Mason Park - Chapter Nine

AN: Chandler never quit his job in season 9, Doug is still his boss.

The waiting room of the doctor's office is unusually busy for a Monday afternoon. I'm stuffed between a young woman trying to calm her screaming baby and an old lady that keeps taping her cane against me knee. I gave her a questioning look, wondering if she wanted something from me, but she just scowled back and mumbled something about wasted youth.

A nurse steps out of the door and studies the clip board in her hand. Everybody in the room immediately focuses on her, wanting to get out of this hell like zoo.

She clears her throat and continues to look at her board, I'm beginning to wonder if she can read at all. "Chandler Bing, the doctor will see you now." I eagerly jump from my chair and as I walk past her into the hallway, she stifles a laugh, obviously taking notice of my ridiculous name.

"Follow me." She announces and we head down an oddly long hallway with a large, floor to ceiling window at the end. We pass door after door and I wonder how many of these rooms are actually used for patients.

Finally we stop walking at the very end of the hallway, right next to the window. We're on the nineteenth floor of the building and the view of the city is amazing.

I silently step into the room when she tells me that the doctor will be with me in a minute. What's the point of sitting in one room waiting for the doctor, then being taken to another room to wait for the doctor? Why don't they just come and get you when the doctor actually is ready?

There's a short knock on the door and before I have anytime to say anything, it opens and the doctor steps in with a clipboard held about three inches from his face.

"Doctor Schip, it's good to see you again." I stick out my hand and he quickly looks up to shake it before looking back down at whatever he was reading. For the first time, I realize that he's really short, I guess I've never stood next to him before, I was always in that bed. I'd say he's about a foot shorter than me and rather stocky. He has short black hair and his skin is remarkably tan for January. If he was taller, he'd almost look like he could be Joey's brother. I've never really taken in his appearance. I guess that's pretty understandable, what with the whole life swap and everything, I guess the physical complexion of a man doesn't really stick out in a situation like that.

"So, what can I do you for?" He asks me and carelessly throws the board down on the table.

"Well, whenever I..remember..something, I get these really bad, unbelievably painful headaches.

"Ah, those are not uncommon. There's not much I can do about them, I can prescribe some stronger painkillers, but that's about it. You, on the other hand, can do a number of things. Some people have said that meditating on a daily basis helps, you know, it relaxes the mind and lets the memory come back smoother. But the most effective thing that I've heard of is running."

"Running?"

"Yes, you know what running is, just really fast walking. A little exercise isn't going to hurt you, Chandler." He smiles and leans back against the table.

"Well, I see we already know each other well enough to make fun of me." I laugh sarcastically and lean back against the examination table. "Anyway...What do you mean by running? Like on a regular basis, whenever I get a headache, what?"

"Both would be best. It'd help your health and your head." He turns around and starts writing out a prescription form, I guess our little visit is coming to a close.

I don't say anything else as he finishes writing out the prescription (a rarity for me, I'm usually filled with things to say). He tears the piece of paper from the pad and hands it to me. I take the paper and shove it in my pocket before sticking my hand out for him to shake once again.

"I forgot to tell you, I'm moving to Los Angeles tomorrow. So seeing as this will probably be the last time I'll see you...thanks, for everything." You are not getting emotional over this, you've known the guy a few days!

"Well, I hope everything goes well for you. I hope you get your memory back, I hope you find something better on the west coast." Wow, he hopes a lot, but nothing could be better than the life I thought I had.

He releases my hand, and I nod my head and proceed to the door.

Office building, here I come.

I reach my office not 15 minutes later, and on the way upstairs, not one person acknowledges me, gee, it feels great to be back. I stop outside of my door but decide to head straight to Doug's office first.

I knock three times and wait for the reply of 'come in' to open the door. As predicted, he's got his putter centered between his feet, lining up a shot on his cheap putting green that he got from his boss last year at the Christmas party.

"Bing! Great to see you boy! You coming back to work soon?" He shouts at me and I involuntarily step toward the door.

"Um, no, I'm not. I actually wanted to see about a transfer..to Los Angeles." I quickly spit out and shove my hands in my pockets.

"A transfer? Why?" Wow, some people are just too dumb. What other reason would there be for a transfer outside of 'I'm moving'?

"Well, sir, I'm moving to California tomorrow. I know this is really short notice, but I didn't get much of one myself."

"I don't know about anything myself, but I'll check with some people and see if we have anything for you. I gotta say, I'm gonna miss you. You've been a great team member and I hate to see you go, but you gotta do what you gotta do." He slings his putter under his left arm like some sort of army lieutenant and sticks his hand out for me to shake.

"Thanks, I've had a great time working here." Amazing how easily the lies come when you just want to get away from an awkward situation. I shake his hand and head for my office.

Walking home from the office with a giant box of stuff from my desk was anything less than fun, especially trying to walk down a New York sidewalk jam packed with angry New Yorkers pushing their way home and slamming you into a wall at every possible chance. It's amazing I survived, I should be awarded for this.

I finally reach my door and slam the box on the floor. Why did I keep this? Was there some reason that I didn't just throw it in a dumpster and have a nice casual walk home? All I really want from this is the picture of the six of us, Joey present, at Central Perk. What a waste of time.

I shake my head and retrieve the keys from my pocket to unlock the door. Since when did I start locking it?

Well, apparently never, because the door opens without any effort from the key, smart thinking, Chandler.

The box receives a swift kick from my foot and goes sailing into the apartment. Gee, I could have just done that all the way home, but with my luck I would have missed the box and kicked some body builder in the shin, that would have made a great story, 'How I Got Paralyzed from the Neck Down'.

I shuffle myself inside and effortlessly kick the door shut before heading to my room. I'm wiped, I must have sleep, the other things can wait...since when did I start getting so easily exhausted?

I had walked around New York for hours, thinking about what had just happened. Why didn't I just give her some of my clothes to wear while hers dried? How stupid of a mistake was that?

I walk into the apartment and find Joey placing random things of his in a box and frustratingly wiping tears from his eyes. My heart leaps into my throat and every thought in my mind comes to a halt.

"Joey, what are you doing?" I ask shakily and he jumps back, he must have not noticed me come in.

"I'm packing." He replies quickly and goes back to the task at hand.

"What for?" I didn't want to ask it, but it just came out. I already know why he's packing, and I know it's not just to clear some space.

"I'm leaving. I can't stay here, I can't be around you."

"Joe, nothing--"

"I don't want to hear it, Chandler!" He throws a handful of Cd's into his box and steps toward me.

"But Joey, you gotta believe me!"

"No, I don't have to do anything for you! You are my best friend, and you slept with my girl friend!"

"No I didn't! I swear on my life that I did not sleep with her! What's it gonna take for you to believe me?!"

"Time!" He screams and stares at me for the longest seconds of my life before turning back to his box, picking it up, and storming into his room.

I've got no fight left in me, I'm an empty soul. Why can't I fight this battle? I know I'm innocent, he has no proof that I did anything, I could win so easily, so why am I just giving up? I collapse to the floor in an angry fit of tears and sobs. He's gonna leave this time, there's nothing I can do to stop him. Nobody's coming to my rescue, I'm the last soldier.

to be continued...

That was a lot of short, random, scenes.

Five reviews is just sad, and now I am too. I was hoping that I'd get more feedback on if you guys like this story better after the changes. Sigh

I have no idea how much longer this story is going to be, it depends on how many more reviews I get and how much will I have to go on. I still know how I want to end it, but I don't know how I'm going to get there. I'll get this figured out someday, all in good time. I probably won't finish this before Christmas, but who knows? I really want that holiday to get here faster, I want an ipod so badly. I'm tired of wasting money on Cd's and having them take up so much space.

I also want it to snow, I must go snowboarding!

Anyway...I have about 3/4 of the next chapter written and it should be up next week. Please review!!!!!