“You alright?” someone asked.
I’ll tell you, with all the loud noises in my head it sure sounded like he was whispering. I lifted my heavy head and a blurry vision formed. He stood in white something which was hard to make out.
“Sir, you want me to call someone for you?” he spoke again.
I lifted my hand to gesture a ‘no’. All I did was hit the table from below and settled my hand back. I looked up again. It was so hard to focus.
“Sir, do you have a phone?”
I shoved my hand in my pocket and pulled it out. It was still ringing. He took it from my hands and I dropped down from my chair. I hit my head and all went blank.
…
I opened my eyes. My head throbbed. I held it with both my hands. I sat up. The pain went up several notches. I hit my hands on my head thinking that would help. It didn’t.
“Arrrghhhhh!” I groaned.
I noticed movement and turned my head in that direction just in time to see someone enter my room. Somewhere behind my head a nerve twisted and the effect was a vibration throughout. I started rubbing behind my neck.
“Good afternoon.” a feminine voice said.
“Good afternoon.” a croaky voice said. Mine.
“You feeling any better?” she asked.
“If this is comparative I don’t know what was the positive degree.” my numb head said.
“What?” she was visibly confused.
He went back and brought a glass of water with some tablets. He handed them to me. I was in no state to argue or question. I took it.
“It’ll help get you sober” she smiled.
I smiled and gulped it down. It felt like something was burning like an acid inside my body. A sudden urge to pee made me straighten and try to get up.
“Rest.”
“Pee.” I pointed towards my area.
“Alright”
I got up fumbled to wear my slippers and almost slipped. She held me instinctively.
I looked up and she guided me by my shoulders to the washroom. I opened the door and started to pull down my pants along with the underwear. I peed while she held me from behind.
I turned to wash my hands and she looked away.
“Pull up your pants dude.” she said annoyed.
“Oh righty!” I smiled and did as told.
“You”re gonna rest now.” she commanded and I obeyed.
I went to my bed and pulled up my covers and my eyes closed on their own.
…
I finally woke up and from what my body ached like, after a very long sleep. I sat up in my bed. I tried to recall and all I could remember was going to the club and waking up an afternoon.
I took a shower and changed my clothes. I opened the windows and it was almost night. The sky was a very dark greyish blue with the last rays of Sun for the day going dimmer by the second.
I picked up my phone from the table and tried to switch it on. Dead. I kept it on the charging dock and Alexa declared in a voice I hated from overuse; “charging”.
I looked at the clock and it said 21:00. Looking at it I got aware of the enormous hunger evolving in my stomach. I went downstairs.
My landlady was in the kitchen with her back towards me. I could smell the delicious food, bacon was it? I love the food she cooks. She is an amazing woman. Very helpful. Helpful…
I remembered something. There was a woman, she helped me. She had a commanding voice. Who was she….
“Oh got Daniel get a grip on yourself my child.”, she said without turning.
“Is that bacon?”, I said moving towards her. Hunger taking over all my thoughts.
“Atleast your senses are working again.”, she turns and looks at me up and down.
“Why do you do it, how does it help at all, huh?”, she says like a mother.
“Where is the mustard sauce?”, I say with a strip of bacon in my mouth while I search for it.
“On the table. Stop drinking Daniel, it has never done anyone good.”
“I can’t write sober, you know that.”, I reply as I pick up the remote and switch on the TV.
“Always the same excuse, and to be honest, always the same story. She won’t come back son, you have to move on. Stop killing yourself this way.”, she says. She’s actually concerned.
I am worried too. I think I will lose myself like this, but I have too much vanity to ever claim that.
She puts a plate with a bacon wrap in front of me.
“Here. I am going now, take care you for God’s sake.” she says as she takes her apron off.
“Yourself.” I correct her while seeming to take interest in the TV show.
“Wait, did you say you’re going..” I realize all of a sudden and I turn.
“It’s Sunday, drink more and you’ll forget the month too.” she is annoyed. Anyone would be, with such a guy renting her place, but I’ve lived here so long I’m almost like a son to her. She’s like a mother to me too.
She goes to her actual son every Sunday night for a family dinner. This is the time I enjoy the most. I can do anything I want. I could have a party if I were that sort of fella or maybe a hooker if I were that sort of fella, but I am the sort of fella who would close all the doors and windows and sit down to write. In total mental peace and silence.
Actually I wasn’t a heavy drinking or a club going kind of fella either, it all changed when she left.
“Have a good time!” I say as she is almost at the door. I wave my hand.
“You too.” she smiles and closes the door behind her.