Chapter 11 - April

I lay in bed calmly as Dolby goes around the town to look for a doctor to make a home visit.He goes stop by stop to the local pharmacist and medical centers as none are helpful until he arrives to an old woman.He explains what's happening as a younger woman listens in.The old woman says she can't help until the young woman chimes in.As Dolby was about to leave defeated she yells "sir wait, I can help !" She says as the old woman advises her not too."Oh stop, the boys in pain….I'm going …." She says as the old woman shrugs it off.She exits as she follows Dolby, "oh thank you for this….really thank you…." He says as they walk their way back home.

I lay there as I feel fine but the only pain is peeing and on occasion near my pelvis I feel a pain hit.Mother is walks in as she's about to end a call, "alright good night….." she says as she hangs up.

"Alright we'll your fathers been doing alright, he was released from the hospital today, no big deal….he'll be fine…" she says as I lay there in bed watching TV.I'm watching There Will Be Blood, I'm at the part where he's screams "I've abandoned my child !", I Love this movie.Mother looks at me and says "Dolby should be here any minute-" she says as she hears the doors open downstairs. "there he is right now…" she says as they rush upstairs.The Dolby and the doctor look at me as i nonchalantly watch the film.She is carry a doctors bag as she politely says "Hello, I'm Dr.Hill, can you explain more on how you're feeling ?" She asks me as I reply "Well doc, I've peed blood Three times today, hurts more and more every time and I start to feel a pain where my crotch is on occasion." I say as she places the bag on the bed and looks through a book."Hmm it could be a UTI, which is rare amongst men, mainly being a female problem….." she says as mother asks "Well what could cause it for men ?" She asks as Dr.Hill says, "well….uhhh, Glenn is it ?" She asks me as I say "yea…." She puts the book down and looks at me, "Have you been sexually active ?" she ask as I reply "sadly no …." As they laugh. "Nothing to be sad about " she says as she pulls out a pen and paper from the bag." Miss, he hasn't been out the house in months…" says mother as Dr.Hill writes it down and says "okay, well I see a treadmill so I'm assuming it can't be health and no sexually transmitted disease of any sorts….it could maybe be a kidney stone passing but that's too small to bet it on ….." she says aloud as she is talking to herself.Dolby head out of the room and goes downstairs as Mothers hovers over Dr.Hill as she says "well my conclusion could really be nothing, just gotta let it pass, I could prescribe a pill but it'll be costly…" she says as Mother says "how much ?".Dr.Hill writes up the last of her notes and says "Around 800 pesos…" as mother shockingly asks "how many pills ?" As she says "20 pills….it'll be two pills a day for 10 days ." She says as Mother pulls out the money and hands it over."If you could accompany me downstairs to have it signed over please…." She says as they walk downstairs.Through all that talk I ignored it, I was focused on the film.I did fear the worst like cancer or maybe an STD but how would I get that ?

It's April 20th, uncle Dolbys big birthday.I hope we don't have another incident but Dolby isn't big on parties.Mother has gotten him a bottle of whiskey and 200 US dollars, I said US dollars.A lot of money for one day, also the pain has gone away but Jesus Christ I get scared of peeing now.Dr.Hill said it should go away which it had but I still fear peeing, that feeling felt like I was getting castrated.Anyways, what was a bigger surprise was Dolby finally getting me that record, he got a bunch.He got me so many varieties I just didn't know what to play.We have decided to leave the record player in the living room, so when you play something it plays all around the house.He got me a Johnny cash record, a Bob Dylan record, a Marty Robbins record and last but not least, The animal "Animalism " record.There's too many good songs like Outcast and She'll return it.If I had to be stuck with one album, it'd either be this or " Pearl " by Janis Joplin.

Dolby did go out that night as I played Johnny cash all night.It's the "At Folsom Prison" album, such an iconic album.It's playing 25 minutes to go, a classic.Mother is asleep in her room as I relax downstairs with music.M&M is here sleeping as it's 11:36 PM.I am enjoying this all as I hear knocking on the door, I am cautious and go upstairs quickly to try to awake mother. she won't wake up as I shake her softly and say "mom, wake up someone's at the door…" she just won't wake up.The knocking is still there as I man up and go downstairs, maybe it's Dolby.As the song echos in the background I open the door.It's a man, he looks scruffy and is wearing beat up and dirty clothes, "Can I help you ?" I ask as he says "is your mother home ?" He asks as I say "why ?" he laughs and breaths in and explains "look I'm a friend…just wondering if I can bother you for some some milk…." He says as M&M is behind me and stands there defensively.I cautiously see a hammer aside the door as I pick it up and have it hidden, tucked in my shirt."I don't know sir, I don't know you -" o say as he interrupts "Cmon kid, it's about to start raining and I ain't got no umbrella, I know Dolby Christ I know todays his birthday….he's probably out partying and celebrating…" he says as I say "you know Uncle Dolby ?…." I ask as he says "uncle ?, your his nephew….uhh Glenn huh ? Christ you've grown….yea I know him please son let me in for a second …." He says as I am hesitant.I open the door and let him in, he walks by me cautiously and I keep my guard up.He walks into the kitchen like he's been here before, I follow with caution as M&M is aside me as well.He makes his way to the fridge and gets the milk out and gets two cups.I stand there confused as he pours the two glasses and sits on the little table in the kitchen."Sit…sit and join me, the milks good…." He says as I sit down.I take a sip and say "So how do you know my family ?" I ask as the album echoes the home still.He takes a sip and says "Well I knew your uncle Dolby when we was kids, you know he was an ass….but he was tolerable…." He says jokingly as we laugh."And your mother, well she was friends with my Mother, she actually introduced me to Dolby, me and Dolby have been best friends ever since…." He says as he finishes up his glass of milk and goes to pour another glass.I still drink mine in small sips, "well that's very interesting but I must how did you end up here ?" I ask as he drink another sip and says "Well I live around here, very close actually and I just decided to pay y'all a visit on such a special day, I just felt the need of some milk…..you know …." He says as I give a curious look and say "Well what's your name ?" I ask as he gets up and says "Let me use the restroom real quick and I'll answer anything you have to say, okay ?" He says as I nod and say "alright…." He walks as he sees M&M standing there guarding us, he looks at the dog in a smiles and pets his head, "He's gotten fat huh ?" He says to me as he walks for the bathroom.I feel strange at this visit as I get up, I look at our glasses and see he's finished two cups now.I feel weird about this and go to mother quickly, the dog stands there waiting.I go upstairs and see mother awaken and watching tv."Mother come quick please…you've gotta visitor …" I say as she quickly gets up off the bed and follows me downstairs, "the hell you talking about Glenn ?" She asks as we walk down the stairs and head for the kitchen.I look and see the bathroom doors open and the lights off, I go from the kitchen and see the dog still standing there looking into the abyss.I see the two glasses on the table and see my glass still the same but his is full.He's nowhere to be seen, this man, like he's fled.I run into the garage door and turn the light on and see nothing, everything's the same.I go for the bathroom and turn on the light and look behind the bathroom curtain and see nothing, mother is sitting where he sat confused."Glenn are you okay, what's going on ?" She asks as I run into Dolbys room and turn on the lights and see nothing there.There's no trace of him, like he was never here.I rush back into the kitchen and start to breath quickly and try to put together what's going on."Glenn why do you have two glasses out, and who's this visitor ?" She asked scared as I calm down and say "I don't know, I made it up, I was just messing with you…" I say jokingly as she gets up angered and says "well that's not funny, now finish this milk , you ain't letting it go to waste…" she says as I go to get my cup and chug it quickly.I put the glass into the sink and rinse it, mother looks at me angered as she drinks out the other glass of milk.I see this and am in shock, mother drinks more and finishes it. She adds the glass to the sink and washes the two cups as I stand there confused.She walks out the kitchen and heads upstairs, "Go to bed …." She says as the dog follows her.

I don't understand what just happened in the moment, had Isolation gotten the best of me.Was any of it real, was this real was Rose even real.I can't comprehend what's occurred.The hell am I saying, of course it's real you idiot.I lay in bed in shock as I get so stressed out I fall asleep.May have mercy on me please.