‹ Prequel: Give 'Em Hell, Kid
This Is How I Disappear
Eight
After telling Gerard about my mom I decided to visit her the next day. I hadn’t visited her in a while and thought I should check up on her. I took a cab to Rush University Medical Center where she was admitted.
“I’m here to see Linda Iero” I said to the lady behind the reception desk.
“Which deparment is she in?”
“The Department of Psychiatry”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, I don’t”
“I’m sorry, you need to have an appointment”
“Come on, she’s my mother. I need to see her”
“Okay, I’ll call the Department of Psychiatry and ask if she’s available”
“Thank you”
She picked up the phone and dialled a number asking for Dr. Jenkins.
“Hi, I have a young man here who’s asking for Mrs. Iero, is she available? No, he doesn’t have an appointment. Well, he’s very consistent. Okay, I’ll tell him. Bye Dr. Jenkins”
“So?”
“She’s in her room”
“I can see her?”
“Yes, you can”
To be honest, I hate being at that hospital. Seeing all the people in pain, both adults and children always makes me wonder if my mother actually belongs there.
Walking down the hallway down to her room I heard screaming. Not just from one room, almost all of them. People yelling they don’t want medication, people resisting being tied to the bed and so on. It was horrible and gave me the creeps, ugh.
“Frankie!” my mom exclaimed as I walked through the door.
“Hi mom” I hugged her.
“I was wondering when you were coming to visit me, you haven’t been here in ages, honey”
“I know, I’m sorry”
“Don’t worry about it, it’s fine. How are you doing, sweetie?”
“I’m holding up”
“What about Gerard, is he still drinking?”
“No, he’s actually doing really well. He’s moved in with me here in Chicago, he was so miserable I didn’t know what else to do”
“That’s good…” She hesitated for a moment.
“But?”
“No but, I’m just worried. Not just about him, but you too. You’ve taken Helena’s death so badly, Frankie, and I know how hard it is to lose the person you love the most”
“I’m trying my best to get over it, mom”
“I know sweetie, I’m just saying. Have you found a job yet?” I knew she would ask me that.
“No, but so far I’ve managed just fine with the money you loaned me”
“Gave you. I gave you that money, Frank”
“I’m going to pay you back no matter what you say”
I had no idea how, though. I worked at a bookstore for a while, but I got fired after a few weeks because there were days I didn’t show up. Days were I was just sitting on the couch at home, staring at the wall and feeling sorry for myself. I can’t help but think I was the one who should’ve died in that car crash. Everything would be so much easier if I was dead.
“I’m here to see Linda Iero” I said to the lady behind the reception desk.
“Which deparment is she in?”
“The Department of Psychiatry”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, I don’t”
“I’m sorry, you need to have an appointment”
“Come on, she’s my mother. I need to see her”
“Okay, I’ll call the Department of Psychiatry and ask if she’s available”
“Thank you”
She picked up the phone and dialled a number asking for Dr. Jenkins.
“Hi, I have a young man here who’s asking for Mrs. Iero, is she available? No, he doesn’t have an appointment. Well, he’s very consistent. Okay, I’ll tell him. Bye Dr. Jenkins”
“So?”
“She’s in her room”
“I can see her?”
“Yes, you can”
To be honest, I hate being at that hospital. Seeing all the people in pain, both adults and children always makes me wonder if my mother actually belongs there.
Walking down the hallway down to her room I heard screaming. Not just from one room, almost all of them. People yelling they don’t want medication, people resisting being tied to the bed and so on. It was horrible and gave me the creeps, ugh.
“Frankie!” my mom exclaimed as I walked through the door.
“Hi mom” I hugged her.
“I was wondering when you were coming to visit me, you haven’t been here in ages, honey”
“I know, I’m sorry”
“Don’t worry about it, it’s fine. How are you doing, sweetie?”
“I’m holding up”
“What about Gerard, is he still drinking?”
“No, he’s actually doing really well. He’s moved in with me here in Chicago, he was so miserable I didn’t know what else to do”
“That’s good…” She hesitated for a moment.
“But?”
“No but, I’m just worried. Not just about him, but you too. You’ve taken Helena’s death so badly, Frankie, and I know how hard it is to lose the person you love the most”
“I’m trying my best to get over it, mom”
“I know sweetie, I’m just saying. Have you found a job yet?” I knew she would ask me that.
“No, but so far I’ve managed just fine with the money you loaned me”
“Gave you. I gave you that money, Frank”
“I’m going to pay you back no matter what you say”
I had no idea how, though. I worked at a bookstore for a while, but I got fired after a few weeks because there were days I didn’t show up. Days were I was just sitting on the couch at home, staring at the wall and feeling sorry for myself. I can’t help but think I was the one who should’ve died in that car crash. Everything would be so much easier if I was dead.