He suddenly opened his eyes wide, straight into the white rays of light above his head. With the bright intensity of the light, however, he swiftly closed them back.

At a slower pace this time, he opened them again but in a squinted manner in order to reduce the bright effect. John had no idea where he was at first or how he got himself there. Looking from left to right and upwards with no one at sight to ask any question, his curiousity, as well as anxiety, grew stronger.

All he could make out from everything he saw was the outlook of a hospital but still with no knowledge of how he ended up there.

While John’s mind was still wandering about where he was or the reason for being here, a white door to his left open and entering his room was a fair, slim and five feet tall lady in white buttoned-up, fitted, dress-like attire wearing a white cut-to-fit hat on her head.

“Good morning Sir. How are you feeling?” She asked John with a soft-tendered voice. “I have no idea” replied John while he continued looking around “…but if I was feeling close to great, I’m certain I wouldn’t be lying here right now would I?” with his mild sarcasm.

“Sorry about that Sir. I’ll get the doctor for you right away”. The lady replied as she smartly walked out of the room. It was obvious to John by now that the lady was a nurse and he was in a hospital. What he was doing in such place was, however, was still a mystery to him.

A few minutes later, the door to John’s room opened again and the first thing he saw this time was a pair of black shiny, masculine shoes beneath a black pair of pants covered on top with a white, unbuttoned coat and a stethoscope hanging around the neck of the bearded, dark-skinned man wearing eye-glasses giving John the impression that the new entrant was a Doctor.

“Good morning Mr Dante, I’m Dr. Boondock who has been attending to you since your friend brought you in”. Now John’s face lighted up with some questions for the doctor. “Does my friend have a name and were you given any brief on why I was brought here?” “Well Mr Dante, your friend, William, who brought you in said you were both watching the TV when you passed out suddenly, with no upfront cry for help or any feeling of pain.

John found this difficult to understand as he couldn’t even recall watching TV or being with any friend. “I can’t recall any of these Doctor and I don’t understand why so” as John, with a worried tone responded to the doctor. “You probably hit your head on something hard during your passing-out hence, the reason for the temporary memory loss.” The doctor replied. “All would be remembered soon enough though.” And so the doctor left John in the care of nurse handling John’s medical case.

About an hour later, a lady, looking more worried and anxious than John himself entered John’s room carrying her two-year-old daughter. “Johnny, what happened? How did you to end up here?” She asked with her worried mood giving her up through her shaky voice, just the way his wife would question him under such circumstance. “I have no idea yet Kerry but I learnt this feeling is for a short while.

All I know for now is that Williams brought me here last night and left shortly afterwards”. “I’m aware of that. Williams called me that you passed out while watching the TV and he brought you here but gave no further details.” Kerry responded. So everyone in that room remained quiet for the next few minutes including Jenny, their daughter.

While John and his wife, Kerry took up chatting, since that was all they could do for the time being, John suddenly developed an unusual speedy breathing. His bed started shaking alongside his vibrating body on it. His eyes were halfway closed and his chest popping up and down such that Kerry had to rush out of the room with Jenny to get help. Just as John’s attending nurse entered the room, his speedy breathing reduced, his chest became steady, his body relaxed and he was able to catch his breath slowly as usual. All these happened within three whole minutes.

After this sudden incident on John, however, he felt different from his previous mood. He had suddenly recalled most of what happened to him in the past few days including the moment before he passed out. Next, he asked to speak to his wife privately which meant the nurse leaving the room to John and Kerry while taking Jenny with her.

“Darling, there’s something I need to tell you and it’s such a bad news, it landed me on this hospital bed.” And John began his confession to Kerry. “I’m listening John, what happened.” Kerry replied curiously.

“I placed a large bet on the football match I was watching with Williams last night and the stakes were our entire family savings worth as well as my car.” As John paused for a while and looked at Kerry’s face, the expression on her was at that moment, BLANK. “Continue John. I’m listening.” the few words from Kerry.

“Sadly, the team I supported lost the match. So, all stakes for me are gone.” With a heavy breath taken by Kerry “… and that explains the cause of your blackout in addition to, lest I forget, your short-term memory loss.” Her final words before she walks out of the room. “Welcome back to reality dear.” and out Kerry went.

Micheal Tadese 

photo credit: pixabay