Don't Have to Wear Shades

Don't Have to Wear Shades

Doctor Bell assured me that the effects should wear off after a few days, but in the meantime he wanted to do a few more tests. Doctor speak for; I really don’t know what the hell this is, but I’m interested.

I wasn’t too crazy about spending any more time in the hospital, but I was even less fond of the way things were now. “Don’t worry, Mr. Jones,” he smiled, the way only doctors know how to do, “I’m sure we can fix this up in no time! Perhaps, a good night’s rest will be just the ticket!”

Oh sure! Don’t worry, be happy! God, I hate doctors! “Okay Doc,” I shrugged, “if you think it’s necessary.”

With what I’m sure he thought was a reassuring smile and pat on the shoulder, he made a few more notes on the chart he was carrying, smiled once again and briskly walked from the room.

After he was gone, I slumped back on the bed and gazed around the room. White antiseptic walls like any hospital has, gray shiny fixtures, gray curtains, a gray floor, darkish gray nightstand beside the bed. I’m sure that the curtains were actually quite colorful really, I could discern some sort of pattern in the fabric, but it looked gray to me.

That was what the further tests were to be for. For me, it was a black and white world.

Remember watching that old black and white television when you were young? They called it black and white, but it was mostly black, white and gray. Everything that was dark, looked black or blackish, everything light was either gray or white depending on the degree of lightness of the color. I always hated black and white programs!

Well, except for ‘The Twilight Zone’, it always seemed better in black and white. This was my world now!

Yesterday was a colorful day, but did I appreciate it? No! I didn’t notice it. There was probably a beautiful sunset I could have looked at, but I was too busy sitting in the bar getting drunk. Hell, even this morning was pretty colorful, did I appreciate it then? No! I do remember that the bright yellow glow of the sun as I was driving to work hurt my eyes, so I quickly pulled down the sun visor and grabbed my shades, blotting out the color and the brightness.

I do distinctly remember seeing red and yellow stars right after that beam fell on my head, but then it was blackness as I lost consciousness. When I awoke, all color had left my world. I’m sure Barry’s face was bright red when he ran over to help me up.

Clumsy fucker should have been more careful, but what ya gonna do? He didn’t mean to do it.

Barry loaded me up in his Mustang and raced to the hospital.

Probably ran every stoplight too! I didn’t notice, they all looked off to me. When and why had Barry painted his bright-red Mustang, gray? I meant to ask him, but was kind of distracted.

Barry told me to hold that rag on my head, he was afraid that I was going to bleed to death he said.

I couldn’t figure out why I had chocolate sauce all over my shirt.

Anyway, the Doc said I should be okay soon. Damn, I hope so! I got a date with that cute red head this Friday.

Dark red hair with golden highlights; big boobs too! I don’t want to go out with some Gray-hair!