Just Floating

Just float, just keep on floating. The night's almost over, just... keep floating.

Usual nights have me enter and leave dozens of houses, houses that are home to kids, adults, and I can't forget the elderly. These aren't normal kids, adults, and elderly. Though I wish they were. These homes house incurable diseases, disabled limbs, and most of all the tainted. Tainted by those that are dark, scorned by those meant to love, scarred by the lives they were given.

"Hey... Um... Can you (Arrrgh Fuuuuuck ooofff!)... It's alright chris buddy. (reeaaaaaaah!!) Can you come here!

I should have began my trip over as soon as the poor man spoke. The house I was headed to was horrid. The man children housed there once suffered from torment, pain, disfigurement, sexual abuse, and violence. I headed there every morning. Every morning at 6:15 on the dot. I always made sure I had my coffee in me and a fresh smoke sucked down before the clock struck 6:15. Poor guy.

"Where is he?"

(Arggggh! Nooooo! Moooooom! Mooooooom!)

"Never mind."

"Chris buddy?"

"FUCK OFF DEREK!"

"Chris what did I say we can do when your upset?"

"BREEEEEATHE!"

"And what are you not doing buddy?"

*Huff Huff Huff*

Drool ran down his lip as he slowed his breath and looked me in the eyes. Chris, 7"1, 180 pounds. It was easy to stop Chris physically but I wasnt here for that, I was here to cure not poison.

"Chris, fresh air?"

"No!"

"Chris I don't talk to people that yell, lets try that again. Chris, glass of water?"

"Maaaaybeee."

One house down, one crisis avoided, I should be there before it happens. It works better if I'm not though. He needs a stimulus that isn't there at initiation, he needs neutrality.

"Hello, yeah I was told to call if I needed help?"

Next house was an all girls home, rarely had to go but when I did it was minor. Girls just being girls with a non-confident staff to control.

"Brittney screw off!"

"HEY! LISTEN! STOP! OK... now Brittney head to your room!"

"She started it!"

"This isn't an argument, GO!"

Yelling always gets the trick done with young teenage girls. A loud one like mine resonates with enough confidence to send them into flight mode.

Next house is my best friends, well he works there. He doesn't need me, I just have time to kill before another call.

"Hey D! Easy night?"

"Yeah, the only thing thats different is the weather."

"Screw the weather whats it ever done for me, pooched me time and time again. I just wanna go fishing already."

His house was always easy and quiet, kids respected him, staff loved him, and he was my closest friend. To me he had the golden house, the safe haven. This is where the addiction kids went to sober up. Dakota, a little Inuit kid, came four months ago for heroin abuse. With my friends help he was cured in a month, kid decided to lie about his addiction to stay a little longer.

"Got a new one, Rosie, shes as cute as a button but feisty. I told her if she didn't stop hurting herself I would stop her. So I did. almost went on for an hour, shes got energy that one. Might sign her up for track."

Loved this guys optimism, scratched all along his neck and bruises on his cheeks, and still he smiles at what this little girl can become.

I saw people as dolls, things to manipulate. He saw them as they were, human.

"So?.... What were the results?"

"Not good D, can we talk about it after?"

"Yeah but whens after?"

"Never?..."

I knew he was dying, email was sent out announcing he was leaving. That's the only thing that make him leave, the only thing that would stop him from healing others. The man that sat in front of me held his grief inside as tight as he could. Words were about to leave my lips as my phone began to ring.My best friend gave me a pouty look as I flipped open my phone, it was as if to say "Looks like our time is over".

"Night float here."

"Hey! I need Help!"

I looked back at my best friend as he saluted me off.

I wish I hugged him.

I wished that wasn't the last time I'd hastily run off to do my job.

Goodbye Roman, with love Derek.