Larry hadn't broken any bones during the accident, but he was unable to walk without a limp and complained about his hip. He was already to go back into his apartment to resume his day, but Zach insisted that they go to urgent care at the hospital. At first he was terrified that Larry would be horribly injured and the he and Zach would have to suffer the consequences, but now as he sat in the back of Zach's Tesla he understood that the consequence would be wasting a ton of time at the hospital with Larry.
He looked out the window as Zach and Larry talked in the front. Larry was explaining to Zach about the stray cat problem in the city as Zach nodded barely following along while switching the stations. He hoped Todd would be okay for awhile. Since the accident he had basically been napping the whole time and hadn't needed any walks and who knew how long they'd be gone. He had plans to see Jasmine later and maybe he'd feed Todd before that then leave him alone. If Cassie could see his dog sitting effort, she'd kill him. He used to be way better at those kinds of things. Nurturing and taking care of others, but he seemed disconnected from that as of late. Not quite seeing the purpose in any of it at the moment. Even though Todd's life and eventually Cassie (when she found out the the truth) would be harmed from his actions he was kind of glad that the attack had happened. It brought color and thrills to his life and more importantly seemed to bring Jasmine closer to him.
He thought about what they'd talk about later when they planned on investigating the house across from Johnny's. He liked asking her personal questions even though she seemed hesitant to answer sometimes and he even thought she may have lied a couple times, but she seemed to like the questions anyways. He knew the attention and thoughtfulness had charmed her and made her more trusting of him. Now that Larry seemed to be mostly fine, he had no guilt about the accident. Another bad circumstance that seemed to improve his day. This hospital journey seemed exciting to him now. Just the spontaneity he needed today.
The line at the urgent care wasn't too bad, but it still seemed to take forever. Zach left them to work in the hospital lobby and he stayed behind to wait with Larry. He looked around at the other people in the Lobby as Larry started a conversation about health insurance with a middle aged woman next to him. The kind of people here at the urgent care at this time during the week weren't too strange, yet they weren't the kind of people he would ever cross paths with during any of his errands or trips around the city. There were mostly elderly women seated around him, one with a cat on her lap. There was one woman his age who was covered in tattoos and clutched her wrist. while tapping her foot to the floor. There was also a tan overweight man pacing while talking on the phone as his 5 children played and fought with each other before him. He thought about what their lives were like, but his imagination did not carry him far. All he assumed was that they were drug addicts or lived in a trailer park. If Jasmine were with him they'd develop whole personalities and scenarios for these characters while laughing loudly to themselves.
Larry's name was called and they were brought into a separate room while they waited for the doctor to come. Larry seemed to know exactly what was wrong with him and began explaining in detail what the doctor would prescribe, but he could hardly care at all. He wished Zach was back so Larry had someone to talk to. It wasn't that he disliked Larry or thought he was annoying. He just had nothing to say to him. No motivation to learn about his life. Nothing Larry had going on interested him the slightest. With a friend beside of him he could enjoy these kind of moments feeding off the the absurd energy, but alone he just felt drained thinking about the time he was wasting or the things he had to get done. He was texting with Jasmine while Larry was talking to him. She was going to pick him up from the hospital as soon as Larry was checked out. He was sure Zach wouldn't mind that he'd be ditching him.
Eventually he told Larry he was going to the bathroom, but he decided to wander around the hospital instead. He left the urgent care section and found himself in a quieter section of the hospital. the lighting seemed less bright here and more doors were closed, even the air seemed cooler.
"Excuse me nurse" He heard a voice from one of the rooms wondering if they were talking to him.
"Yoo Hoo nurse! Can you get me some apple juice?" The voice was coming a blonde woman in her 50's. She was wearing a hospital gown and had an IV attached to her arm. The Ellen Degeneres show was playing loudly from her television.
He pointed at himself and raised his eyebrows as he entered her room.
"Sorry Miss, I don't actually work here, I'm just visiting. I could run and get you some apple juice though."
"Oh I'm sorry to disturb you, but that would be so lovely of you."
"No problem. Who's Ellen interviewing today?" He asked trying to feel less awkward.
"Oh you're a fan of Ellen too?"
"Uhh. Not really. Sometimes I'll watch with my mom though."
"Oh that's sweet of you. This deaf kid is on right now. He got ear implants recently and just heard his grandpa's voice for the first time!"
"That's touching." he said unenthused.
The woman laughed and stared intently at his face for a moment.
"I know you from somewhere, don't I? Your mannerisms are very familiar to me."
"Oh, I don't think so. I haven't lived in the area for that long." He said
"Wait! I know who you are. You were at my house once. You helped Trevor move back home after his freshman year several years back."
"Hmm, I don't know any Trevors. Maybe you're confusing me for someone else." He took a step back. Something felt off about this interaction. As if he was talking to someone with Alzheimer's. Something about talking to people like that made him uncomfortable and even if they seemed happy and content, the reminder of their failing brain and body unsettled him as if he could catch it from them like a cold even though he knew that was impossible.
The woman then said his full name. He was caught off guard by this not expecting it in the slightest. Maybe he did know her from somewhere, but he definitely didn't know her son.
"Hmm. We were friends from college?" He asked
"You were roommates freshman year at State! Trevor always spoke so highly of you. I remember you were really funny too. You kept making jokes about my dog, Rufus. He was such a dumb dog, but still really cute."
"You should call Trevor. I'm sure he'd love to catch up."
"Oh Yeah, I remember Trevor!" He lied. "Maybe Trevor and I could get dinner sometime. I really do need to catch up with him." He was really sure this woman was losing her mind. He didn't have any friends named Trevor. He didn't even know of anyone at all who was named Trevor. He thought about his freshmen year roommate, but his usually impeccable memory wasn't coming up with any connections, but he was sure it was Georgie. They lived together 3 years during college. That was how they met.
"He would love that... How are you folks doing?" She asked saying his name again. How could she have known his name he wondered.
"Pretty good." He replied staring absent mindedly at the Ellen show.
"Hey, I should really check up on my friend, It was good running in to you."
"Oh, can you please get me some apple juice first. I think there's a machine at the end of the hall. It should be free."
"Yeah, of course. I forgot."
"Thank you so much." She smiled showing all her perfectly white teeth.
He walked down the hall but couldn't find the machine she was talking about. He traveled around the neighboring floors before he found a vending machine where he purchased a minute maid apple juice. Zach had just texted him. They were actually ready to head out. He hurriedly returned to the woman's floor but everything seemed different and he had no recollection of where her room had been on the floor. The lights were now brighter, almost too bright and packs of nurses and patients walked passed him. He walked quickly down the floor looking into each room but couldn't find the crazy woman. She must be talking to a doctor he thought. Happy he didn't have to talk to her again, he took a swig of the juice and hurriedly walked towards the urgent care lobby.
He looked out the window as Zach and Larry talked in the front. Larry was explaining to Zach about the stray cat problem in the city as Zach nodded barely following along while switching the stations. He hoped Todd would be okay for awhile. Since the accident he had basically been napping the whole time and hadn't needed any walks and who knew how long they'd be gone. He had plans to see Jasmine later and maybe he'd feed Todd before that then leave him alone. If Cassie could see his dog sitting effort, she'd kill him. He used to be way better at those kinds of things. Nurturing and taking care of others, but he seemed disconnected from that as of late. Not quite seeing the purpose in any of it at the moment. Even though Todd's life and eventually Cassie (when she found out the the truth) would be harmed from his actions he was kind of glad that the attack had happened. It brought color and thrills to his life and more importantly seemed to bring Jasmine closer to him.
He thought about what they'd talk about later when they planned on investigating the house across from Johnny's. He liked asking her personal questions even though she seemed hesitant to answer sometimes and he even thought she may have lied a couple times, but she seemed to like the questions anyways. He knew the attention and thoughtfulness had charmed her and made her more trusting of him. Now that Larry seemed to be mostly fine, he had no guilt about the accident. Another bad circumstance that seemed to improve his day. This hospital journey seemed exciting to him now. Just the spontaneity he needed today.
The line at the urgent care wasn't too bad, but it still seemed to take forever. Zach left them to work in the hospital lobby and he stayed behind to wait with Larry. He looked around at the other people in the Lobby as Larry started a conversation about health insurance with a middle aged woman next to him. The kind of people here at the urgent care at this time during the week weren't too strange, yet they weren't the kind of people he would ever cross paths with during any of his errands or trips around the city. There were mostly elderly women seated around him, one with a cat on her lap. There was one woman his age who was covered in tattoos and clutched her wrist. while tapping her foot to the floor. There was also a tan overweight man pacing while talking on the phone as his 5 children played and fought with each other before him. He thought about what their lives were like, but his imagination did not carry him far. All he assumed was that they were drug addicts or lived in a trailer park. If Jasmine were with him they'd develop whole personalities and scenarios for these characters while laughing loudly to themselves.
Larry's name was called and they were brought into a separate room while they waited for the doctor to come. Larry seemed to know exactly what was wrong with him and began explaining in detail what the doctor would prescribe, but he could hardly care at all. He wished Zach was back so Larry had someone to talk to. It wasn't that he disliked Larry or thought he was annoying. He just had nothing to say to him. No motivation to learn about his life. Nothing Larry had going on interested him the slightest. With a friend beside of him he could enjoy these kind of moments feeding off the the absurd energy, but alone he just felt drained thinking about the time he was wasting or the things he had to get done. He was texting with Jasmine while Larry was talking to him. She was going to pick him up from the hospital as soon as Larry was checked out. He was sure Zach wouldn't mind that he'd be ditching him.
Eventually he told Larry he was going to the bathroom, but he decided to wander around the hospital instead. He left the urgent care section and found himself in a quieter section of the hospital. the lighting seemed less bright here and more doors were closed, even the air seemed cooler.
"Excuse me nurse" He heard a voice from one of the rooms wondering if they were talking to him.
"Yoo Hoo nurse! Can you get me some apple juice?" The voice was coming a blonde woman in her 50's. She was wearing a hospital gown and had an IV attached to her arm. The Ellen Degeneres show was playing loudly from her television.
He pointed at himself and raised his eyebrows as he entered her room.
"Sorry Miss, I don't actually work here, I'm just visiting. I could run and get you some apple juice though."
"Oh I'm sorry to disturb you, but that would be so lovely of you."
"No problem. Who's Ellen interviewing today?" He asked trying to feel less awkward.
"Oh you're a fan of Ellen too?"
"Uhh. Not really. Sometimes I'll watch with my mom though."
"Oh that's sweet of you. This deaf kid is on right now. He got ear implants recently and just heard his grandpa's voice for the first time!"
"That's touching." he said unenthused.
The woman laughed and stared intently at his face for a moment.
"I know you from somewhere, don't I? Your mannerisms are very familiar to me."
"Oh, I don't think so. I haven't lived in the area for that long." He said
"Wait! I know who you are. You were at my house once. You helped Trevor move back home after his freshman year several years back."
"Hmm, I don't know any Trevors. Maybe you're confusing me for someone else." He took a step back. Something felt off about this interaction. As if he was talking to someone with Alzheimer's. Something about talking to people like that made him uncomfortable and even if they seemed happy and content, the reminder of their failing brain and body unsettled him as if he could catch it from them like a cold even though he knew that was impossible.
The woman then said his full name. He was caught off guard by this not expecting it in the slightest. Maybe he did know her from somewhere, but he definitely didn't know her son.
"Hmm. We were friends from college?" He asked
"You were roommates freshman year at State! Trevor always spoke so highly of you. I remember you were really funny too. You kept making jokes about my dog, Rufus. He was such a dumb dog, but still really cute."
"You should call Trevor. I'm sure he'd love to catch up."
"Oh Yeah, I remember Trevor!" He lied. "Maybe Trevor and I could get dinner sometime. I really do need to catch up with him." He was really sure this woman was losing her mind. He didn't have any friends named Trevor. He didn't even know of anyone at all who was named Trevor. He thought about his freshmen year roommate, but his usually impeccable memory wasn't coming up with any connections, but he was sure it was Georgie. They lived together 3 years during college. That was how they met.
"He would love that... How are you folks doing?" She asked saying his name again. How could she have known his name he wondered.
"Pretty good." He replied staring absent mindedly at the Ellen show.
"Hey, I should really check up on my friend, It was good running in to you."
"Oh, can you please get me some apple juice first. I think there's a machine at the end of the hall. It should be free."
"Yeah, of course. I forgot."
"Thank you so much." She smiled showing all her perfectly white teeth.
He walked down the hall but couldn't find the machine she was talking about. He traveled around the neighboring floors before he found a vending machine where he purchased a minute maid apple juice. Zach had just texted him. They were actually ready to head out. He hurriedly returned to the woman's floor but everything seemed different and he had no recollection of where her room had been on the floor. The lights were now brighter, almost too bright and packs of nurses and patients walked passed him. He walked quickly down the floor looking into each room but couldn't find the crazy woman. She must be talking to a doctor he thought. Happy he didn't have to talk to her again, he took a swig of the juice and hurriedly walked towards the urgent care lobby.
