THE HARSH REALITY OF REALITY

 I WAS WITH AL & BEE, (MY 90SOMETHING PARENTS) WE WERE SOMEWHERE THAT LOOKED LIKE MY AUNT PETRA'S OLD HOUSE IN PICO RIVERA.

MY DAD'S TRUCK  WAS FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH ITEMS FROM THE HOUSE. 
WE WERE MOVING SOMEWHERE. APPARENTLY OUR COUSIN'S WOULD BE MEETING US SHORTLY TO CARAVAN TO.....?

MY DAD'S AN EX-SARGENT AND CONTROL FREAK SO HE WAS COMMANDING WHERE WE SHOULD PUT WHAT-WHERE AND WHEN. MY MUM HAS ALZHEIMERS, SO SHE WAS JUST STANDING BY.  THIS ENTIRE SCENE WAS TAKING PLACE IN PITCH BLACK DARKNESS- MAYBE ONE DIM STREETLAMP. A MOONLESS NIGHT-
  THE AIR WAS STILL. VERY ORWELLIAN. 

AS HE WAS GIVING ORDERS I NOTICED WHAT COULD ONLY BE A HUGE BLACK RAT LUNGING AT HIS FEET. THERE WAS ALSO SMALLER  GREY RATS TRYING TO NIBBLE HIS TOES. AT FIRST MY DAD IGNORED THEM, THEN TRIED TO MOVE AWAY.

IMMEDIATELY I PANICKED AND LOOKED IN THE DARKNESS FOR SOMETHING TO HIT THEM WITH. I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING.
THE RATS SCURRIED AWAY.
"DAD, I SCREAMED, DID THEY BITE YOU?" HE DIDN'T RESPOND. "
DID THEY BITE YOU?! DID THEY PIERCE YOUR SKIN?!!"
HE SHOOK HIS HEAD YES.

NOW IN PANICK MODE I SHOUTED, "WE HAVE TO GET YOU TO THE HOSPITAL NOW!"

HE WANDERED OVER TO THE TRUCK AND STARTED TO GET IN THE DRIVERS SEAT. .. HE REALLY IS A CONTROL FREAK....
MY COUSINS PULLED UP AND COULD SEE THE CRISIS UNFOLDING. "WE'VE GOT TO GET HIM TO THE HOSPITAL!", I SHOUTED AT THEM. THEY WERE ALL PACKED LIKE REFUGES IN ONE VEHICLE. THEY LOOKED STUNNED. THEY DID NOT RESPOND.

 IT WAS UP TO ME TO MAKE DECISIONS.
I RAN TO THE TRUCK AND TOLD MY DAD HE HAD TO MOVE OVER. I WAS DRIVING.
HE WAS ALREADY SLUMPING OVER THE STEERING WHEEL. 
RAT FEVER WAS SETTING IN.
I PUSHED HIM TO ONE SIDE AND TOOK HIS PLACE IN FRONT OF THE STEERING WHEEL, WITH HIS LAST OUNCE OF STRENGTH HE TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE TRUCK. " DAD! DON'T! STAY HERE. I'M GONNA DRIVE!"

"WHERE IS THE NEAREST HOSPITAL?" I SCREAMED TO MY COUSINS.. NO RESPONSE. ONLY LOOKS OF SHOCK. "WHERE IS THE NEAREST HOSPITAL?!" I SHOUTED INTO THE SKY HOPING THAT SOMEONE, ONE OF THE NEIGHBORS, ANYONE WOULD ANSWER.

NOBODY DID.  I DECIDED I WOULD LOOK IT UP ON MY CELL PHONE ONCE I GOT ON THE ROAD. I WOULD MAKE A BEE-LINE FOR CITY CENTER- LOOK FOR A HOSPITAL SIGN, ALL-THE-WHILE LOOKING ON MY CELL PHONE FOR SOME KIND OF DIRECTION. I'D EVEN RESORT TO ASKING  SIRI.

AS I PULLED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, MY 93 YEAR OLD MOTHER WITH ALZHEIMERS STOOD IN FRONT OF THE TRUCK LOOKING AIMLESS NOT KNOWING WHERE TO GO. WHAT TO DO. THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR HER IN THE TRUCK CAB. THE BACK OF THE TRUCK WAS FILLED TO THE BRIM, AND MY FATHER HAD TURNED GREY.

I MADE THE DECISION TO LEAVE HER BEHIND.


NIGHTMARE-  11/21/16 @ 4AM- RICK CASTRO