he is about to head back he notices a lad on the edge of the bridge's ledge clearly inebriated and intoxicated on extreme emotional circumstances. "Shit.. have to be a good samaritan again!" He murmurs under his breath as he approaches the kid "Not planning on jumping now are we?", He enquires while secretly sending out an SOS for his location from his phone. The boy stares at the man while visibly drunk and asks, "Yeah! Any problem with that? oldie."
[Another introduction coming up] Dr Cole, world's most renowned psychologist and philanthropist three times Nominee of the Nobel Prize for actions towards helping humanity, on his latest visit to his daughter's home for the festivities; heads out at around 2:30 past midnight for a walk partially to digest the food and completely to avoid his son in law's face. Wandering the streets the old man digs his hands deeper into the pockets of his lined coat. A barely audible hum escaping his nose and ear phones playing an old '70s country song inadvertently he finds himself near a bridge which itself was rebuilt around the same time. The bridge was iconicly relocated in '71 almost four decades ago when he had just graduated well this was his penultimate year of his life before he would retire his old bones, at least legally. While walking aimlessly as far away from his useless son-in-law he walks further on the bridge recalling the last time he was here in such a freezing night. Thinking about it well, back then the bridge was at a different place anyway and now so Is he. Just when he is about to head back he notices a lad on the edge of the bridge's ledge clearly inebriated and intoxicated on extreme emotional circumstances. "Shit.. have to be a good samaritan again!" He murmurs under his breath as he approaches the kid "Not planning on jumping now are we?", He enquires while secretly sending out an SOS for his location from his phone. The boy stares at the man while visibly drunk and asks, "Yeah! Any problem with that? oldie."
4. Generation gap
"You know I was once on the same Bridge, but clearly it wasn't here back then." "What are you on about, oldie? so the bridge just magically moved for me this time? How convenient!", The boy scoffs at Dr Cole. "Let me guess girl trouble, that's what I was here for.. anyway, well that's how I remember it. It's been more than 4 decades since."
"Girl trouble? For you?" "Well I'd love to reiterate but come down from the ledge at least, okay? "Yeah.. whatever.", His voice trailing, the boy mumbles as he climbs down the ledge this time both of them with their backs against the railing of the bridge. The boy inquires "Well are you gonna tell me or not?" and they both love for the first time that night albeit with some inhibition.
"You know I was once on the same Bridge, but clearly it wasn't here back then." "What are you on about, oldie? so the bridge just magically moved for me this time? How convenient!", The boy scoffs at Dr Cole. "Let me guess girl trouble, that's what I was here for.. anyway, well that's how I remember it. It's been more than 4 decades since."
"Girl trouble? For you?" "Well I'd love to reiterate but come down from the ledge at least, okay? "Yeah.. whatever.", His voice trailing, the boy mumbles as he climbs down the ledge this time both of them with their backs against the railing of the bridge. The boy inquires "Well are you gonna tell me or not?" and they both love for the first time that night albeit with some inhibition.
"Well it's not quite that much you see I too was quite drunk that night and an old miserable sack of bones happened to pass by much similar to us I suppose" they laugh again, this time the boy seemingly more entranced by the old man's tale. The old man, Dr Cole kept telling whatever came to his mind literally just stalling till the police arrived with the medic team and constantly checking the time on his phone. "Yo oldie! what happened next?" the old man just sighed and for the lack of a better means just kept narrating his own life story since then his first rejection, his own Bridge encounter, then his bold come back, that typical rags to rich story. His new piqued interest in mental health, about his honours and accolades; literally just about everything to keep the lad from leaving. Seeing how he was still drinking from the huge bottle to make sure the story seemed interesting even breaking client confidentiality he narrated how he put in asylum his career's most iconic subject who was diagnosed with [split/]multiple personality disorder, Schizophrenia and Bipolar disorder.
5. Subject of interest.
"Damn dude! sounds interesting what was his name?" "Well that's interesting alright, because I share my name with him but I can't tell you that now can I? He is protected by client confidentiality."
"Come on!", The boy starts to get frustrated "Fine at least tell me your name.", The boy poorly fails at winking. "Not my first name surely though, I suppose I could tell you our shared middle name its 'Lammar' with a double m."
"Wow, how cringy, guess whose middle name is Lammar too no kidding huh?" Though the boy's face was half covered with the oversized jacket he was sure the kid was just poking him to tell the full name so he pointed it out
"No petty tricks young man you're quite clever to think of something like that while so drunk, perhaps you should get over this girl and seriously think about a career in public speaking or counselling yourself, eh?" the boy clicks his tongue "What's the price of honesty these days damn!" They sit silently for a while then the boy asks "Anyway why would you take up this damn cause? people like me mustn't be that entertaining right?"
"The thing is when I left the bridge and woke up the next morning I learnt the most wonderful news. After knowing about my failed attempt that girl, presently my 57 year old "Missus" thank you, finally said yes! And I realised I would've missed it had I not been alive that's when I decided to make sure no one stops today and everyone wakes up to see tomorrow!", taking perhaps the longest sip and listening to the long winded old man the boy finally says and "Here I thought your old fogey gave you some pretty decent advice unlike yourself." the boy smirks.
They laugh for the third time that night, this time genuinely, and Dr Cole says "Well lad, he wasn't much good either but since I was pretty heavily drunk myself, I just remember him being late for something, he continuously kept checking his watch and that we laughed four times that night." "I guess much like how you keep checking your phone, is it?" The boy jested, "Oh my, yes yes!" They laugh again.
"Damn dude! sounds interesting what was his name?" "Well that's interesting alright, because I share my name with him but I can't tell you that now can I? He is protected by client confidentiality."
"Come on!", The boy starts to get frustrated "Fine at least tell me your name.", The boy poorly fails at winking. "Not my first name surely though, I suppose I could tell you our shared middle name its 'Lammar' with a double m."
"Wow, how cringy, guess whose middle name is Lammar too no kidding huh?" Though the boy's face was half covered with the oversized jacket he was sure the kid was just poking him to tell the full name so he pointed it out
"No petty tricks young man you're quite clever to think of something like that while so drunk, perhaps you should get over this girl and seriously think about a career in public speaking or counselling yourself, eh?" the boy clicks his tongue "What's the price of honesty these days damn!" They sit silently for a while then the boy asks "Anyway why would you take up this damn cause? people like me mustn't be that entertaining right?"
"The thing is when I left the bridge and woke up the next morning I learnt the most wonderful news. After knowing about my failed attempt that girl, presently my 57 year old "Missus" thank you, finally said yes! And I realised I would've missed it had I not been alive that's when I decided to make sure no one stops today and everyone wakes up to see tomorrow!", taking perhaps the longest sip and listening to the long winded old man the boy finally says and "Here I thought your old fogey gave you some pretty decent advice unlike yourself." the boy smirks.
They laugh for the third time that night, this time genuinely, and Dr Cole says "Well lad, he wasn't much good either but since I was pretty heavily drunk myself, I just remember him being late for something, he continuously kept checking his watch and that we laughed four times that night." "I guess much like how you keep checking your phone, is it?" The boy jested, "Oh my, yes yes!" They laugh again.
6. Crafty old fool.
Sounds blare in the distance and Jermaine freaks out he takes in a final huge chug and throws the bottles down the river before the sounds of the sirens come closer "Blast it! Why are the cops headed this way?" He stands up to run but cartoonically without even Dr Cole having to do anything he trips over his own leg and falls down, knocking himself unconscious.
"Well that was pathetic.", Remarks Dr cole. The police and the medics stop by just in time.
"Are you by any chance Dr Cole? the officer enquiries "We received an SOS from your mobile but could not come sooner due to the Christmas congestion" "Yeah that's me alright Dr Cole says "This lad was trying to jump off I was just keeping him company while you arrive he's tripped himself just now could you look at it please?", He gestured to the medic who rushed over immediately.
Riding shotgun in the police car getting a lift back home with the boy in the medic's lap in the backseat Dr Cole thinks back to his own past: 'how he had woken up the next day in the police holding' 'his wife's [then girlfriend] heartfelt confession inside the precinct which led to a lighter sentence overall' and 'how he got out with just community service for a church where she too went' he smiled and suddenly started laughing. "Oh oh so that's why he was checking the clock must have called the cops on me too back then.. and here I was thinking all this time how he could leave me to freeze out there, and have a petrol car brought me in, that sly bastard!?" He murmurs to himself.
"Everything alright sir?", The officer and the medic ask "It's fine the lad just made me realize something.", the officer smiles "You know what sir, this reminds me of a story my dad once told me of how he once picked an old man and a stray on a Christmas night much like yourself and the lad, honestly it's one of the things that inspired me to be a cop in the first place!"
"Nice, we're just around the corner... yes, stop right here." "Sure things Sir" the police car parks in front of his daughters house just as the front door opens with his daughter coming out to finally look for him she runs seeing her father step out of a police vehicle "Where were you? What are you doing outside? Why you're in a police car? what and who is the drunk chap in the backseat?" "Wait-wait, it's alright, its alright, don't panic calm down. Its ok." turning towards the officer and the medic "Why don't you both come in for a glass of wine?" "Thanks for the offer we're still on duty also I have a parcel to drop off at the precinct" pointing back side to the boy in the medics lap. The medic shrugs.
"Sure thing!" Dr Cole replies
Sounds blare in the distance and Jermaine freaks out he takes in a final huge chug and throws the bottles down the river before the sounds of the sirens come closer "Blast it! Why are the cops headed this way?" He stands up to run but cartoonically without even Dr Cole having to do anything he trips over his own leg and falls down, knocking himself unconscious.
"Well that was pathetic.", Remarks Dr cole. The police and the medics stop by just in time.
"Are you by any chance Dr Cole? the officer enquiries "We received an SOS from your mobile but could not come sooner due to the Christmas congestion" "Yeah that's me alright Dr Cole says "This lad was trying to jump off I was just keeping him company while you arrive he's tripped himself just now could you look at it please?", He gestured to the medic who rushed over immediately.
Riding shotgun in the police car getting a lift back home with the boy in the medic's lap in the backseat Dr Cole thinks back to his own past: 'how he had woken up the next day in the police holding' 'his wife's [then girlfriend] heartfelt confession inside the precinct which led to a lighter sentence overall' and 'how he got out with just community service for a church where she too went' he smiled and suddenly started laughing. "Oh oh so that's why he was checking the clock must have called the cops on me too back then.. and here I was thinking all this time how he could leave me to freeze out there, and have a petrol car brought me in, that sly bastard!?" He murmurs to himself.
"Everything alright sir?", The officer and the medic ask "It's fine the lad just made me realize something.", the officer smiles "You know what sir, this reminds me of a story my dad once told me of how he once picked an old man and a stray on a Christmas night much like yourself and the lad, honestly it's one of the things that inspired me to be a cop in the first place!"
"Nice, we're just around the corner... yes, stop right here." "Sure things Sir" the police car parks in front of his daughters house just as the front door opens with his daughter coming out to finally look for him she runs seeing her father step out of a police vehicle "Where were you? What are you doing outside? Why you're in a police car? what and who is the drunk chap in the backseat?" "Wait-wait, it's alright, its alright, don't panic calm down. Its ok." turning towards the officer and the medic "Why don't you both come in for a glass of wine?" "Thanks for the offer we're still on duty also I have a parcel to drop off at the precinct" pointing back side to the boy in the medics lap. The medic shrugs.
"Sure thing!" Dr Cole replies
7. Same place last time.
"Hey! hey! Officer!" Dr Cole yells before the car leaves "Were you able to ID the boy?" "Why yes, we found a library card with his face on it, it says Mr Jermaine Lammar Cole. Wow you both have the same last name." The old man freezes. "Is that all?" the old man barely waves his hand and the police car drives out of view
same name
same Bridge
both because of a girl
both went to police station
both times laughed four times
A drop of cold sweat forms on his forehead "Dad! Dad! Whatsup?" his daughter shakes him. Dr Jermaine Lammar Cole faints.
"Hey! hey! Officer!" Dr Cole yells before the car leaves "Were you able to ID the boy?" "Why yes, we found a library card with his face on it, it says Mr Jermaine Lammar Cole. Wow you both have the same last name." The old man freezes. "Is that all?" the old man barely waves his hand and the police car drives out of view
same name
same Bridge
both because of a girl
both went to police station
both times laughed four times
A drop of cold sweat forms on his forehead "Dad! Dad! Whatsup?" his daughter shakes him. Dr Jermaine Lammar Cole faints.
8. Room number 203
"Yes doctor, Mr Cole was having an epileptic episode again last night. yes sir, we have kept him in the straight jacket for now. He is showing signs of advanced histeria and early signs of dementia. No sir, not yet, I will contact you once we have finished the tests. Yes sir. Have a good day!", 'beep' the attender cuts the call and enters the room "Wake up Mr Cole. Good morning, how are you feeling today? Do you remember what happened last night? You gave us quite the scare then."
He gradually wakes up in a strange facility. 'Wait isn't this where a patient is supposed to be admitted in?' I looked down at my hands They are in a straight jacket "What the f*** what am I doing in this bed!"
The nurse calls the guards "Please hold Mr Cole carefully let him not go into another attack I think he thinks he is a doctor again!" the guards smile nervously and hold him down "Let! Me! Go! I said let me go! Out! it's a misunderstanding! I shouldn't be here!" "Oh who are you supposed to be then?" the nurse asks "What do you mean who? I am Dr Jermaine Lammar Cole! This is a misunderstanding"
"I will show you this, it's already the fifth time this month Mr Cole. let me repeat what the doctor has advised me to read out to you, again. Please listen and reflect on this carefully. This was written by the doctor himself: ‘The bridge was 45 years ago. You fell and hit your head on the pavement. Then suffered a severe head injury and trauma. You are already physically fine now. You are safe here. Your name is Henry Cole. You just share the last name with me your doctor because I am your younger brother who is looking after you ever since. I am Dr Jermaine Lammar Cole.’"
"Yes doctor, Mr Cole was having an epileptic episode again last night. yes sir, we have kept him in the straight jacket for now. He is showing signs of advanced histeria and early signs of dementia. No sir, not yet, I will contact you once we have finished the tests. Yes sir. Have a good day!", 'beep' the attender cuts the call and enters the room "Wake up Mr Cole. Good morning, how are you feeling today? Do you remember what happened last night? You gave us quite the scare then."
He gradually wakes up in a strange facility. 'Wait isn't this where a patient is supposed to be admitted in?' I looked down at my hands They are in a straight jacket "What the f*** what am I doing in this bed!"
The nurse calls the guards "Please hold Mr Cole carefully let him not go into another attack I think he thinks he is a doctor again!" the guards smile nervously and hold him down "Let! Me! Go! I said let me go! Out! it's a misunderstanding! I shouldn't be here!" "Oh who are you supposed to be then?" the nurse asks "What do you mean who? I am Dr Jermaine Lammar Cole! This is a misunderstanding"
"I will show you this, it's already the fifth time this month Mr Cole. let me repeat what the doctor has advised me to read out to you, again. Please listen and reflect on this carefully. This was written by the doctor himself: ‘The bridge was 45 years ago. You fell and hit your head on the pavement. Then suffered a severe head injury and trauma. You are already physically fine now. You are safe here. Your name is Henry Cole. You just share the last name with me your doctor because I am your younger brother who is looking after you ever since. I am Dr Jermaine Lammar Cole.’"
Hallucinations of Room no. 203 By Mudassir Mohsin Jowher
mudassirjowher@gmail.com
facebook.com/mr.jowher
instagram.com/mudassirmohsin
mudassirjowher@gmail.com
facebook.com/mr.jowher
instagram.com/mudassirmohsin
Woow!great ending :)
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it please subscribe to get more such content
DeleteExtraordinary.!!
ReplyDeleteHopefully there will be more of these coming soon
Eagerly waiting
..