Are You Alright Mister Lawrence?

by James Alexander

  Chapter 4

  “Is your arm feeling better Mister Lawrence?”

  “Shirley.” Mister Lawrence said. “They called you up here?”

  “Well, no Mister Lawrence. I couldn’t help but to come up here this morning so I could check up on you.”

  “I am doing just fine.” Mister Lawrence said before sitting up and starting to stretch. “I… I..”

  “What’s wrong Mister Lawrence?”

  “These are my arms. These are my covers. You’re standing by the bed. That’s the door hanging open. Those are the walls around us.”

  “You’re right about all those things except the door is closed.”

  “Is that a hallway outside the door?”

  “Yes Mister Lawrence. I know that you’re not familiar with this hospital. That’s why I brought your walking stick. I also came because I have to see if we can get you to Ferguson on time or if I have to schedule a later appointment.”

  “I’m not trying to figure out what’s around me. I can notice what’s there.”

  “You are still having that dream… Mister Lawrence. That dream has gotten you in a lot of trouble.”

  “Excuse me for barging in like this but I have good news for you Mister Lawrence.” The doctor said.

  “What is it?” Mister Lawrence asked.

  “I called Ferguson and you do not need your checkup. We just compared notes. All you have to do is pick up the information for your next prescription.

  “Good. Now all we have to do is get that slip and be on our way.” Shirley said.

  “Wait. What about the psychologist visit?” The doctor asked.

  “I didn’t get to tell her about it yet.” Mister Lawrence replied.

  “You were going to see a psychologist at Ferguson. I didn’t know they had psychologist there.” Shirley said.

  “They do. A good friend of mine actually. He only had an early morning appointment and will be ready when you arrive.” The doctor said.

  _______

  Later at Ferguson Medical Center…

  “Hello Mister Lawrence… What happened to your arm? You didn’t have those bandages during your last checkup.”

  “Well Misty. I was hit by a lift bus yesterday.”

  “Oh my Mister Lawrence. That is just so sad. I hope you feeling better.” Misty said.

  “Don’t let these bandages fool you. I feel just fine.”

  “Did the doctor leave his prescription with you or do we have to go back there and get it from him?” Shirley asked.

  “I have the slip right here Shirley mam. And there seems to be a note attached to it.

  “His writing is so hard to read. It looks like Miss Lauren has a ointment wit Parcel Waggington but I can assume this is an appoint with Darryl Washington our psychologist.” Misty said.

  “When I was in the hospital, the doctor told me Mister Washington was the best psychologist at Ferguson.” Mister Lawrence said.

  “That’s a good one. He is not the best. He is the only. Darryl is ready for you right now by the way. You can just have a seat over there Shirley mam. He wanted to see Mister Lawrence alone.”

  “Can I at least walk him to the office? How will he get back?”

  “Everything will be taken care of, just relax yourself.” Misty said.

  “Oh alright. I will see you later then Mister Lawrence.”

  “Come with me.” Misty said. “I will guide you. Maybe not as well as Shirley can but we will get there.”

  “It’s like a maze back here with all these turns. I’m so used to stepping through the first door that I never realized how much space is actually back here. How do you get around so easily?” Mister Lawrence said.

  “I don’t. You may not realize it but I’m lost right now.” Misty replied.

  “What!”

  “I’m just kidding. Darryl’s office is right around this next corner here. He can walk you to the front if you don’t think you’ll make it.” Misty said before leaving.

  “Mister Lawrence… I can tell by the way you turned your head that I am speaking to he. Come on in. My friend told me so much about you.” Darryl said.

  “Hey Mister Washington. How are you?”

  “Please. Call me Darryl. You can have a seat on the couch to your right.”

  “What did the doctor say about me?” Mister Lawrence asked before he sat on the couch.

  “He told me that you have a reoccurring dream influencing your actions and interrupting your normal thought pattern.”

  “That sounds about right; at least I think so.”

  “Tell me Mister Lawrence. What is this dream about? What happens?”

  “In the dream, I’m a young child. I know this because I walk into the kitchen and bump my head on the table. After that, I fall on my behind and then my mom walks into the kitchen and rubs her hand on my forehead. And that’s it.”

  “What makes this dream so special to you that it’s disrupting your day to day life?”

  “The first time I had the dream my mom stood out from the darkness. After each night, more things began to stand out; even while I’m awake, I can notice where people and things are.”

  “Don’t you already have ways of figuring out what’s around you— like using your walking stick to guide you as you move about and remembering what is there?”

  “I do but since things have been standing out, I don’t have to use my walking stick all the time. I can notice what I’m walking near. Like this couch. When you told me where the couch was, it stood out from the darkness and I walked to it. It was closer to me than I thought because my leg hit the actual couch before I made it to where I thought I noticed it. After I sat on the couch it changed from what I thought was there too.”

  “What do you mean by stand out from the darkness? You have stated that many times now but I cannot comprehend.”

  “I can’t explain it. I just know things and people are starting to stand out from what I normally see which is total darkness.”

  “Interesting. I have a question. It may seem simple but you never know when a simple question can bring up a painful memory hiding in the deep recesses of the mind. So, if you want to answer, when did you lose your sight Mister Lawrence?”

  “I was about four years old. It was some disease that I can’t recall at the moment. When my mom found out about it, she would keep it dark in the rooms I walked into so I could learn my way around. I don’t remember seeing anything other than darkness from those times so I don’t know what I’m experiencing right now.”

  “Your mom stood out. And first before anything else. You notice these things while awake. You lost your sight at four but only remember darkness. Tell me. How did your mom make you feel?”

  “She was always there for me. At least when she could. She had to work many jobs to support us since my dad left her after she was pregnant with me. She would always say, ‘No child of mine gonna be looked down at because he can’t see.’ She would let me do or try just about anything I wanted to get involved with. It was hard for me to get any good friends where we grew up at so I spent most of my time with her. Or when I did get some friends, their parents did not let them hang over my place because they said my mom was too ghetto. She would always tell me that she never understood how I ended up being so mild mannered. Especially with the family that I grew up around. She would say that I ‘don’t give a’, well you know what, ‘about a problem I can’t see’. I don’t mean to keep rambling on like this but basically my mom has always been there for me. Even before she died. We would talk on the phone each day.”

  “When did she die?”

  “Just over a week ago.”

  “Is that when you started having this dream?”

  “I’ve only had this dream for a few days now. It was after the repass when I started having it. I was talking to Shirley, my caretaker, and I told her how it just hit me, at that moment, that I will never know how my mom actually looked. I know how she feels. I know how she sounds. I know how she
smells. But not how she looked.”

  “You said that she stood out from the darkness in your dream. Could you describe how?”

  “It’s strange but at first she stood out all over in the same way. The next night, the table stood out all over but in a different way compared to how she stood out. Then just last night, her shirt stood out from where her pants would be and her shoes from where her pants would stop. Her facial features and hair also stood out more noticeably.”

  “You really don’t know do you?”

  “Know what?”

  “I’ve been trying to see if you do but you have no idea.”

  “No idea about what?”

  “Hold on, just one moment Mister Lawrence. I need to get Chrystal. She is an eye doctor here and I need to ask her something before I can tell you what I believe is happening with you. I will be gone for just a few minutes.” Darryl said before phoning Chrystal’s office to ask her to meet outside his office.

  __________

  [… … … and that’s why I called you here.] Darryl whispered.

  {You know that reporter will be here today. This sounds interesting and all but I don’t have time for this right now. I should be gathering my notes so I can explain the details of how I helped out that kid for his news story tonight. Are you sure about what you think this guy is seeing?} Chrystal whispered.

  [I’m telling you, that must be it.] Darryl whispered.

  {How? He does not recall seeing anything. He said so himself. All he knows is darkness.

  “Hello there. You must be Mister Lawrence. My name is Chrystal.” She said as they entered the room.

  “Darryl here was just telling me how he believes your mind is developing the ability to see color so that you can remember what your late mother looks like. Does this sound like what’s happening?”

  “I don’t know. I have no idea what color or my mom or anything looks like.” Mister Lawrence answered.

  “See. He doesn’t know. Now can I get back to my office?”

  “Hold on Chrystal...

  “Mister Lawrence. You said things and people have begun to stand out differently. About how many vastly different ways do things and people stand out?” Darryl said.

  “Well. At first my mom stood out all over in the same way. Then the table stood out in a different way. But after going through this for a few days now. Things are starting to stand out in about five or six vastly different ways. Of those different ways that they are standing out, there have been many different, let’s call them variations, of the differences that I have noticed standing out from the darkness.”

  “I see why you called me in. Mister Lawrence. Do you still see any darkness?” Chrystal asked.

  “Only when I’m somewhere unfamiliar. I can only notice people standing out before I get to know what’s around me.”

  “Do you think this is color?” Darryl asked.

  “I would need time to ask some questions of my own and to perform some test. With that I can help him try to understand what he may be actually seeing in his dream. From what I was told, the relationship you had with your mom was special and means a lot to you. I am not completely sure if you are seeing color but if you keep having this dream, If you keep seeing these differences while you are awake, then keep developing that ability. Do not allow anyone to convince you that nothing out of the ordinary is happing. Please keep this up so you can see her differences or whatever in your dreams. Do this please and come back to tell me what you experience tomorrow afternoon. Again, I want to believe that you are seeing color in your dreams or even right now as I speak, but I cannot come to that conclusion.”

  “I hope this visit helped you Mister Lawrence. I, well, we tried to help you fully understand your dream but whatever is going on inside your mind is unique to yourself.” Darryl said.

  “I can’t even explain how much you two have helped me. I have not had anyone try to understand what’s going on with me or have anyone believe what I have been saying about the differences I’m noticing. Thank you both.”

  “Alright then Mister Lawrence. It looks like we are done. Would you mind walking him out Chrystal?”

  “No, not at all. Right this way Mister Lawrence.” Chrystal said as they exited Darryl’s office.

  “There are a lot of turns that we have to make. I can’t even make out where we’re going anymore. ”

  “Yeah. It can get crazy back here, especially if—

  “Excuse us sir. I was walking this gentleman to the lobby. I did not mean to bump into you.” Chrystal said.

  “No problem. Hey. Maybe you can help me out right quick. I am looking for Chrystal to get the details on the story for tonight’s news broadcast.”

  “That’s me. Hold on.

  “Head through this doorway and you will be in the lobby Mister Lawrence.” Chrystal said as Mister Lawrence stepped out the hallway. “I am glad that you were able to make it today because I have another amazing story for you.” Chrystal said to the reporter.

  “You’re back Mister Lawrence. What happened in there? What did he say about your dreams or what you’ve been thinking that you notice through the day?” Shirley asked after meeting Mister Lawrence at the doorway.

  “I was told that it’s unique to myself. So I may never be able to perfectly explain what it is. I’m too tired to think anyway.”

  “Yeah. It sure has been a long day. Let’s get you to the home.”

  “There’s the table. I know it will hurt but I don’t care. I just want my mom to show up. Ouch. Hey. The differences that I noticed in you are looking more detailed. At first each different part of your body and clothes stood out in the same way all over. Is my mind trying to show me what you actually look like?”