Psychiatric hospital, Male's ward. January 3, 2021.
A man is seated on a bed facing the window. He has his closed and tilts his head as if he is listening to some sort of slow music. The iron bars, serving as a door to the ward opened and shut, but the man does not move. Someone enters the room and picks a chair. It is a man in a white robe holding a file in his hand. He places the chair in the middle of the room and sits on it. He crosses his legs and opens the file.
The man slowly opens his eyes and sighs deeply. He looks out the window and furrows his brows. All he wants is to be alone but everyone there does not seem to get it.
"My name is Simon Richardson. I will be the Doctor Who has been assigned to your case. I believe your name is Sam Mason."
Silence.
"I was going through your file and I realized you have been here for six months."
Silence.
"Mr. Mason, it's true I'm going to be your doctor but you will have to talk to me if you want to make any progress... "
"I never told you I was sick. And I did not ask you to come here. So, if you feel I am being too difficult you can leave."
Sam was still looking out the window. His eyes looked very tired and his lips were dry. He looked quite skinny and sick. Ever since he was brought in here, so many doctors have come and gone. They all said they had been assigned to his case. Yet, within a day or two, they disappear never to be heard from again.
Doctor Richardson smiled. He has been working as a psychiatrist for ten years. He had encountered difficult patients before and Sam was no exception.
"Too bad then. Because I am not the type who easily gives up. So, I guess you are stuck with me. So, we are going to start again... "
"There is nothing to start and nothing to talk about. I'm tired and just want to be alone. I hope you understand that, doctor?"
"I do understand. But then again, it's still early and a good time to strike up a conversation. Don't you think so?"
Sam sighed and stood. He walked towards the window and held onto the bars. He looked outside and saw some of the psychiatry patients out in the garden.
His ward was right beside the garden where most patients are allowed to sit and do whatever they like. He sighed again and turned towards the doctor, this time taking a good look at him, before looking out the window again.
"How long have you been doing this work, doctor?"
"Ten years."
A small chuckle escaped Sam's lips. "Ten years. You look quite young. And quite inexperienced."
"Well, I do have a lot of experience in this line of work. If not I would not be assigned to you."
"So, you think I am a difficult case, doctor?"
"That is what I am seeing in your file. Maybe, you can prove me wrong."
"Well, if that is what it says on my file, then, they may be right. Which means you should just pack everything you came with and leave. You won't get anywhere with me."
A small smile formed on Dr. Richardson's lips. "You said earlier that you were tired. Why is that?"
Sam turned and faced the man seated before him. With a slight frown on his face, he looked the doctor up and down.
"Tell me, doctor. Have you ever been to a place where no one knows how you feel and they don't believe a word you say? Do you know how frustrating that is?"
I have not been there before but..."
"That is why you won't be able to understand anything about me. So as I said, you are wasting your time with me." Sam cut in before the doctor could say anything.
"At least you should let me finish what I wanted to say. I have not been in such a place so I won't truly know how it feels but I do understand the situation. I have seen many patients go through that..."
"And how many were you able to help? All of them? Or just a few?"
Dr. Richardson closed the file before him and got up. "You are right, I might be wasting my time with you. But somehow, I am not ready to give up on you yet. I will be back here tomorrow. And we will continue with our discussion."
"It will be better if you just don't come back. I don't need your help," Sam turned and faced the window again.
Dr. Richardson just gave out a small laugh and picked up his chair. The door was opened for him and he walked out. He went straight to the administrator's office.
The administrator smiled when he saw him and offered him a seat.
"So, how did it go?" the administrator asked him.
"Difficult. He is a very stubborn man. He speaks well. He seems very intelligent and seems to know what he is about. But the thing is, he did everything to discourage me from taking up his case."
"I told you he is a difficult one. All the psychiatrists that were assigned to him gave up on him. They deemed him as a difficult case. No one wanted to take up his case."
"Well, I am not everyone. I can do what every one of those psychiatrists was so afraid of doing. I will get him to talk to me."
"And how do you expect to do that?"
"I have my ways. So, can I take this file to my office? I need to study it a bit more. Maybe there is something I am missing."
"Sure, you can do whatever you think it's right. But I still think you should drop his case before it all turns back on you." the administrator warned.
"Thank you for being worried for me but I am not ready to give up on my patient yet. I will see you later."
Dr. Richardson walked into his office and placed the file on the table. He sat on his desk and opened the file. A picture of Sam was at the top part of the paper inside the file. It was Sam's records. He picked out the papers and stared at them.
"What happened for you to be like this? Are you crazy or is it all a front? I will find out what your secret is, Sam Mason. I will find out."
He places the papers into the file and closes the file.
