Friends are important. It's amazing to find someone who knows what you've been through, what you're going through. But it can be hard to open up and trust them, to trust the world and the people in it. Especially when you've been through so much that makes you want to hide under the covers and never come out...
"Hay. Hay, why don't we go sit down?" Gar suggested.
The half robotic man Gar pulled out of a morgue refrigerator was nearly a foot 'n' half taller then he was, and supporting himself on the autopsy table.
"Just, um, come this way. Don't faint, though! I wont be able to get you up if that happens!"
Garfield guided the man to the door, ready to move out of the way in case he collapsed. Thankfully, the hall was still empty. The man kept one hand on the wall as they walked to a break room with metal chairs and tables.
"Sit, sit." Gar told him, pulling out a chair.
It wasn't strong enough; the chair buckled under the weight and the legs folded in on themselves, sending the man tumbling to the floor. He grunted, pulled it out from under himself, and threw it into the wall where it made a horrendously loud noise as it ricochet across the floor.
Gar flinched and worked his way to the wall. "Sitting on the floor is good, too!" He slid down the wall but jumped back up when his bum touched the cold tiles.
The man laughed. "Yeah, hospital gowns aren't know for their... well... butt covering shape..."
"It's fine, I have some boxers in my pocket."
He was a master of the quick change. Up went the underpants, off came the blue gown, and on went the jacket.
Unfortunately, the mood went cold again. It was completely understandable; this guy had woken up in a morgue and was now mostly made of metal. They both sat on the floor, resting their backs on the wall. A rustling started up and the man looked over to see Gar pulling a juice box and a bag of sweets from one of the many pockets in his jacket. He put the bag in between them and took a handful.
"You know..." Began the man. "Last summer I was watching a live stream of a peaceful protest... I was doing some homework, and it was just on in the background... and... suddenly... there was a car... driving through the crowd of people..." He sighed as he looked at his hands. Gar had an idea of where this story was going, and ate quieter. It was beaming harder to focus and stay present as he listened to story. The man continued. "And... out of nowhere, there was a green, bull elephant... it charged the car... YOU charged at that car... I heard the gun shots... I couldn't believe it. The car stopped and you pulled the man out, asked someone to hold him down and then stood on the car roof, bleeding. Just. You were so fucked up, yet you shouted 'does any need medial assistance?!'... I had only ever seen you as some rich brat who posted dumb photos on social media... but you... you... you save people... and I stayed up all night watching the news... I saw the footage of you helping this lady perform CPR on this other lady, all whilst you were bleeding out with bullets in you! You showed her a crash course in first aid, and then she had to use it on you until the ambulances arrived! And there you were days later talking about it with your arm all strapped up and you just smiled and said 'I'm so happy no one died...' and... when she asked if you were scared it was 'I don't know...'... how could you not know if you were afraid?! You were hit by a car and deliberately used yourself as a shield to stop anyone else getting shot! And you're just sat there, now, in bandages, and you were in a hospital gown! And that means something happened to you... and ... you're sat eating skittles..." He was moving his hands about in small gestures.
Gar didn't know what to say. Something stupid popped into his head as he sucked on the candy. "Did you know that in England, the purple skittle is blackcurrant, and the green skittle is lime? Which kinda sucks 'cause then you'd have, like, 3 citrus flavours out of 5. And lemon and orange are already the least popular flavours."
The man raised an eye brow at the odd statement.
And that's why we wondered if you wanted someone else to take over...
I like orange and yellow skittles...
Grape is way better.
"Yeah, well, I like the red ones."
Commoner!
I was sure you'd say green...
"HAY! You wonna listen to some music?!"
Gar grabbed out his phone, but realised quickly that he couldn't use the touch screen whilst his hands were bandaged. He shut his eyes and held them as tightly closed as he could. Then, he picked out some red skittles and focused on humming the tune from friends.
"Yo, dude... you OK?" The mas asked. "Sorry, I kinda put you in an awkward position there. Gimme your phone and I'll put something on, if you want music."
Gar lay the phone in his large hand. It was as big as his head!
"What the code?"
"Oh, 9999"
"... That's a shit code."
As he tapped on the screen, nothing happened. They both looked at the robotic hand, realising what had happened, and started to laugh.
It was hollow. The kind of laugh one does to stop oneself from crying. But, somehow, it felt good to look at the strange person next to them, who was just as odd looking and confused at what was going on, and share that small moment of artificial happiness.
Setting: An interview stage with two, red tub chairs facing each other on a wooden floor. The audience is obscured by the spot lights.
In one chair sits Garfield Dayton in a garish, abstract button up shirt from the 1990's.
Gar: OK, we're solo! All good! Nothing to worry about. Just stay calm.
*This continues for a while, but then the sound guy comes back, accompanied by David.*
David: You doing alright there, champ?
Gar: Yep, I've got this!
Sound guy: If you feel overwhelmed one of us can take over; you're welcome to a break.
Gar: No, no. I'm alright!
David: So, you've done some pretty reckless stuff, haven't you?
Gar: Yeah, I kinda do run into action without thinking.
Sound guy: Kinda wish you didn't... ya know? It's dangerous.
Gar: But I have to help people! I save lives!
Sound guy: Yeah, and it is scary!
Gar: No one's forcing you to stick around if you don't want to.
Sound guy: I know! But it's my job to keep you safe!
David: And you are very good at it, Craig, thank you.
Gar: Craig?
Craig (the sound guy): Yep. Craig. Stage hand in charge of making sure nothing goes horribly wrong! Are you SURE you've got this?
Gar: YES! Just. Please be quiet.
David: Sure thing. Being quiet.
...*The audience is less quiet. A tiger growls, some dogs bark, a child screams.*
David: It's amazing how you save people
Craig: He's right, it is cool when you save people... I just... I don't want us to get hurt any more...
Gar: I know... I'm sorry I put you in those situations... being shot wasn't... well... you know...
David: Being shot is painful!
Craig: So fucking painful!
Gar: I KNOW! I'll avoid getting shot again!
Craig: And being hit by a car?
David: Running into a burning building...
Gar: Yes, those too! Just. Stop talking about that.
David: What do you want to talk about?
...
Gar : Did you know that in England, the purple skittle is blackcurrant, and the green skittle is lime? Which kinda sucks 'cause then you'd have, like, 3 citrus flavours out of 5. And lemon and orange are already the least popular flavours.
Craig: And that's why we wondered if you wanted someone else to take over...
David: I like orange and yellow skittles...
Craig: Grape is way better.
Gar: Yeah, well, I like the red ones."
Craig: Commoner!
David: I was sure you'd say green...
Gar: PLEASE stop with the commentary! ALL OF YOU! Just. Let me deal with this... Helping people is MY thing. I don't want to let this guy down, so just... just be quiet. Please, be quiet...
