Jimmy woke up after having his first meal for two years. His stomach hadn’t had such pleasure for such a long time. His system had to learn to use his organs all over again. He threw up his first meal and his second. It was like his body already excepted he was dead. Dead to the world dead to needing food, dead to ever having life flow through his veins again. It was through the simplest things in life that brought you to your knees of ever needing them. Why didn’t he have sight of this before, before showing off, before having an attitude, before losing his family. The pieces were no good. They didn’t work. Jimmy worked hard to get his muscles to work again. He spent hours at it every day. He couldn’t feel anymore and he didn’t have a healing touch that he had two years ago. There is nothing in the atmosphere, and Jimmy knew somehow, she was gone, and his mother gone what he had felt from two years ago. Every night the tears would put him to sleep and the prayer that remained on his lips, would God be with them wherever they might be…and watch over them. Every night his heart was filled with tearful hopelessness and depending on a God that didn’t forget him. His phone was gone, and no communication was heard on the radio, no Country music, no sports programs reiterating who was the up-and-coming star on the New York Nicks basketball team. Nothing was left. No T.V. no satellite radio, no fun was mentioned anymore ever again. Jimmy prayed every day and slowly got stronger. He had a little muscle started developing on his legs and arms and hair was like the first stubbles of green rising from the dirt. His body was slowly healing as a man a day at a time, he would see a slight improvement.
The unimportant things caught his attention and before they were just a blur. But thinking a mother with wisdom said many times over, the trivial things are important more than you know. More than you know, hung with him every day as living had become hard in a hospital on the first floor. With no one there but Dr. Starters at 3:00 pm on a dark afternoon with no rain seen on the worst of days. The hospital was empty, and the lights were barely working from how Jimmy could tell. And where was Dr. Starters getting the last of the little bit of food, he had been feeding him. Why was he the only one slated on a calendar for next week to be kept alive when everyone seemed dead on delivery of a dreadful day in history. And his mother gone. He wished he had her wisdom now, and a love that she showered him with, was just a memory.
She had lived 87 years at the point he last saw her, and her time had been well spent when seeking the wisdom of her calling. Where’s my Jimmy, she used to say as the tears rolled down his face. Jimmy was calling to her at night when he laid in pain and torment. Where’s my Jimmy haunted him everyday. You don’t know where it will take you, mother would say like she had inside news to avoid such a trip. Don’t go Jimmy, it doesn’t feel right.
She would say. I have a bad feeling about it. Please don’t go. Jimmy had so much confidence back then and never listened to his mother when doing things on his own. He met Julia that way, but now she was gone. Mother would be in heaven looking down on him. Don’t worry mother, God is with me, I’ll make it somehow.
Jimmy started working hard to get better, he worked on exercises that would get his legs stronger and filled in with more muscle he walked the hospital more and found an electric old fashion treadmill in the basement and started walking just a quarter mile before he was jogging five miles a day. The doctor never did say much only observed and watched him get better, then one day when he woke up and he was gone. And Jimmy looked all over the place and never found evidence that he was ever there. Watching out for him, checking his vital signs, feeding him breakfast when he was hungry. Dr. Starters just disappeared and never returned again, and Jimmy faced his fears like never before he was all alone in the world to face the world on his own. His heart was heavy, but Jimmy wouldn’t give up when everything was taken from him. It wouldn’t be worth it to have pity on himself only meant the end of life, now that he had to face it every day on his own. Jimmy had no food, and the water stored was only enough to get him through one more day, so he prepared to leave and would head for Georgia if that was possible. When reaching for the door Jimmy was in a world turned up side down. It looked like a scene in the matrix. Dark colors and anything of that other world didn’t make sense. Like he was living a life in the third dimension of never really knowing how he would survive just another day. After 30 minutes Jimmy knew he needed God on his side because there was nothing else to keep him company. No one to care no one to share about their insignificant life about the trivial things that remained important because nothing was more important than hearing your own voice when you weren’t sure you were living your life. It didn’t mean anything to put the last little piece of bread in your mouth and pushed the flavors around and favor the flavors one more time, before it was all over, and nothing now never made sense as hell entered Jimmy’s world without his approval. And pains he would feel had more feeling, lasted longer than he had wanted them too, and dying wasn’t an option, he had a bit of hope that he was trying to hang on too. But misery followed close behind Jimmy every second of everyday. He looked occasionally, to make sure he was there.
That was his company that walked miles with him, feeling he didn’t care as his feet started to burn from having the wrong shoes to wear. Jimmy was walking on the streets of Manhattan, New York. Not impressed was Jimmy’s thinking. He wasn’t even out of the city yet and he had an issue with his feet. The buildings remained tall with memories from another life. Why was Dr. Starters only there for a while before leaving. Then his name hit him between his eyes like he was there to teach him about what his life meant when leaning against the building and breathing hard. Dr. Enders was there when his life had ended. Dr. Starters was there when he woke up to a new life. And Jimmy was facing the reality of what it represented. Like the matrix, he was on his own. He didn’t have the confidence needed to instill strength and superpowers that would be exposed to the evil villains he would face along the way when presented. Jimmy couldn’t save anything but himself from the misery of the day he was feeling, as he leaned over and threw up the last remaining meal he choked down.
No strength left when his stomach growled an anticipated end. Where would he get food and water, and where would he get a friend to follow him to the ends of the earth. Who would care to share his life with one so insignificantly? Jimmy didn’t know how he would make it out of the city without transportation it would be miles and miles of wasted land and not knowing if those creatures were around anymore. Would he face them again? Then Jimmy felt the patched eye was moving and took off the bandage from its cover.
Wow! What vision it gave Jimmy. He could see what no one could see as far as eye could see, was another saying of his mothers. As far as the eye could see was the memory.
Then the arm looked like a normal arm that anyone would except while changing clothes. Let’s see, I’ll wear this arm because it makes me look more masculine than this one doesn’t, or should I bring it down just a little bit, don’t want to show off making them think I’m superior to them. Jimmy rolled his eyes at that one. No one was around to care, how he dressed. Besides what were the latest fashion trends? They would change with time. Look at it out there now, they wouldn’t believe me if I told them. They would have to see the world for themselves to feel special running around here with no one around to care. This would make their hearts stop and they would drop dead just from the view. Jimmy wondered how the life of a spoiled child would endure the test of time, as it ate at their soul so willingly. To see such a life would change everything about them. First, they would cry as loud as they could to draw attention. They would have real pangs of hunger and thirst would sweep in and steal their energy away. Wiping anything that remained without rhyme or reason. They would be the first to go. The buildings around Jimmy were ghost like…tall dreams of a day past seemed not real from his perspective. Perspective…the teacher would say. Use it in a sentence. Perspective…The world gave the boy new perspective after the world had taken life without letting them know. The bombs were the least of their terror. All congenial to a cause. Perspective. I have new perspective seeing the world turned inside out, I’m putting on my good jeans in all the right places, staying on the inside of a room, left more likely with clean faces, and dressed appropriately from a better attitude. The trivial things matter mom used to say. They’re beating him good…was another of her sayings.
Jimmy was shaking and tired and he only walked about seven miles from the hospitals door. And the shoes felt on fire. He looked to see if there was any smoke coming out of the sides of them but didn’t see anything. He sat on the floor next to the door of the tallest building under in the city, and took his shoe off and noticed blood had seeped through and a toenail were black and had fallen off. It was painful to even think of it, and the smell was something awful. “Wow! I guess the yoga classes didn’t help?” Jimmy said, trying to strain himself from saying anything more sarcastic. It would take more than a day in the Matrix to change all his attitude.
Jimmy did feel he lived there, with the robotic eye and arm, he would fit the ride in without having to use credentials. This got him to smile. Way to go Jimmy. He thought. The terminator was here looking for the only subject he came for, Sarah Conner better beware. Jimmy leaned against the door, and it gave way as it opened to the inside of the building. From the outside the building was intact even though it was dusty. Excuse the dust while were cleaning…he remembered from the other life, that was over two years ago. He left his shoes off because it was too painful to put his shoe back on. He was looking up when he saw a shadow cross the outside of the doorway. It’s the drugs I was on. I’m hallucinating, Jimmy thought. Then he was curious and opened the door to peek out. Jimmy saw a dog turn around and looked at him. After a few seconds he waged a tail to say he wasn’t going to bring any harm his way. Jimmy called him over and he slipped in the door without anyone noticing. He looked like a collie from what he had gathered but a bit mangy from a hygienic view of where he fit into someone’s life wouldn’t be so clear. He barked then wagged his tail in canine delight as Jimmy touched his hair and ran his fingers through his fir. He was wearing a collar, and the name shined a rusty rendition of what a name was. Geezer. Geezer was about forty-five pounds of nothing which wouldn’t impress anyone or certainly of making the grade, didn’t show he would be the best, about chasing bad guys up a flagpole.
Jimmy was certain to smile that he had company, and his heart felt all warm and fuzzy and a tear leaked out of his human eye when first met. Then Jimmy said, “I guess God didn’t like me talking to myself.” Geezer walked over and was smelling Jimmy’s feet. Geezer sneezed three times and looked up at him like to say something but nothing came out but the stare. Then Jimmy smiled and said, “What? You don’t like the smell?” Jimmy wondered if the dog of recent miracles would put his two cents in. “Go ahead, give it a try.” Jimmy spoke while smiling. He heard something moving in the building. Geezer barked and turned around then he was off to find out what the noise was when the wind blew the door open. Jimmy reached over and locked the door, the floor, and ceiling had slide locks that went in place. Jimmy hobbled with his shoes in his hand, and in the general direction of making sense of the noise just heard recently. He was on a mission without knowing why. And the dog was extra found out what drew their attention in the first place.
Jimmy got to the corner and noticed three elevators were active when no other buildings stirred with life as thought to take notice. Jimmy walked closer. The first one he moved to read with his bionic eye. Inscription of an ancient passing from a time long ago with a golden color of hierographic emblems written in a language he had never seen before. His arm moved to complete its meaning by a key that spiraled around coming from his wrist as it made connection.
A key of golden color came from his wrist toward the lock and presented a keyhole. Jimmy looked around the room and noticed no one was there to clear the air of what to do. He stuck the key from his arm in the hole and turned it. The lock made the adjustments as the door opened and Jimmy and Geezer walked in, the door closed behind and descended beyond the door as it went down into the depths of never to rise in greeting the sunrise anymore. They descended into the unknown with trouble on his mind Jimmy didn’t think, he just reacted.
Geezer looked up and smiled as canines do in canine delight while opening his mouth and sat and looked up. Jimmy knew the elevator was the mark on someone’s calendar of recent history. It didn’t make sense that his arm and eye knew his next movement would involve features that included him. He was game to be involved, better than not having a clue where he was going or why? They had traveled quite some time before Jimmy became nervous that this was no ordinary elevator taking workers to jobs without notice. This was a special place involving someone with power to be able to stretch the imagination past its usual history of making the grade. Jimmy smiled and gave notice that he was a part of a scheme that dealt with importance of a plan, planned out by some other authority seeking arrangements that Jimmy had been asleep for two years wasting away in some basement, while the master plan of all plans was being sought out by others of unusual thinking, which didn’t include Jimmy. But now Jimmy was involved in the word get-go. Giving out citations wouldn’t be something he was doing, oh no…he would be more involved than that.
The elevator stopped and the door opened, and it remained quiet but fresh clean air filled the space all around. Jimmy sucked it in and found it made him feel alive for the moment. What else would be down in this other world that illuded the world above. Black walls of black paint and white floors of white paint, and clean to the ceiling of white and back. And speakers and lights turned on when Jimmy crossed the doorway. Like timing, everything he had seen was still with stinky feet and the smell filled the hallway and Geezer sneezed. Jimmy looked down at him and reminded the dog he needed to care for such a problem. The enemy would notice, and so would Jimmy’s mother. Jimmy left his shoes by the top floor next to the elevator.
A barefooted traveler with a strange looking eye and arm, were seeking a place of refuge, but would Jimmy find such a place down here? Geezer tagged along because not finding anything better for the moment. They walked down a corridor with seven rooms with doors and choices to make. Which door should I choose? Jimmy’s mother would know. She had inside seats to the next world of worldly order, and it would be good to take her advice. I have a bad feeling about this, don’t go…she would say. Jimmy took the first door because he didn’t want to choose and try to choose the best, but it didn’t make any sense to choose the right one. Who said there had to be the right one. Jimmy thought.
The first room there had bunkbeds and a dresser with no T.V. and cupboards lined up across the wall. And a bathroom with a shower, and towels of white with a gray flooring in the bathroom. He needed food like no bodies business when leaning against the desk to keep from passing out. The cupboards were full of can goods and water in bottles from a trip no one had time to take.
He was thinking. He saw himself a poor man helping himself to the water and can goods were extra, as he sat down and rested in the chair at the desk of steel with a plastic seat. His heart was old and tired, and he needed to sleep. Boy would Jimmy sleep and dream and tried not to be emotional when he just had Geezer filling in time. Filling in for family that wasn’t there. The room was quiet and Jimmy had taken a shower before falling asleep. His feet hurt after putting peroxide after cleaning them. He put his feet in a soaking solution with hot water, while sitting at the desk he fell asleep. It felt the water was hot and relaxing.
Jimmy was dreaming of being home with his family around on the land. Julia was dancing to classical music across the floor. So elegant and beautiful. Lena was working the garden in the greenhouse. Archie was fishing off the dock. And a small boy was floating a toy sailboat with a remote control in the lake. Grandma and Anna were cooking in the kitchen while classical music floated from room to room. The garden had twenty different vegetables at full bloom, the trees were healthy full of green floating up high with moss and memories of laughter and music playing to bring all together. Jimmy was floating through the house like he wasn’t there, just watching and waiting for the perfect time to share. Julia’s song had completed as she was breathing hard and answering the eyes that reached her. She nuzzled Jimmy as he got close to her. Her heart was elevated to a high elevation and her smile was so complete as she smiled with the feeling of ecstasy. Their lives were complete and wonderful beyond the thinking of what a life could share.
Jimmy woke when Geezer was dreaming, a whimper and whine came out when completing his rounds of checking out the room. Throwing Jimmy off when hearing her cry. He opened the robotic eye and zeroed in on what he found. She was moving her eyes and nose while being chased was Jimmy’s thinking he woke her up and called her over to the bed invited her in. She jumped up and snuggled the blanket around her and both fell asleep again. The comfort of the room was God sent. And Jimmy’s feet had a chance to heal, and he still needed to find a par of shoes. The key was the only answer in getting down here. Wherever this was made the difference when Jimmy needed it. And he was thankful.