Winter Season

Black out

Oscar’s mind was filled with the soft hum of something running. He felt calm and secure. This space was cool. Restful. The immediate area around him was soft. Wiggling is toes alerted him that he didn’t have any socks on. His last memory of himself was that he was fully dressed. After rubbing his legs together, he felt skin on skin. Where were his pants? There was material laying on his upper thigh, shorts of some kind? He didn’t own any shorts. He had a shirt on. His hands were folded under his head. When he opened his eyes, the space was dark. Where was he?

“Would you like something to drink?” That was Esther.

“Coffee would be nice?” That was Chet. “Esther,” his voice cracked. “Am I going to loose my best friend?”

“I sure pray not. We are just getting started.”

“I went back to school and the principal let me watch the security footage from Oscar’s room. No one was around him. He just collapsed.”

They must have moved to the living room. He couldn’t hear any more of their conversation. This cool inviting space pulled him back to sleep.

This time Oscar knew what woke him, it was the uncomfortable pressure of a full bladder. The act of swinging is feet over the edge of the bed didn’t hurt but the pain from his head knocked him to the floor.

Esther slid her arms around his waist. “Going somewhere?” She asked playfully.

“To the bathroom, I had hoped. My head really hurts.”

“You hit your head when you passed out. EMS said you don’t have a concussion. Are you able to talk about what happened?”

“Mom called this morning and was continuing her delightful conversation about how it is my duty as a Christian to marry Doris. Bluh, bluh, bluh.”

“But it had a negative effect.” She said softly.

“I thought I was doing fine. I told her that wasn’t my job, Christian or not. In typical fashion, she hung up on me. I guess as the day drug on; the conversation just laid on my mind, picking the wrong time to reappear.”

“I’m sorry.” She guided him to the bathroom door, then back to bed. “I am glad you found your voice.”

He said weakly, “some voice.”