:: Chapter III - Hello Mr. Arnold ::

Chapter III
Hello Mr. Arnold

They took me to the room number 131. It seemed to have something about 20 square metres, plus a bathroom. I looked over my left shoulder and saw another bed, a wheelchair and what seemed to be a person under the sheet. He, or she, was so thin that for one moment I thought it was just a couple of pillows not well arranged. But suddenly I realised that pillows do not breathe. Well, I wouldn't check by myself; sooner or later I would be introduced to him/her.

I was at that place for around one hour, someone has to come and see me. When I stopped thinking about that, a lady came into the room. She was a black woman, around 185 cm tall, with a strong body, maybe 50 years old, with a big smile on her face. She just transmitted to me a really good amount of happiness. She was wearing one of those white jackets, just like coming from a noir film. She looked at me and said:

- Hello handsome. My name is Madelijne, but you can call me Doctor Madelijne if you prefer. I don't really care for the Doctor thing; it's not part of my name. How are you feeling? My colleague just told me you cannot remember anything. Got better in the last hour?
- Hi Madelijne, really nice to meet you. I do feel better; but still, cannot remember anything. At least my eye, head and leg are not in pain anymore. I mean, I can handle that for now on.
- That's all right, son. We will try to collect some information about you. We don't have your details yet, but some of them we can get from your ID, if you have it with you.
- That's another problem. I didn't have any chance to tell this to the other guys. Please, come closer and look at what I found on my wallet.

At that moment she came, maybe 3 steps closer. Now I was sitting in the bed; I lifted my right hand on her direction, holding the passport and the ID. She was looking at me, a bit serious, but still with a smile on her face. Then she took them from my hand, had a look for a while, like she was trying to decipher something. She turned her black eyes on me and said:

- Son, it's a quite strange. We have received some people with memory problems, but most of them were just old and had Alzheimer. I hope it's not a joke. I cannot take any conclusion now, of course, but you know it's a crime pretending to be ill just to take some advantage from the government. Don't you?
- Mrs. Madelijne, you are just as much surprise as I was when I first saw those documents. I'm not pretending anything. I really would like to remember how I came to The Netherlands. If you have some time now, I can explain everything I have been through since I woke up on that beach.
- I'm so sorry, son. I didn't mean that. It's just a quite strange for me. Never mind. Doctor Rianne will come later on to talk to you. She is our psychologist; probably she will take you to another room. Before that, the nurse will come with some food and juice, you need to eat something. You had some serum on your way from Ameland to here, because you were dehydrated; that’s why you don't feel hungry right now, but still you have to eat. Is there anything else I can do for you now?
- Actually there is something: I would like to have a really good shower, get shaved and, if it's possible, someone could shave my head as well. You know, I got this bandages and they shaved just a little spot to be able to put the tape. I don't think I look like handsome now.

She laughed really loud when I told that. And it was really sort of magical how she could transmit all that energy. I hope I can remember her after I get my old memories back. When she stopped laughing, and it took a while, she told me:

- You can have a shower and get shaved just after I leave. Of course, if you can stand up and walk by your own. If you need help, juts push the red button on your right side, and someone shall come quickly. I will tell the nurse to bring a shaver with her, so she can help you after your lunch.
- Lunch?! What time is it? When?
- It’s just half past midday. You had a good night of sleep. Concerning when, it is Friday already, 17th July. Do you remember the year?
- I saw on the calendar in the ambulance. It's 2009, isn't it?
- Yes, it's 2009. Good observation, by the way. So, when Rianne finishes her job, I will come to see you again.
- That's fine, Mrs. Madelijne. Have a nice day.

She went away, still smiling and like singing a song while she walked through the corridor. And then, just ten seconds after, she came to the door and asked:

- How do you want to be called: Anne-Marie or Stanley?

She laughed again and when I realised I was laughing like a child, almost crying. Then I remembered the person sleeping beside me; I looked at her and made a silence sign. And I said:

- Please, just don't call me John Doe. I would suggest something like Natan; and I would say that I don't recall why, if you ask me.

Then, she went away.
This time I waited for a while before she left. It's time to be really handsome, I thought. I went to the bathroom; it was a 3 per 2 metres bathroom; the shower was in a metallic box on my right; I saw some towels hanging on a hook in the wall, just in front of me; also a sanitary just beside where the towels were hanging on. I couldn't see a mirror; I really would like to see my face. Then I switched on the light and I saw the sink on my left, a bit behind the door. If there is a sink, probably there will be a mirror. There is always a mirror above a sink, I told to myself. I have to step into this bathroom and face myself; and I did that with my eyes closed. One step in, then I turned left 90 degrees, waited for some time, thinking about the shock that it could be for me. I was expecting to receive an avalanche of memories at once. Then I opened my eyes and the most probably thing just happened: I didn't recognise myself.

I was standing for few minutes already, contemplating myself. I was a tall guy; not really tall, but around 180 centimetres; light-brown eyes, brown hair. Yes, actually a nice guy as the doctor said. But at that moment, I was tired, and I could see that on my face. Maybe all I needed was a shower to wash all of this away. So I went to have my douche; and after that I should get shaved. I checked in a drawer below the sink and there I found all I needed.

I was feeling like a new person, cleaned up and with no memories, lying on my bed and just waiting for my lunch when she came into the room. I almost fell from the bed. I felt like someone was making a bad joke with me. Maybe that place wasn’t a hospital at all. I stared at her with a sort of fury in my eyes and asked:

- What the hell are you doing here?!

She got scared after that. I guess she was expecting another reaction; or maybe nothing at all. I took a deep breath and said:

- Please, take my apologies. I'm really a bit confused and just see you here is not something that I was expecting. But since you are a nurse, why did you let me there yesterday? I heard the recording from the emergency and I thought I was getting crazy.
- Pardon me, Sir, but I don't know what you are talking about. I was working for the whole day yesterday. I have never seen you before. But no worries, I understand your condition.

She was really cold when she said that, there was no way she could be lying to me; and I could just believe on her.

- Doctor Madelijne told me to call you Natan. So, Mr. Natan, do you want you lunch now? I also brought a shaver, after lunch we can work out a new hair cut for you.

I just agreed with what she said, without saying anything back. Then on that afternoon I had my first lunch at the Talma Sionsberg Ziekenhuis; that was the name I saw on her uniform. Now I have to find out her name.

- So, what’s you name, if I may ask?
- It’s not a problem at all, Sir. My name is Angela. I’ve been working here for a while, around 2 years.
- Two years is a quite long time. I mean to work at the same place. But of course it depends on several variables. Is that your first job?
- I agree concerning the period, but as a first job, and it answers your last question, it's a good time to learn and grow on my career. Perhaps, they can offer me some good opportunities here.
- You are right; and I don't know that much about your job. Actually, I don't know about anything else.

She gave me a single smile when I said that. It's interesting what's happening here, I already started making jokes with my current condition. I guess it's something good; at least I'm not really a boring guy.

- And who is lying on the other bed?
- That's Mr. Arnold. He is here for a long time; longer than I am, indeed. He has multiple sclerosis. Unfortunately, few days ago he tried to kill himself. I came with his dinner and after some time he asked for more water. After I went to bring some more, he broke his plastic spoon and stabbed it into his fore arm, just closer to his pulse. When I came back he was unconscious and bleeding a lot. I don't know if he will remember that, even with the scar. Anyway, he is almost 85 years old. With all of his complications, he won't last that much.
- You just made a bit heavy remark with your last comment. But despite that fact, why did he try to kill himself? I know it's a tough situation, but that's not the end.
- Well, his family came here one day before his attempt: wife, daughter, granddaughter and grandson. He didn't remember anyone of them. They spent one hour talking and trying to make him remember at least some moments. Before they left, his wife gave to him a video with almost everything they have been through. He watched the video the day after, just before his dinner. So, maybe, that would be the reason.

I didn't say anything. I was just thinking about my situation. Maybe it was even worse because I don't know if I have a family to look after me. However, it's not time to get desperate, not yet.

- I guess we had a good chat for today, right?
- Yes, that's right Angela.
- So, let's have a look at your hair. How do you want that?
- Good one, maybe you can try Clark Kent style.
- A Lex Luthor hair cut is more suitable for you now.

Then we laughed together. And it's always good to laugh. It gives a sort of feeling that for one moment everything will be fine, every step taken in a wrong direction will lead you to the right place. It's always comfortable to laugh.

She took a small bank that was sitting under the bed and asked me to follow her. We went to the bathroom and there she shaved my head. And I thought that would be everything for the 17th of July; I went to my bed to take some rest, maybe talk a bit with Mr. Arnold if he decided to wake up. Anyway, I just remembered that still have to talk to Mrs. Rianne. It could be a sign that 17th of July is just at its beginning.

I was in the bed for around 30 minutes after Angela left. I knew that because she gave me her watch before she went away. If someone asked me about my idea of paradise now, probably I would say that the most perfect example of it would be just stay in a hospital, with someone taking care of you. Of course that's the most stupid answer for everyone in the world. However, comparing it with my experiences of yesterday, I can say I'm in heaven. It's all relative.

Unfortunately, after the incident with Mr. Arnold, they took away the TV from the room. But Angela promised me to arrange something useful for my spare time. And I do have time. I tried to have Mr. Arnold's attention, talking to myself and pretending to sing a song that I even don't really know if that was a song indeed. It doesn't matter at all. After 5 minutes I went to the toilet, I wanted to take a leak. When I came out the toilet I saw that figure, I couldn't dare to call it a man. He was so thin and white. Not white, but almost transparent. He was staring at me, with his blue eyes, really light-blue eyes. For one moment I thought he was still sleeping, so I took one step further. He was following my steps with his eyes. Fortunately, I reached my bed before he could freeze me with that look. Then, for my surprise, he said:

- Hello Natan.

:: Chapter IV ::