Date: Mon, 6 Jul 2015 18:02:23 -0400 From: Jay Kool Subject: My So Called Life - Chapter 23 "My So Called Life" – Chapter Twenty-two by Jay Kool (jaykool74@hotmail.com) I apologize for the delay, but I'm a busy guy! I know it's been a few years since my last chapter, and to be honest, sometimes the emotion of the story gets to me as I'm writing it. Thank you to everyone who wrote me emails encouraging me to continue the story... "In a clean sensible psychiatric room waiting..." Missing for a day: Only a few people in the world ever get the real life they have always dreamed about living, most learn how to cope with life's disappointments as they come, and other's daydream into fantasy land. Tyler was in emotional shock after witnessing a horrific murder on the mean streets of Chicago. He was a missing child without any identification, and currently without the mental capacity of making his identity known to the police or hospital staff. In Tyler's mind he could hear the song replay from his mother's funeral ceremony repeatedly, "And He will raise you up on eagles' wings Bear you on the breath of dawn Make you to shine like the sun And hold you in the palm of His hand" "On Eagles' Wings" was one of Tyler's favorite religious songs that he heard attending church with his mother every Sunday, and was one of the few songs he would actually sing along to with the choir. -------------- "Look at this poor lost soul. Heard he saw a man get shot point blank and robbed for his wallet and shoes," said a black nurse named Cindy Rogers talking to herself as she checked on Tyler. Still talking to herself, she said, "Yeah it's a damn shame someone would kill over something so stupid, but in front of a little boy. What in the hell is the world coming to." She thought to herself, I can't wait to retire and move out of this God forsaken land called Chicago. She was done with big cities, and was going to move to the Alabama shores to live with her sister and her family. Missing for 2 days: "What in the hell do you mean you can't find him? Little boys don't get far from home," said Jack Stewart. "Sir, we will keep looking and see what we can find as we plaster his picture across the wire," answered the officer who took the missing person's report two days ago from Jack. "Well you better start plastering his picture across the TV before I get my attorneys involved," threatened Jack. Just what he needed, Ty running away a few days before the weekend. "Call down to Bloomington Indiana and talk to Ann Hunter at 812- 555-6655 and don't forget to talk to her son David, Tyler's boyfriend." "Your son is gay?" "Yes, as much as it pains me, I cannot change him. I gotta run." -------------- "What do you mean he is missing mom?" David screamed as he heard her talking to the police officer asking her if she knew where Tyler whereabouts. "Honey, calm down and let me finish talking to the police officer," replied Ann to her heartbroken son. She didn't know what she would do if he ever ended up missing. At first she didn't like Tyler thinking that he was a bad influence, but soon learned that Tyler and David together were unstoppable and deeply in love. "Uh huh, yeah I will call you first thing if I see him. God I hope they find him and everything is okay," she said hanging up the phone. "Mom, what the fuck is going on? What did that asshole do to him?" "David Allen Hunter, don't you ever use that language with me," Ann said raising her voice to her son. "Sorry mom, but you know his dad had to do something to drive him away. His dad hates him for being gay," David said in an apologetic tone as tears streamed from his eyes. His mother grabbed him in a big embrace and rocked him as she tried to soothe him without saying any words. "Why does God hate Tyler?" "Honey, God doesn't hate Tyler, he loves him and challenges him to be a stronger person. One day these challenges will turn Tyler into a great man, as God only gives someone difficulties in life they can handle. Everything happens for a reason." "But..." "Don't doubt God or your faith." "What if he's dead?" "Don't think like that, pray he will be found safely and unharmed. I regard him as my own son even though he's not of my flesh." "I'm scared, something terrible happened..." "I'll stay strong for both of us," Ann said, even though she was fearing the worse, but she had to be there for her son and couldn't tell him what she was truly thinking. She feared she would send her son down a depressive spiral that would end with him in a mental ward, or he would run off to Chicago to find his first love. She realized when the kitchen timer went off that she and David had been hugging for over twenty minutes. It was times like these she wished her husband Charlie hadn't died being a hero during a convenience store holdup where he saved a woman, her child and the clerk from being shot and killed, but was shot and died during surgery of complications. He was a strong man who would allow to be emotional and worry about life and the curve balls it threw. Nothing seemed to bother him, he was always cool, calm and collected. "Mom, what are you thinking about? You are daydreaming again." "Oh I was just thinking about your father. "How does that relate to Tyler or the price of tea in China?" "It doesn't, just life has a funny way of reminding you of things when you least expect it. Your baby will be alright. Why don't you go and get washed up for supper?" "Alright mom," David said reluctantly. He felt helpless as he knew he wasn't able to help out his boyfriend Tyler. It didn't matter to him that Tyler had tried to break it off over moving, he was still his boyfriend in his heart, mind and soul. Missing for 3 days: Most people would have thought the cops would have searched every hospital for a young John Doe fitting the description of Tyler, but the bureaucracy between the big police departments and the big hospitals leads to inefficient gaps that would need the Golden Gate Bridge to span them together. The right hand had no clue what the left hand was doing and vice versa. The police started a campaign to find Tyler Stewart by showing his picture in the newspaper and across the local TV news. "Oh my God, Janet get in here. This boy's picture is on TV," yelled Cindy Rogers to her superior. Running in and almost out of breath, Janet replied, "What are you waiting for, call the police. His family must be going out of their minds trying to find him. Don't forget to get his insurance information if you talk to them." She didn't need her department paying another delinquent hospital bill and cutting into her bonus. "Yes ma'am, we wouldn't want to get stiffed on a bill," she said as she picked up the phone to call the phone number listed on the television. "Maybe he will respond and come out of his daze when he sees his mother," she said quietly to herself as she dialed the phone number. -------------- "Yes Ma'am, we just received a positive identification of the boy over at St. Francis' hospital in downtown Chicago," said previously retired Chicago PD officer. He retired and was going to live the good life until his wife of 32 years passed away from breast cancer. So instead of being lonely by himself at home, he finally accepted an offer to come back and work for the force post-retirement. "Jack, they found Tyler! He's at a hospital downtown, here talk to the officer," said Diane as she trust the phone at him. She was so happy that Tyler was found, and yet she constantly worried that she would never be accepted by him as part of the family. "Okay, okay," Jack said, as he took the cordless phone from Diane, and began to speak into the receiver, "Where did you find him?" "He's at the psych ward at St. Francis Hospital in downtown Chicago. They originally found him hiding between two buildings where he witnessed a man get robbed and shot in the face. Tyler was close enough to the victim to get splattered from some of the blood." "As if he wasn't fucked up enough already..." Jack's voice trailed off as he was interrupted by the officer on the phone. Diane gave Jack a disapproving scowl to let him know that she didn't feel the same was as him. "Sir I don't appreciate anyone talking about a little boy like that, and don't appreciate the language either. You're lucky he wasn't killed." "Yes, you are right. I apologize, we have been through a lot lately and I'm a bit shocked at the news is all." "Sir, do you know where the hospital is located?" "Yes, I'll be there in about a half an hour." "Go over to the Psychiatric wing of the hospital on the third floor, he should be in room 344." "Yes thank you officer," Jack said as he hung up the phone. "All right, let's go and see how he is doing." -------------- Ann hung up the phone after speaking with the police officer from the Chicago PD. "David, come here. I have some news about Tyler," said Ann. "Yeah, mom what did you hear?" David eagerly asked as he ran into the kitchen. "They found him a few nights ago in downtown Chicago, but didn't have an identity for him until a nurse saw his picture on the TV. He's okay physically but not speaking to anyone." "Mom, we have to go and see him." "It's not our place, his dad made it very clear to stay away from him." "But he will talk to me. No matter how bad things have gotten, we have always talked, he has always responded." "I don't know. I don't want to get Jack mad at us." "Who cares what he thinks? He hates Tyler cuz he's gay. Let's save Tyler," pleaded David to his mother. "I'll see about getting a hold of his father." "Let's grab some clothes and leave. Bring your cell phone to call him on the way. Do you know where he is staying?" "He's at St. Francis in downtown Chicago." "Let's go!" said David as he started dragging his mother toward her bedroom. "Okay, this one time I will let you boss me around and go against my better judgement as I know how much you two love each other. I agree it will be better for Tyler to see you considering all that he has been through." She didn't relay the gory details of how they found Tyler. Following David's lead to the bedroom she used the speed dial stored number for Jack Stewart to see if she could give him a heads-up that they were going to be visiting, and got the answering machine where she left an answer with her cell phone number. David and Ann both packed overnight bags with enough clothes and supplies for three days, and she packed snacks to take on the ride. They both left the house, locking it up and placed their bags in Ann's eight year old Buick that David claimed belonged to his grandma and teased Ann about every time she had to give him a ride to or from school. Today he looked at her and the car, and said nothing about the car as he got in the passenger side and buckled up. He was happy to have a mom that would drive hours to reunite him with his boyfriend, and felt she was the best mother in the world. -------------- "Tyler I love you and I'm sorry about what happened. Are you going to be okay?" asked Jack to Tyler as Tyler stared off into space, not responding to any of the events around him. Tyler instinctively blinked every so often to keep his eyes from drying out. The hospital had hooked him up to catheter due to the fact Tyler would not get up to go to the bathroom on his own. "Sir, he's not talking to anyone, or even looking at anyone. I don't know what he saw that night he was found, but it must have been horrible," said the nurse, Cindy Rogers. "Is he okay physically? No broken bones, no knife wounds?" "Yes there is nothing wrong with him physically, no injuries internally or externally. I'll let you talk to the doctor when he arrives. He should be here in ten or twenty minutes depending upon traffic." "Damn it all..." "Honey it will be okay," said Diane squeezing Jack's hand as they stood by Tyler's bedside. "He's been through a lot and maybe his mind is just trying to cope with the reality of it all." "I guess you are right, after all you are a licensed psychologist." "Did you call Ann and David to let them know Tyler was found?" "No I let the police department handle it." "Jack, that's kind of a cold thing to do to them. After all they did look after Tyler and help out after Pat died, and you know the two boys are in love." "And you know I do not approve of the two boys being in love or being together. It's an abomination and disgusting," Jack said with his voice raising in intensity. "I'm not trying to upset you. How can loving another person with all of your heart be wrong? Remember the Bible was written by man, not by God or Jesus Christ. Isn't it possible that it may not be 100% accurate?" "It just ain't right," Jack always faltered with the correct use of English when he was extremely upset or being proven incorrect during an argument. It was one of his many faults. "Can't you just accept your son for who he is and give unconditional love?" "But he's gay, it's a sin, and it's wrong." "According to the Old Testament, but so is divorce, eating pork and not making sacrifices to your Lord. We live by the New Testament, where Jesus taught to love your neighbor and to do unto others' as they would do unto you." "I know but..." Cutting him off, Diane answered, "You are not going to win a theological or psychological battle with me Jack. You know I graduated top of my class at Ava Maria University with a double major. The World is changing, and so should you. Love your only son with all of your heart for who he is and not what you want him to be." Jack gave up trying to fight a losing battle, and a losing war with his soon to be wife. He wished Tyler would give her a chance to see what a great woman she is and learn to love and trust her as he did. Coming back into the room, Cindy said, "I hate to bother you at a time like this, but the hospital has policies and I'm trying to stay out of trouble. May I ask y'all to fill out these forms, and let me borrow your insurance card to make a copy of it for the billing department?" "Yeah, no problem," said Jack as he pulled out his wallet and his insurance card. He traded the card for the clipboard full of forms and a pen. He was a great administrator and excelled at filling out bureaucratic paperwork for the school district to fulfill the state's requirements to keep funding. Filling out the paperwork also kept him busy and his mind off of his son. Diane on the other hand did not have a distraction, as she sat by Tyler's bedside and held his hand. She wiped the top of his forehead with a Kleenex and straightened out his hair. She was just as worried about the boy, as if he were her own. She had a big heart and wished she could make Jack's grow a few sizes like in the movie, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas," but doubted she could do it soon enough to save Tyler from too much emotional damage. Jack finished the paperwork and took it out to the nurse who gave it to him without saying anything, and returned to the room looking at Diane for help like a lost puppy. He was lost and didn't know what to do to regain his son's love, or even mental health to get him back to actively hating him again. "Honey, call Ann and David. Don't make me pester you on this, do the right thing," said Diane examining the worried look on his face, while holding Tyler's hand. "Hey nurse, how can I make a long distance call to let the rest of Tyler's family know he is okay?" he called out to Cindy in the hall as he walked toward her. "Just dial an 8, then 1 before the area code and number. There is a long distance charge that will appear on the hospital bill," replied Cindy. "Thank-you for helping us out," said Jack as he returned to the room to call Ann as requested. He tried to call her from the number he had on a slip of paper in his wallet, and got voicemail, instructing him to leave a message with his number. He complied and also left the hospital number for Tyler's room. He then called and checked the messages on his answering machine at home, and scrambled to write down Ann's cell phone number. "Diane, it appears as if Ann and David left over an hour ago to come up to see Tyler." "That's very sweet of them, call her on her cell phone and tell them they can spend a few nights as guests at our house." He was okay with calling them and letting them visit Tyler, but he was very uneasy about having them as houseguests, and it showed on his face. "Honey, it will be okay. They watched Tyler for us without blinking an eye, or even having to be asked." He hated it when she was right, and caved in as he called Ann on her mobile phone. She was the one person on Earth who could get him to do anything, and she knew it. "Hi Ann speaking." "Hi, this is Jack Stewart, Tyler's father." "Yes, how are you doing? How is Tyler?" "He isn't in the best of shape and has seen better days, not that anything is wrong with him physically." "Uh huh, so is it okay that we are coming up to see him?" "Yes and you and David are welcome to stay at my house until Tyler gets better." Diane was proud of Jack in this moment. "Can you tell us how to get to the hospital? David write this down," said Ann as she turned on the speaker phone and pulled off to the side of the road turning on the hazard lights. "Sure he's in the Psychiatric wing of St. Francis Hospital, room 344," said Jack and he continued relaying the rest of the driving instructions from the interstate and even told them the best place to park. Finally the goodbyes were said and he hung up the phone. "They should be here in about an hour or so. Let's go grab a quick lunch down in the cafeteria." -------------- After Jack and Diane returned from having lunch in the cafeteria, they found Dr. Paul Sampson reviewing Tyler's condition in the room. "Hi I'm Tyler's father Jack and this is Diane?" "So you are the famous Jack and Diane that Mr. Mellencamp has been singing about for years?" joked the doctor to break the ice, as he extended his hand to give a warm handshake to them. "You know I never thought of it that way," said Diane as she giggled. She already liked this doctor, as she was tired of dealing with people with no sense of humor every day at work. Jack clearly didn't get the joke, and it showed his lack of knowledge in popular music. "Is our son going to be okay?" "Well you know how he was found, but he also didn't have any identification, subway tokens or money on him. That leads me to believe he was probably robbed prior to finding a place to sleep in the alleyway where he witnessed a murder. That's a lot to go through for anyone let alone a young boy." "He also lost his mother and one of his best friends from school within the last month, and he had to move back to Chicago leaving his boyfriend behind," said Diane to fill in the doctor on all of the recent misfortune Tyler endured. "Am to assume he was trying to run back to his original home?" "Most likely... Jack had disapprove of his son having a boyfriend and told him that he would never see him again." "I was only trying to protect him," said Jack in a defensive tone. "Or you were trying to protect yourself, sir," responded the doctor. "I'm not here to judge you, or what has happened. My interest are in the best interest of Tyler and getting him back to a happy well adjusted, normally responding boy." Jack almost said good luck to Dr. Sampson, but thought better of it due to Diane standing next to him, and his earlier discussion with him. "His boyfriend David is being brought up from Indiana by his mother and should be here soon," said Diane. "Hopefully that will be the trigger to getting him to talk and snap out of his comatose state. Sometimes it takes something or someone that means a lot to a young person to respond positively to his environment and rejoin reality." As Dr. Sampson finished his sentence David and Ann walked into the room. "Hi Jack and Tyler," said Ann as David immediately went over to Tyler's bedside, almost knocking Dr. Sampson out of the way. "David, be polite and excuse yourself." "Excuse me doctor, I'm sorry but I haven't seen my boyfriend in weeks," said David. "Tyler, babe, look at me. I'm here for you," he said kissing his boyfriend's hand. Jack introduced Diane to Ann and filled her in on what they had heard from the police department and Dr. Sampson. He continued to talk with the three of them, as David plead in a hushed tone with Tyler to look at him as tear started to fall from his eyes. "David, I'm not sure that Tyler is going to be coming around anytime today or even this week. He has been through a lot of traumatic events, and you could even classify his behavior as a response to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder," said Dr. Sampson as he placed a hand on David's shoulder in a supportive manner. "He has never stopped talking to doctor, no matter what. He will talk to me, just give him time to figure out what he wants to tell me." These words broke Ann's heart, as she agreed with the doctor that Tyler may not respond for a long time, and could barely bear to watch her son's heart being torn by Tyler's condition. She went behind David and gave him a hug from behind to let him know that she was there for him. That she would always be there for him, no matter what happened in life. "David, I'm sorry I treated you and Tyler so badly. I made a mistake," said Jack as he apologized to David for separating the two boys and trying to keep them permanently apart. He realized his bride-to-be was right and that two people this deeply in love, whether they were a same-sex or opposite-sex couple belonged together. He wasn't sure that he ever loved Patricia as much as David and Tyler loved each other, but he was sure that he did love Diane as much as they loved each other. "When Diane and I get married, I want you to be one of my best men at the wedding, standing alongside of Tyler." David looked over at Jack, breaking his eyes from Tyler for the first time since he came into the room, and said "Really? I guessed you must have changed. Too bad it took something like this to realize you can't break us up." "David, he's accepting the two of you as boyfriends, and apparently as friends," said Ann sternly. "Not as friends, but as family," responded Jack. Diane squeezed his hand once more to let him know how much she was proud of him. He always told her that public displays of affection were for immature high school children and not for adults. He turned and hugged her before he planted a kiss on her lips. "Come and give me a hug you two," he said to Ann and David. "Sorry but you can't kiss me like that as I already have a boyfriend," joked a joyous but serious David, as he and his mother went and hugged Jack and Diane together. "You know I feel a bit left out over here," joked Dr. Sampson. "Bring Tyler back to us, and I'm sure we will all give you big hugs and kisses," said Ann to the doctor as she walked over to him and hugged him. "What's all the fuss about?" Tyler mumbled with a dry throat. "Oh my God, he's back mom, he's back!" David exclaimed as he ran over to Tyler and started kissing him. "David, what are you doing here in my dream?" "Ty, it's not a dream. You're in the hospital, you were missing for three days." "That's what you would say in my dream." "Would I do this in your dream?" said David as he pinched Tyler. "Stop it," cried Tyler. "I'm awake, damn it, I'm awake." Everyone started hugging and kissing on Tyler and hugging each other. "It's honestly a miracle, I didn't expect this kind of recovery for a few weeks," said Dr. Sampson. "You are a lucky set of parents, sometimes the kid never makes it back. Next time, you may not be so lucky." "Make it back from what?" asked Tyler. "You were comatose and unresponsive due to extremely stressful events of a few days ago." "So you are saying my dream was real?" "I don't know, tell me what your dream was and I'll tell you if it was real or not." "Well, I ran away from home when my dad said I would never see David again. I was robbed on the subway platform by three black gang members where they held me over the tracks threatening to kill me. Then I left the station since I had no money or identification, but I was too proud to cave in and return home. I found a spot to spend the night in an alley where I was woke up by a guy getting shot where another guy took his watch, wallet and shoes. I was so close blood got in my eye, and I could feel the heat from the bullet and the ripple of air as the bullet tore through it before killed the victim. I was then loaded into an ambulance, but it was like I was trapped behind glass and no one could hear me talk. They kept asking who I was and did I see anything, but they wouldn't listen to me. Then I watched from a hospital room on TV as they said I was missing where they showed my school picture." "That was all real, you went into Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome comatose state whenever you witnessed the murder, and just woke up about five minutes ago. "No fucking way, I had to be dreaming." "Tyler! Language, this is the most respected Doctor in the state," said Jack. "Sorry." "It's cool. I'd rather here actual thoughts over a politically corrected statement. It lets me know he just isn't telling me what I want to hear," said Dr. Sampson. "I think he will be able to go home tomorrow, I just want him to stay for observation." "Can I stay with him?" asked David. "You all can stay with him if want. Just let the nurses know and they will bring in some extra beds to make you all comfortable." David spent the night by Tyler's side, and the adults all went to Jack's house to spend the night. David was left with explicit instructions to call if anything at all was needed, or if Tyler's condition turned for worse. The night was uneventful, and Dr. Sampson cleared the boy to be discharged when his parents arrived at the hospital later in the morning. Tyler finally felt happy for the first time in months as he cuddled with his lover David holding him in his arms. He wished this moment could last forever, but knew that life and time marches on to its own beat. He admired his boyfriend sleeping and breathed in unison with him through now conscious effort. He was told by Dr. Sampson that he would be released to his father's care with the recommendation that he be allowed to return to Indiana with David and Ann to finish his middle and high school career. He was even told that he would suggest that Jack and Diane move to Bloomington for the welfare of their son. If you like this story series so far, you may want to read my other fiction story series: (The stories are archived in previous years; please do a find on them... they were written between 1998 and 2004) Gay --> high school --> Music Store Teens [My second story series] Bi --> college --> College Firsts [My first story series] Any constructive feedback is welcome, email me at jaykool74@hotmail.com