Ok- to overcome some formatting issues I've had, I've inserted periods to lengthen the spaces between scene changes. I know how annoying it can be to read something that seems to "jump around", so I hope this helps. Nice thing is, once it's on my site, it'll read as it's meant too.
-For Monkfans group members (for fun, visit the members section. Under "bouncing" you can check out the profiles of our heroes. Their online names are "imright13" and "bjysmom") If you want to read their actual correspondence, it starts on line 6410. Sharona's retaliation starts on line 6734- and the final posting from either one of them is on line 6766.
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Chapter 4
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Sharona grunted as she turned off her computer. No response from imright13. She wasn't sure if that made her glad or worried. She was dead set positive it had been Adrian.... yesterday. Now, she was starting to feel a little foolish. No one else had responded to her post either. She shook her head; she was letting this take over her life. With determination, she turned her back on her monitor.
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Running a hand through her kinky hair, she decided to do something really novel, something she was amazed she actually had time for. She picked up a book and started to read. Without realizing it, her eyes rolled till they were staring at the clock. Adrian should be wrapping up his session pretty soon. Maybe she didn't have time to read after all. She should have grabbed one of Benjy's comic books rather than the imposingly thick copy of Dreamcatcher that had been sitting on the shelf. Shaking her head, she turned back to the white page open before her.
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The room is dim. Henry always keeps it that way when he's seeing patients. It's interesting to him how few seem to notice it. He thinks it's because their states of mind are so often dim to start with. Mostly he sees neurotics (The woods are full of em, as he once told Jonesy while they were in, ha ha, the woods) and it is his assessment- completely unscientific- that their problems act as a kind of polarizing shield between them and the rest of the world. As the neurosis deepens, so does the interior darkness. Mostly what he feels for his patients is a
kind of distanced sympathy. Sometimes pity. A very few of them make him impatient.Barry Newman is one of those.
Sharona dropped the book down for the second time, a short laugh issuing from her. Of all the characters to run across in a Stephen King novel, a psychiatrist would have to be one of them. She wondered, idly, if Dr. Kroger felt and affinity for the Henry in this story. She wondered if Dr. Kroger had ever read Stephen King. Glancing at the clock again, she stretched. Adrian would likely be picking the phone up right about... riiiiiiing! Smiling, Sharona picked up the receiver. "Let me guess, you want me to come pick you up?" She set the book down. "Well who else would it be?" She stood from the couch, taking the cordless into the kitchen with her. "Ok, ok, sure. Uh huh. All right, -be right there." Pushing the off button, she turned one last, longing look at her computer. Shaking her head, she grabbed her keys. "Get a grip girl, it's just a chat group!"
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Adrian stood stiffly just within the doors of the office. He estimated Sharona would arrive in seven minutes, assuming she hit the four stoplights between her house and the office. Of course, sometimes she took a different route if traffic looked bad, which made the estimate closer to twelve minutes. Then, of course, she may have right in the middle of a project when Adrian called- she'd sounded distracted- which meant she could be up to twenty minutes, depending on how involved the project was... Adrian's musing stopped when he saw the familiar station wagon pull up out front. Pushing open the door with his shoulder, he walked outside. "So, did you get straightened out?" She asked him pertly as he slid into the car. "Was I crooked?" He asked in confusion. "No Adrian, that job is taken by us mere mortals." He rolled his shoulder as he looked out the window. As Sharona drove through a business section, Adrian's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh my God, stop the car!" Sharona slammed on the brakes, causing Adrian to jar against his seatbelt. The car behind them blasted its horn. "What'd ya do that for!" Shouted Adrian as he turned back to her. Her jaw dropped. "Adrian, you just yelled at me to stop- I thought I was gonna hit a kid!" The car behind them sped around, the driver blaring his horn again as he passed them. Sharona blew hers back. "I meant at the corner, stop at the corner!" Sharona glared at him as she started driving again. "Adrian, you didn't say at the corner! You yelled like I had to stop that second or you'd have a heart attack!" Adrian fixed his seatbelt. "I think I did." He muttered darkly. Parking the car, Sharona turned to Adrian again. "Ok- what? What was so desperate that I had to stop in the middle of the street? What- you saw someone robbing a store?" Adrian pushed open his door. "No- better." As he walked up the street, Sharona muttered softly. "Better than a robbery?"
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She caught up with Adrian just as he entered a little shop two stores up from the corner. The place was very elegant, with exquisite glass cases filled with glittering merchandise. A tall man stood nearby with his hands behind his back. "How are you folks doing today?" He asked with a soft voice. Sharona smiled. "Fine, but I don't think we'll be buying anything today." She walked up to Adrian who was staring into a tall display case filled with stunning little clocks. "Adrian, don't tell me you stopped here to get a clock." He turned to her. "Not for me, for Kim." Sharona stared at him blankly. "Who the hell is Kim?" She asked, aware that her voice had risen an octave. Adrian didn't seem to notice her indignation. "I met her a few weeks ago, she mentioned she didn't get up easily in the morning, so I told her about these clocks." Sharona rubbed her forehead. "Alright, alright- forgetting about the clocks for a second... where did you meet her? I certainly think I'd know if you knew someone named Kim!" Adrian seemed to grow flustered. "Uh, I- she, well we... you know it was, the strange..... I was, there was... I found a..." Sharona crossed her arms. "Adrian, before Benjy graduates." Adrian shrugged tightly, his eyes staring at her intensely- the expression he wore whenever he had something incredibly difficult to share. She felt a sudden thread of fear. 'Oh my God, he's gonna tell me he fell in love with this woman!' The though was as unbidden as it was strong. She couldn't explain what made her say that- no more than she could explain why the idea filled her with such distress. "Sharona-" (I'm leaving you, I'm in love with Kim, I'm getting married) she shook her head, he was still talking. "I- I joined an online chat group." He looked at his hands, a despondent slump evident in his posture. "You joined what?" She surely hadn't heard the words right. "I joined a chat group." He said again, clearly, as he looked up. She suddenly wanted to laugh. "Adrian, oh my God- that's great!" Adrian's expression was one of bafflement. "What?" She hugged him quickly, squeezing him tightly before releasing him again. Adrian stared at her. "What is with you?" He asked, real concern in his features. Sharona just laughed. "I doubt you'd wanna know!" She said. "Come on- tell me about Kim in the car."
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She dragged him from the store by his sleeve, mindful of the stares she got- but not really caring. Once buckled in, she forced Adrian to reveal. It was like pulling teeth. As he spoke- her own thoughts nagged at her, returning to yesterday. This was too much of a coincidence. When Adrian finished his recitation- she pulled to a stop by the side of the road. Putting the car in park, she turned so she faced Adrian. "So you really liked this Kim huh?" Adrian nodded. "Yeah- she was nice..." Sharona frowned. "Unlike someone else you met? Someone who maybe, I don't know, acted like kindof a bitch?"
Adrian looked at her strangely. "Bjysmom. Benjy's mom." Sharona said nothing. "Oh my God!" Exclaimed Adrian, putting a hand to his forehead. "Kinda amazing huh?" Said Sharona, ruefully shaking her head. Adrian let out a short laugh. "It's incredible!"
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"Is that why you went to see Dr. Kroger?" Adrian nodded. "I- I was, I was.... wrong!" He said, a look of wonderment on his face. Sharona looked away. "So was I." She said softly. Adrian looked at her. She turned her gaze back to him. "Adrian, I'm so sorry- I was terrible to you. It doesn't matter that I thought you were someone else- I shouldn't talk to anyone like that." Adrian shrugged. "Why, you thought you were right." Sharona stared at him. "Adrian, did you just say that it's ok for people to have a different opinion from you?" The look he shot her was complicated. "Not people," he said, clarifying, "You." She felt inexplicable tears at the back of her eyes. "I- Adrian, that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me!" He shrugged, slightly uncomfortable. He casted about for a different subject. Seeing his discomfort, Sharona came to the rescue. "So- what did you mean when you said you didn't have time for a response right now?" At Adrian's look, she laughed- starting the car again. It would be a long time before she forgave him that little remark. Well- so long as he made up for it with more comments like the one he'd just made. Pointing the car for home, she made up her mind. From now on, she's ask people for their full names whenever she went online.
-End
Ok- my turn to chat now! This was a very complicated thing to write- I don't know why- stories pick the writers, not the other way around. I left it as an angst/budding romantic interest at the end. I realize that can be frustrating, but it also opens the door for other interpretation (as well as stories). I might fit this little history into another story at some point. Anyhow- thank you so much for your great patience- as well as continuous stabs for me to FINISH THE DAMN STORY! I bid you all a fond good night!
Ps- See Kim, I got ya in there!
-For Monkfans group members (for fun, visit the members section. Under "bouncing" you can check out the profiles of our heroes. Their online names are "imright13" and "bjysmom") If you want to read their actual correspondence, it starts on line 6410. Sharona's retaliation starts on line 6734- and the final posting from either one of them is on line 6766.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Chapter 4
.
.
.
.
Sharona grunted as she turned off her computer. No response from imright13. She wasn't sure if that made her glad or worried. She was dead set positive it had been Adrian.... yesterday. Now, she was starting to feel a little foolish. No one else had responded to her post either. She shook her head; she was letting this take over her life. With determination, she turned her back on her monitor.
.
Running a hand through her kinky hair, she decided to do something really novel, something she was amazed she actually had time for. She picked up a book and started to read. Without realizing it, her eyes rolled till they were staring at the clock. Adrian should be wrapping up his session pretty soon. Maybe she didn't have time to read after all. She should have grabbed one of Benjy's comic books rather than the imposingly thick copy of Dreamcatcher that had been sitting on the shelf. Shaking her head, she turned back to the white page open before her.
.
The room is dim. Henry always keeps it that way when he's seeing patients. It's interesting to him how few seem to notice it. He thinks it's because their states of mind are so often dim to start with. Mostly he sees neurotics (The woods are full of em, as he once told Jonesy while they were in, ha ha, the woods) and it is his assessment- completely unscientific- that their problems act as a kind of polarizing shield between them and the rest of the world. As the neurosis deepens, so does the interior darkness. Mostly what he feels for his patients is a
kind of distanced sympathy. Sometimes pity. A very few of them make him impatient.Barry Newman is one of those.
Sharona dropped the book down for the second time, a short laugh issuing from her. Of all the characters to run across in a Stephen King novel, a psychiatrist would have to be one of them. She wondered, idly, if Dr. Kroger felt and affinity for the Henry in this story. She wondered if Dr. Kroger had ever read Stephen King. Glancing at the clock again, she stretched. Adrian would likely be picking the phone up right about... riiiiiiing! Smiling, Sharona picked up the receiver. "Let me guess, you want me to come pick you up?" She set the book down. "Well who else would it be?" She stood from the couch, taking the cordless into the kitchen with her. "Ok, ok, sure. Uh huh. All right, -be right there." Pushing the off button, she turned one last, longing look at her computer. Shaking her head, she grabbed her keys. "Get a grip girl, it's just a chat group!"
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Adrian stood stiffly just within the doors of the office. He estimated Sharona would arrive in seven minutes, assuming she hit the four stoplights between her house and the office. Of course, sometimes she took a different route if traffic looked bad, which made the estimate closer to twelve minutes. Then, of course, she may have right in the middle of a project when Adrian called- she'd sounded distracted- which meant she could be up to twenty minutes, depending on how involved the project was... Adrian's musing stopped when he saw the familiar station wagon pull up out front. Pushing open the door with his shoulder, he walked outside. "So, did you get straightened out?" She asked him pertly as he slid into the car. "Was I crooked?" He asked in confusion. "No Adrian, that job is taken by us mere mortals." He rolled his shoulder as he looked out the window. As Sharona drove through a business section, Adrian's eyes suddenly widened. "Oh my God, stop the car!" Sharona slammed on the brakes, causing Adrian to jar against his seatbelt. The car behind them blasted its horn. "What'd ya do that for!" Shouted Adrian as he turned back to her. Her jaw dropped. "Adrian, you just yelled at me to stop- I thought I was gonna hit a kid!" The car behind them sped around, the driver blaring his horn again as he passed them. Sharona blew hers back. "I meant at the corner, stop at the corner!" Sharona glared at him as she started driving again. "Adrian, you didn't say at the corner! You yelled like I had to stop that second or you'd have a heart attack!" Adrian fixed his seatbelt. "I think I did." He muttered darkly. Parking the car, Sharona turned to Adrian again. "Ok- what? What was so desperate that I had to stop in the middle of the street? What- you saw someone robbing a store?" Adrian pushed open his door. "No- better." As he walked up the street, Sharona muttered softly. "Better than a robbery?"
.
She caught up with Adrian just as he entered a little shop two stores up from the corner. The place was very elegant, with exquisite glass cases filled with glittering merchandise. A tall man stood nearby with his hands behind his back. "How are you folks doing today?" He asked with a soft voice. Sharona smiled. "Fine, but I don't think we'll be buying anything today." She walked up to Adrian who was staring into a tall display case filled with stunning little clocks. "Adrian, don't tell me you stopped here to get a clock." He turned to her. "Not for me, for Kim." Sharona stared at him blankly. "Who the hell is Kim?" She asked, aware that her voice had risen an octave. Adrian didn't seem to notice her indignation. "I met her a few weeks ago, she mentioned she didn't get up easily in the morning, so I told her about these clocks." Sharona rubbed her forehead. "Alright, alright- forgetting about the clocks for a second... where did you meet her? I certainly think I'd know if you knew someone named Kim!" Adrian seemed to grow flustered. "Uh, I- she, well we... you know it was, the strange..... I was, there was... I found a..." Sharona crossed her arms. "Adrian, before Benjy graduates." Adrian shrugged tightly, his eyes staring at her intensely- the expression he wore whenever he had something incredibly difficult to share. She felt a sudden thread of fear. 'Oh my God, he's gonna tell me he fell in love with this woman!' The though was as unbidden as it was strong. She couldn't explain what made her say that- no more than she could explain why the idea filled her with such distress. "Sharona-" (I'm leaving you, I'm in love with Kim, I'm getting married) she shook her head, he was still talking. "I- I joined an online chat group." He looked at his hands, a despondent slump evident in his posture. "You joined what?" She surely hadn't heard the words right. "I joined a chat group." He said again, clearly, as he looked up. She suddenly wanted to laugh. "Adrian, oh my God- that's great!" Adrian's expression was one of bafflement. "What?" She hugged him quickly, squeezing him tightly before releasing him again. Adrian stared at her. "What is with you?" He asked, real concern in his features. Sharona just laughed. "I doubt you'd wanna know!" She said. "Come on- tell me about Kim in the car."
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She dragged him from the store by his sleeve, mindful of the stares she got- but not really caring. Once buckled in, she forced Adrian to reveal. It was like pulling teeth. As he spoke- her own thoughts nagged at her, returning to yesterday. This was too much of a coincidence. When Adrian finished his recitation- she pulled to a stop by the side of the road. Putting the car in park, she turned so she faced Adrian. "So you really liked this Kim huh?" Adrian nodded. "Yeah- she was nice..." Sharona frowned. "Unlike someone else you met? Someone who maybe, I don't know, acted like kindof a bitch?"
Adrian looked at her strangely. "Bjysmom. Benjy's mom." Sharona said nothing. "Oh my God!" Exclaimed Adrian, putting a hand to his forehead. "Kinda amazing huh?" Said Sharona, ruefully shaking her head. Adrian let out a short laugh. "It's incredible!"
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"Is that why you went to see Dr. Kroger?" Adrian nodded. "I- I was, I was.... wrong!" He said, a look of wonderment on his face. Sharona looked away. "So was I." She said softly. Adrian looked at her. She turned her gaze back to him. "Adrian, I'm so sorry- I was terrible to you. It doesn't matter that I thought you were someone else- I shouldn't talk to anyone like that." Adrian shrugged. "Why, you thought you were right." Sharona stared at him. "Adrian, did you just say that it's ok for people to have a different opinion from you?" The look he shot her was complicated. "Not people," he said, clarifying, "You." She felt inexplicable tears at the back of her eyes. "I- Adrian, that's the sweetest thing you've ever said to me!" He shrugged, slightly uncomfortable. He casted about for a different subject. Seeing his discomfort, Sharona came to the rescue. "So- what did you mean when you said you didn't have time for a response right now?" At Adrian's look, she laughed- starting the car again. It would be a long time before she forgave him that little remark. Well- so long as he made up for it with more comments like the one he'd just made. Pointing the car for home, she made up her mind. From now on, she's ask people for their full names whenever she went online.
-End
Ok- my turn to chat now! This was a very complicated thing to write- I don't know why- stories pick the writers, not the other way around. I left it as an angst/budding romantic interest at the end. I realize that can be frustrating, but it also opens the door for other interpretation (as well as stories). I might fit this little history into another story at some point. Anyhow- thank you so much for your great patience- as well as continuous stabs for me to FINISH THE DAMN STORY! I bid you all a fond good night!
Ps- See Kim, I got ya in there!