Behind Blue Eyes
** Inspired by the Limp Bizkit version of the song "Behind Blue Eyes" written by Pete Townshend.
Unable to move. I'm just sitting on the side of the bed, exactly how the orderly placed me two hours ago. I can feel the cool air slip through the back of my hospital gown, but I'm unable to close it further. I'm trapped... barely able to move. All I can do is sit there and stare... and think of blue eyes.
No one knows what it's like
To be the bad man
To be the sad man
Behind blue eyes
*****
We laughed, her hand touching my forearm across the table. It sent electricity through me, giving me feelings I hadn't felt in a long time. Being a doctor had one set of problems. I'd been in school for so very long during my developmental years, getting my undergraduate degree at Ohio State University and then going on to get my Medical Degree at the University of Pittsburg. I'd spent so much time studying and writing and taking tests. I forgot what a social life was.
And then there's the fact that I studied psychiatry in Medical School. That made me analyze *everyone* around me and it tended to tick off any potential dates I even tried to get. I was heartened that by the time I was done with school and in a practice, that I'd be able to attract an incredible wife, I'd have money, prestige, everything I ever wanted.
Unfortunately, it didn't work out that easily. I'd had in a practice now for over two years and had barely gone out on dates. I guess not having enough social skills trumped the fact of having money and prestige. About the only women I attracted were gold-diggers and while good for a few hot dates, they never lasted. They never fulfilled my deep needs.
My current date, Rebecca, had an award-winning smile, a very shapely body, and a wonderful personality. While not completely my type, physically, she had a lot of the qualities I was looking for in a relationship.
It was early October. The days were cool and sunny, the nights chilly. The leaves were just turning so around us were all sorts of colors from green, to yellow, to red.
"I suppose we should get out of here and let these guys clean up," I smiled, looking at my watch and noting the time. We'd already stayed a half hour after closing and I was sure the staff were impatient for us to clear out.
We gathered our things and I led her out to the parking lot and opened the door to my BMW for her. I slipped into the driver's side and we were off, taking her home. When we got into the driveway, I turned off the ignition and we sat for a moment. It took only seconds before I leaned over and kissed her. I had hopes that she would invite me inside, but was quickly disappointed.
"I'm sorry. I really have to get up early tomorrow. Raincheck?"
I was very discouraged, but hopeful something might come of it in the future. "Definitely," I said, smiling. Unfortunately, it was a half-hearted smile.
I walked her to the door where we kissed again briefly and then I drove home. I lay in bed for an hour thinking about sex. All I knew was that I needed it.
*****
Two days later, October 4th, I was to see a new patient at a psychiatric hospital downtown. I sat in an observation room reading Stacy's report. She exhibited full psychological withdrawal symptoms, unable to make eye contact, non-responsive in general. She didn't speak nor even try to communicate in any way. There had been one doctor before me try to break through to her to no avail. Because of my specialization in Neurobiology I was asked to see if there was something specific I could do for her.
I paged through the report as she sat on her bed, her feet on the floor. Her hospital gown covered her fully, completely hiding her body from any scrutiny, but I guessed she was physically fit enough. She was at least of average build. The last few pages were surprising, dealing with a female orderly who'd had some problems with her almost a year ago. It seemed she'd become somewhat infatuated with her and had to be removed from the institution to keep her away from the patient. I knew it took a pretty stable person to work with mental patients. It's very hard to work with them day in and day out and see the world as normal again. But the orderly had developed some sort of infatuation with her and was caught naked, having sex with her.
I could scarcely believe someone could do that to someone so helpless.
I walked over to the one-way mirror that served as my observation window and idly put a hand up against it, leaning into it. "So what's your story?" I asked absently, exhaling. I was shocked when I saw the corner of her mouth lift in a smile. "What the...?"
*****
An orderly came in and fed me, wiping my chin as the food slid down my throat. I wanted to scream! I wanted to tell him that this... this wasn't me! That I was trapped in this body! But my mouth wouldn't move, wouldn't utter a sound.
*****
That afternoon was the first time I would get to meet Stacy. She'd been a patient there for eighteen months now, somehow suddenly becoming afflicted with whatever was making her withdrawn. My first goal was to try to identify the cause of her affliction. But she was single, with a steady boyfriend at the time, and was a nurse at a local hospital. As the report stated, the boyfriend said everything had been going fine, except for the last several weeks before becoming a patient, she'd been more and more withdrawn and distant. There were no indications of drugs in her system and no indication of physical or emotional trauma. The cause was definitely going to allude me for the time being.
The orderly let me in the room and reminded me that the room was video-taped and that he'd keep an eye on me. I wasn't concerned at all since Stacy had never shown any violent actions... hardly any actions at all in fact.
When I closed the door behind me, she was sitting on the edge of her bed, her socked feet on the floor. The hospital gown she wore was rather unflattering, but expected. I moved over to stand in front of her.
"Hi Stacy. I'm Dr. Coplan and I'm here to do a little evaluation and see if I can help you." She just sat there, staring straight ahead, completely ignoring me. I pulled a light from my pocket and lifted her head, shining the light in her eyes, testing for responsiveness. At least her body responded to external stimulus. If only I could find a way to unlock her mind.
I stood there, asking her a few more questions and getting no answers. Eventually I finished my exam and was getting ready to leave.
"Well, it was nice to meet you Stacy. I'll be seeing more of you and really hope you can interact with me." I laid a hand on her shoulder and was completely shocked when her head raised up and she looked at me. And I mean it was a *look*. All I can remember were those big... brilliantly blue... eyes. They were bluer than any I'd ever seen. I couldn't believe I didn't notice them when I checked her eyes earlier.
I stumbled back a step and saw the merest hint of a smile on her lips as she stared at me. It was kind of frightening, really, but in working with the mentally ill, there's not much you don't see.
I reached the door and knocked, and the orderly let me out. When I looked back again, Stacy was still sitting as when I first saw her, eyes staring straight ahead, unblinking.
I must have looked a little shocked because the orderly asked me if I was ok.
"Yeah, yeah," I said. "She just... surprised me." I wondered if this had happened before and had been unreported, because the orderly didn't seem to think anything even happened. At least he didn't act like it.
"Yeah, I've never seen anyone so out of it, either," he said.
*****
I never saw it coming, I never even had a chance to stop it. She entrapped me. And I don't know if I'll ever get out. I constantly wonder what I have to do to get out. How did she do it? Would I have to force another to endure this instead of me? Is that the only way?
*****