I n M y P l a c e
"Hi there...you have a visitor today,"
"Hm? What? Oh...it's been a long time, Pumpkinhead,"
"...Hello Sir...it has been a long time. You look great,"
"I'll just leave you two alone, take care!"
"Don't lie Pumpkinhead...I'm coming up at the end and I know it,"
"No! No, you look fine...all things considered,"
"I'm a hundred and tree, I look terrible, and I can't even leave this bed,"
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything,"
"Don't be so uptight, Pumpkinhead. Ya haven't changed at all...I like that,"
"Thank you..."
"What are ya doin' wastin' your time talkin' to a washed up old man?"
"You aren't a washed up old man...you're a hero, a legend,"
"No, don't be like that,"
"But, it's the truth. You saved the country...the world,"
"I'm still just a guy, Pumpkinhead,"
"..."
"Why are ya here? Ya got better things to do, I just know it,"
"I wanted to talk to you...if you have the time,"
"Yeah, I got time for ya, Pumpkinhead. What's on yer mind?"
"First, I would just like to say that I am so, so, so terribly sorry about what happened with the Ministry of Pain. I just...I thought I had to respect the elderly and I got all of you hurt so badly..."
"Ya were just doin' what you thought was right. So a few geezers got hurt, all that matters is ya stuck by yer principals,"
"But I should have just stopped the Ministry...I really goofed,"
"Now, don't be talkin' like that. Ya got me to see what an ass I was, got me an' Lefty talkin' again. A lot of good came out of it. The only thing hurt was yer pride and some grandpas,"
"That's the problem. I'm a superheroine, I'm supposed to help people...if good people get hurt because I can't do the right thing...then I failed..."
"...Yer too hard on yourself. Ya were just a kid, yer still just a kid,"
"But I'm not just a kid...I'm a superheroine, I have a duty to uphold,"
"Is that why ya came here? To apologize? Pumpkinhead, I was never sore. I actually wanted to thank ya,"
"...Really?"
"Me an' Lefty have been closer than ever. That whole thing helped shrink my big head,"
"Is Lefty here as well? I didn't see him when I was in the lobby,"
"Yeah he's somewhere, the kid comes and visits me around dinner time,"
"I'm glad you two are friends again..."
"He was like a son to me, I couldn't hate him forever....the whole thing was my fault anyway...why are ya here again, Pumpkinhead?"
"Oh right! I'm so sorry...I wanted to ask you about...being a hero,"
"Yeah? Seems like ya know better than I do,"
"Maybe...I feel like I don't know anything. I've been so confused, I just can't figure out what to do with these...these feelings inside,"
"What kind of feelins?"
"I've been asking other people about being a hero...some people have told me that it's about patriotism...about fame...about duty. But I don't know if I feel like its any of those things. I just look at the world and feel so wrong...I just want to..."
"Yeah...it's hard isn't it? Bein' a hero, it's not like other jobs. No one can tell ya the right answer. I used to have feelins like yer havin' now,"
"I'm just not sure that I'm really making a lasting difference. I save people, I stop monsters, I fight evil...but I never really...make any progress,"
"Yeah...ya look at the world and see all the evil and just think, 'what can I do'? Feels kinda hopeless,"
"Someone told me...that humans are all evil, that they'll always be evil, and as long as they're in charge the world will always be evil..."
"Sounds about right...people are demons just as easily as they're angels. Ya give a man the right reason and he'll kill his own wife an' kids,"
"That's...that's horrible..."
"But it's true...I wanted to make a difference, just like you. Then somewhere, it got to me. The fame, the glory, the status all got to me. I stabbed my own partner in the back and it took forty-seven years to patch it up...all thanks to you, Pumpkinhead,"
"..."
"After me an' Lefty split, I gave up...'cause I realized I couldn't do it. I wasn't strong enough, I wasn't good enough. 'Cause, like that friend of yers said, men are evil. Humans are evil,"
"...So it really is helpless?"
"No...I don't think so...for a guy like me? Yeah, I can't make a difference, I never could. But...but maybe you can, Pumpkinhead...ya seem different..."
"...Someone else...someone very close to me said that...that my sisters and I aren't human..."
"Sounds like he knew what he was talkin' about,"
"So...do you think...but what can I do? Even if I'm not human...it's always going to be evil. What can I really do?"
"Well, Pumpkinhead...what does it mean to be a hero to ya?"
"I...I don't...I never actually thought about it. I just kept asking everyone else. I...I don't know..."
"Well don't rush yerself...to me? Being a hero isn't about fame...isn't about patriotism or duty...or anything like that..."
"Sir? Sir are you okay?"
"Sorry...lost my breath. Ahem...a hero...a hero is someone who does whatever it takes, no matter the cost, no matter what everyone else thinks...to stop evil. A hero is...is someone willing to...to sacrifice anything for justice,"
"Sir! Uh...uh...nurse! Nurse! Sir take it easy...oh no please...please open your eyes...please..."
"A hero...I don't think...don't think we had...one of those yet...but I think you could be one...Pumpkinhead...cause you ain't changed...I like that..."
"Please! Please just...just relax! You're going to be fine! Oh please...Nurse! Someone! Anyone!"
"What's yer name...Pumpkinhead?"
"Don't talk please just...just keep breathing! What's that sound?"
"What's...what's yer name Pumpkinhead?"
"B...Blossom...my name is Blossom!"
"..."
Sir? Oh God no! Nurse! Someone! Anyone! Someone save him!"
