4
I watch Oswald as he waddles down the hallway and away from my office. I don't think he notices me watching him, or if he does notice me, he must not care, because he makes no effort to conceal the fact that he's crying. A pretty young nurse runs up to him. She moves with the delighted urgency of someone who's spotted a an adorable newborn puppy, and wants to be the first person in the room to pet it.
The young nurse puts a hand on one of Oswald's shoulders. He flinches and I expect him to jerk away from her touch but he doesn't. He stands there and tolerates her attempt to comfort him. Probably because she's blond and has perky tats.
"Aw...sweetie...what's wrong?" the young nurse asks. She has an irritating perkiness about her.
Oswald answers her with more pitiful sobbing.
"Shh...It's ok," the nurse croons.
"...T-this is a horrible place..." Oswald sniffles.
The young nurse wraps her arms around him and holds him while he cries. I feel sick to my stomach.
"I want to go home..." Oswald sniffles and the young nurse pats him on his greasy head like he's a small child.
"Awww...sweetie..." the young nurse squeals again. "How about I get you some candy? Would that make you feel better?"
And now I feel like I'm about to vomit.
"...ok..." Oswald murmurs tearfully.
The young nurse puts a hand in the pocket of her scrubs and retrieves a piece of peppermint candy, which she then unwraps and puts into Oswald's mouth. She brushes his bangs away from his forehead and gives him a sympathetic smile and another hug.
"Feel better?" she asks.
"No," Oswald sniffles bitterly.
"How about I get you a tissue?"
The young nurse walks across the room and retrieves a box of tissues from a cabinet. The she returns to Oswald, pulls several tissues out of the box and hands them to him. Oswald takes the tissues and blows his nose with them.
"Thank you," he tells her.
She looks into his swollen, red-rimmed eyes, with what I can only assume is lust.
"What's your name, sweetie?"
"Oswald Cobblepot."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Cobblepot," the young nurse says. "My name is Nurse Kim."
"Please. Call me Oswald."
"Sure thing, honey. You just come over and talk to me whenever you need me, ok? I'm here for you whenever you feel sad and you want to talk, alright?" says Nurse Kim.
"Ok."
"Why don't you come sit down with me for a while, Oswald?" says Nurse Kim, brushing a piece of dark hair behind one of Oswald's ears.
"I'll stand," Oswald says.
"Oh no, I'm sorry. Did you just get a paddling?" the nurse inquires apologetically.
Oswald nods sullenly.
"Aw, you poor thing. I'll get you some ice for your tushy," Nurse Kim says.
She walks away, presumably to retrieve and ice pack for Oswald's paddled ass. Oswald waddles after her. I return to my office and plot ways to bully him during our next session.