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Forgetful



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Gender: Male
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Wed Jul 20, 2011 3:08 am
mikepyro says...



What am I doing? I'm in the middle of a room...my room. My house. Okay, that's the where, now the why. I'm naked, bottom half, totally buffing it. Why am I naked? Am I about to have sex? Better clarify that.
"Hello?"
No answer. So I'm not having sex. Course not, I couldn't be that lucky. So I'm naked. Why else are people naked in their home? Shower time? No. I smell springtime fresh.
*sniff*
Springtime… Anyways, I must be changing then. Better finish that.
*ring*
Doorbell. Someone must be at the door.
"Hello?"
"Yes sir, I was wondering if you'd like to buy some cook—"
*high pitched scream*
Oh Jesus, what's going on? Why's this little Girl Scout screaming? Why's she running away? Why am I naked?
I need to start writing this stuff down.

***

*ring*
Doorbell. Someone must be at the door.
Wait, what's this note?
’Cops coming. Flashed Girl Scout’
What the hell?
"Police! Sir, I need you to open this door."
Oh dear God, what did I do?
What did I—
*ring*
Doorbell. Someone must be at the door.
"Can I help you?"
"Sir, I'm going to need you to put your pants on. Then you're coming with me."
"Coming with you? Why?"
"Sir, you exposed yourself to a child."
I've got to start dressing faster.
'I did?"
"Sir, are you high?"
"No..."
"Drunk? Intoxicated?"
"Those mean the same things—"
"Are you being smart with me, sir?"
"No, I—"
"Because I do not appreciate being smarted with!"
"I think the correct terminology is 'smarted off to'."
"Sir, you have five seconds to explain yourself or I will be forced to strike you with a blunt instrument."
Holy crap.
"Yes, of course. Let me just grab my pants."
"Take your time."
Gotta get the pants. Get the pants, get in the pants. Write this down. Gotta show the man my card.
"Ready sir?"
"Okay, I have something in my pants that I think will help straighten this all out."
"Sir, are you insulting me?"
"Of course not."
"Because I believe any allusions of homosexuality amongst this police department ended with the careers of the Village People."
What?
"I'm not sure you understand; just let me reach into my pants—"
"Sir, I don't believe you wish to add another count of indecent exposure to your resume."
"What? No, I have a card that explains a very rare condition I suffer from. Short term memory loss. It's probably why I don't remember exposing myself to that little girl. In fact, it's probably why I answered the door naked when she rang. The same goes for you."
Wait...
"Sir, do you think this is a joke?"
Why is there a cop here?
"Can I help you, Officer?"
Why is he tasering me?

***

Why am I in a hospital?
"Mr. Grayson, my name is Dr. Cage. I bet you're wondering what you're doing here in the hospital."
Great, a psychic doctor.
"And if you're wondering, the answer is no, I'm not psychic."
What the hell?
"I just figure that a man with short term memory who's just woken up in a hospital bed after being tasered by an officer fresh off suspension deserves an explanation as to why he's just woken up in a hospital bed."
"Wait, I was tasered?"
"Yes, by a police officer fresh off suspension."
"I can't imagine why he was suspended."
"He severely beat a man with his nightstick. Which explains why he was carrying a taser after being released from his suspension."
Why do you keep repeating the same words?
"I bet you're wondering why I keep repeating the same words."
Agh!
"Or why I seem to be able to read your mind."
Agh!
"It's a bit of a habit, somewhat OCD you could say, and I'm good at reading emotions."
"Cool?"
"Indeed."
I'm going to die here.
"So, as to my previous inquiry, I bet you're wondering why you're in this hospital."
"Dr. Cage, I don't mean to sound rude, but you'd better get to the point before this starts to fade."
"Of course, well, after your being tasered seemingly without reason by an officer recently released from suspension, whom the LAPD deemed "Mentally Stable" for normal duty, the police department would love to keep this on the 'down-low'."
"If all it was was a taser, shouldn't I be able to leave right away?"
"Well...Officer Serenity—"
"Serenity?"
"Yes, the irony wasn't lost on me either."
"That's good."
"As I said, Officer Serenity also struck you several times with a nightstick."
"I thought you said he was relieved of nightstick...duty."
"Yes, he stole one from a fellow officer."
What a fine man.
"Well, unless there's some incredibly expensive surgery that could cure me of my short term memory loss, then I see no reason why the LAPD should fear the threat of yet another lawsuit."
"Ha."
"There isn't is there?"
"No."
"Just checking."
Damn.
"Well Mr. Grayson, I'll be back in a couple of hours to check your status. A nurse will be in shortly. Try and get some sleep."
"Thanks."
And when I wake up, I won't remember a thing.

***

Well, I'm awake, and I'm in a hospital.
Figures.
"Nice to see you awake, Mr. Grayson."
And there's an incredibly hot nurse leaning over me.
Figures?
"Nice to meet you, Hot Nurse."
Did I just say that out loud?
"Excuse me?"
There it is. Raised eyebrows. Pursed lips. Eyes that look like I can lose myself into...
God I'm a girl.
"Forgive me. I sustained a major head injury today."
"So you're saying without this injury you'd probably not comment on my hotness?"
How do women manage to do this?
"I'm sorry?"
"Don't be. Besides there's no point in me giving you the cold shoulder, you'd just forget why I'm giving it to you. And by the time I re-explain why I'm giving you the cold shoulder—"
"I'll have forgotten?"
"Exactly."
"Well, I wouldn't mind you giving it to me."
"Pardon?"
Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!
"The cold shoulder I mean. Not sexual intercourse."
And still I keep talking.
"I'm just gonna stop now."
"Don't worry. There's nothing cuter than a nervous guy talking to me; makes me feel like I'm someone they have to impress."
"That's funny. Can I ask you your name before you exit my consciousness?"
"It's Julie."
"Thanks."
"Get some rest, Mr. Grayson. I'll check on you later."
"Okay."
Julie. Wow. Julie, Julie, Julie. Maybe if I say it enough times I won't forg—
Hey, I'm in a hospital.

***

"Sir, I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry?"
"No sir, I'm sorry."
"No, I meant 'I'm sorry?' as in 'What are you sorry for?"
"Oh."
"Sorry about that."
Glad that's settled.
"Anyways sir, I'm sorry for tasering you."
"Tasering me?"
"Yes sir, tasering you."
I was tasered?
"And for beating you, sir."
I was beaten? I guess that would explain why I'm in a hospital.
"Okay?"
"Okay, sir? As in ‘I won't press charges against the LAPD and you're free to blame your explosion over problems at home?’”
"No. More like, 'I'm confused as to who exactly you are and why you're here'."
"Oh God, sir, please tell me I haven't damaged your brain from the beating!"
"No. No, I just have short term memory loss."
"From the beating, sir!?"
"No! I'm perfectly fine, aside for the short term memory loss. And that was from another accident."
"Oh. Okay, sir."
Sir! Sir! Sir, sir, sir!
"You know you say 'sir' a lot?"
"Yes sir."
I must've been Hitler in my past life.
"Well, as long as you don't come back here again, I forgive you."
"Yes sir."
"Please go."
Time to sleep.

***

Hey, there's a hot nurse above me.
"Hey there..."
I don't know her name! But I'm sure she's met me before, she's obviously my nurse! Why am I in a hospital?! Why can't I stop scream-thinking?! Just say something, whatever comes to your mind!
"...Hot Nurse."
Not that.
"Mr. Grayson, we've had this discussion."
"My bad. It's just that I have this condition—"
"I know. You told me."
"And how did that go?"
"Not well."
Agh!
"But you were endearing."
Score! I'm endearing!
"So you think I'm endearing?"
"Don't push your luck."
"And would asking you out, despite the fact that I'll forget where our dinner reservations are, be considered an endearing trait?"
"Get some rest, Mr. Grayson."
"Call me Tom."
Yep, got a smile.
"Get some rest, Tom."
"So...is that a yes?"
Bye, Hot Nurse.

***

"Well hello there, Mr. Grayson."
"Hello there...doctor person."
"Oh, my mistake, I'd forgotten about your condition resulting from your injury. Not from the injury you sustained today, but from an injury you sustained some years back."
Okay?
"I'm Doctor Cage."
"So about this injury?"
"Ah yes, the injury you sustained earlier today, not the injury you sustained some several years ago."
Still waiting.
"About it?"
"About what?"
"My injury."
"Ah yes, the injury you sus—"
"Please stop."
"Very well."
Thank you.
"So why am I here?"
"You sustained an injury after being tasered and beaten by an LAPD police officer fresh off a suspension whom you have already absolved of any wrongdoing."
"Figures."
"The good news is it seems as though your bruises are subsiding and you only sustained a slight concussion."
"I thought my injuries were minor."
"Well compared to the injuries you sustained several years previously then yes, your concussion is rather insignificant."
This man is killing me.
"Don't worry, Mr. Grayson, you'll be out of here soon."
"Thanks Doc."
"And don't you worry, you're in good hands. No one's trying to kill you."
Agh!

***

"Mr. Grayson."
Hey it's Julie, the hot nurse. Wait, I still remember her name!
How cool is that?
"Hey Julie."
"You remember me?"
"Of course I do, how could I forget you?"
"Uh..."
"Aside from my crippling mental condition, how could I forget you?"
Right there, got another smile.
"So Julie, about that date we'll be going on."
"You are persistent aren't you?"
"I find it can be endearing."
Definite laugh.
"So you can remember some things."
"Little bit. I usually hold new things in my noggin for about a half hour to an hour, though there have been streaks. One time, I almost went an entire day before I forgot where I was in the middle of the freeway. Was terrifying."
"I'd imagine."
Wow, her hand's on mine. This is crazy. Sparks are flying.
No wait…she's just checking my pulse.
"So what kind of food are you in the mood for tonight? Italian? Chinese?"
"Mr. Grayson—"
"Call me Tom. I know I told you that."
"Tom—"
"There you go."
I need to stop interrupting people.
"How do I know that you won't forget me as soon as I leave the room?"
"How could I forget you?"
"Aside the obvious reason?"
"Look. No matter what happens to a person, there are some things, some people, that can never be forgotten. When two people make a connection, no matter what happens, it remains forever, even if it's buried in the back of the mind. It may take me some time, but I'll never forget you."
That was pretty good.
"Well that was quite a speech."
Oh wow, a hot nurse.
"I'm sorry?"
"Tom, don't joke around."
"What's going on, why am I in a hospital?"
"Never mind..."
She's leaving. What did I do?
"Hot Nurse?"
Why do I feel I just screwed up something big?

***

"Hello Mr. Grayson."
"Please call me Tom."
"Of course. I'd give you my name but there wouldn’t be much of a point.
Ha. Ha. Ha.
"Yeah. I'd probably just forget it within the next thirty minutes."
HA. HA. HA.
"Exactly, I was just about to say that. Isn't that odd?"
"Don't laugh."
"What?"
"Don't laugh! Don't you fucking laugh!"
It isn't funny. It isn't funny.
"I…I'm sorry."
"I don't want to forget anymore! I don't want to forget. Please...please, I don't want to forget."
Wh—why am I crying?

***

I feel like crap.
Great, here comes a beautiful woman.
"Hey there, Mr. Grayson."
"Hey there..."
What the hell, just say what you feel.
"Hot Nurse?"
Dude! She can read my mind!
"It's okay; you've called me that before."
"I figured as much."
"Yeah."
Uh oh, trouble.
"I sense I've done something to upset you."
"No, Mr. Grayson, it's fine."
"See I would remember, but I have this condition—"
"I know Mr. Grayson. You told me."
"You know you can call me Tom."
"You told me that too."
Ouch.
"I get the feeling this was important to you."
"It was."
"I also get the feeling that it was important to me as well."
"It was?"
"Yeah."
It would be so much easier to connect if you knew her name!
It started with a J.
Janice? Jenny? Julie?
Julie…was it Julie?
Nah.
"You know someone once told me that when two people meet, that if those two form a true connection, then nothing can ever make them forget one another."
This guy sounds like such a girl.
"That's nice."
Sometimes you've just gotta go for it, no matter the risk.
"So, I'm getting released today…"
"Yes?"
"And I was wondering...would you like to get dinner sometime?"
Brace yourself.
"I'd love to."
Yes! Yes, yes, yes!
"I get off at eight. You can pick me up at eight tomorrow."
"Tomorrow at eight. Okay."
And the crowd goes wild. Raah! Raaah!
"So I'll see you tomorrow night."
"Look forward to it."
I should probably write this down.
"You know you should probably write it down."
"Yeah, that'd be great."
"I'll write you a note."
"Don't bother. I'll just lose the paper. Write it on my arm."
"Okay."
And there she goes.
Quick, say something romantic!
"You know you never told me your name…this time."
What the hell, that'll do.
"I'll tell you at dinner."
She's gone.
"See ya."
Julie...Damn it! It was Julie!
Last edited by mikepyro on Tue Aug 30, 2011 10:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
  





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40 Reviews



Gender: Female
Points: 698
Reviews: 40
Wed Jul 20, 2011 4:45 am
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theLockedLibrary says...



Wow. This was actually a very interesting piece. Not many people choose to write about a person with short-term memory loss. I found reading this made me quite impatient, which I'm guessing is a good thing for it. You've captured the topic very well, and I'm impressed that you could actually finish this! Repetition could get really boring, but I think you did very well with this.
Reading is the sole means by which we slip,
involuntarily,
often helplessly,
into another's skin,
another's voice,
another's soul.
  





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Wed Jul 20, 2011 6:18 pm
MillieandMissy says...



Agreed with Thelockedlibrary - very hard to keep repetition interesting, but you sure did! Well done =D
Please give any comments on my writing! Anything much appreciated, I will try to return the favour!
Any tips on bitting a horse? Missy can be very stubborn sometimes!

=D
  





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Thu Jul 21, 2011 10:25 pm
xXTheBlackSheepXx says...



Ok, THIS is now my favorite piece of yours! XD It's hilarious! I'm reading/reviewing in a library so I had to keep myself from laughing out loud xD. I was honestly grinning through the entire thing, especially the beginning.

So wow, I just loved it. If you published a book of short stories like this I would honestly buy it.

I'm impressed at how smoothly this read! Really, writing from the view of someone with short term memory loss, and not making it confusing for the reader? Inconcievable! At least that's what I would have said before I read this :D There was not one moment where I was lost. I was right there the whole time.

Seriously, great job. This is something I would read twice it was so entertaining. One of the best things I've read on this site.

I hope to get to more of your stuff soon ^_^
The bad news is we don't have any control.
The good news is we can't make any mistakes.
-Chuck Palahniuk
  





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Fri Jul 22, 2011 6:51 am
senseiawesome says...



I have to agree. I REALLY enjoyed reading this =)

I loved the way you used repetition. it worked so well for this piece =)
I felt that it flowed well and how the dialogue changed from time to time, telling the same thing over and over again, but making it so interesting to read.

I loved reading Tom's thoughts and reactions each time, and reading the connections forming between him and the other characters, even if he didn't have much recollection of them. Honestly, the repetition made it more enjoyable for me =)

I really have nothing to add and no criticism for this, but I REALLY enjoyed reading this =D
'This could possibly be the best day ever, but the forecast says that tomorrow will likely be a million and six times better.'

Today is Gonna Be a Great Day, Bowling for Soup

Hello there. I am a mass of contradictions
  





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Reviews: 120
Sat Aug 27, 2011 9:14 pm
mikepyro says...



Thanks guys. Had as much fun writing this thing as y'all did reading it hopefully. Was so much fun and oddly it was pretty easy once I got into the groove of the style. :)
  





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Sun Aug 28, 2011 11:55 am
number32 says...



I loved this!
I didn't find the repetition annoying at all. In fact, I found it really funny.

Tom's thoughts were great! XD
The beginning was very, very good, it made me continue which is hard for me to do for such long pieces.

It was incredibly clear and easy to read which I thought might have been impossible to achieve if you're writing about someone with short-term memory loss.

I loved it. A lot. :]
  





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Tue Oct 11, 2011 6:25 am
StoryWeaver13 says...



*Liked

Hahaha this made me laugh! I have kind of have a really minor form of short-term memory loss (it takes me a week or two to typically remember things) so I found this hilarious, because I do this all the time. Luckily I'm able to remember people for the most part though....

Anyway, this was just "endearing." Your main character is really funny and the whole approach to this is great. This was awesome.
Keep writing,
StoryWeaver
  





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Tue Oct 11, 2011 7:29 am
malachitear says...



Wow. Really loved this piece.

It flowed so well! The starting was really interesting, the way you made the reader follow the protagonist's thought processes and the way he ticked off the different options one by one.

You started with the action straight away, and Tom's disorientation was really shown very nicely. I also really liked the way you used repetition. It's really hard to do it in a way that it doesn't get too irritating.

I was laughing with Tom throughout, and I felt all the emotions like they were mine. It was really smooth from the start to finish, like it was planned out really well. Everything was really clear and there were no parts where I had to re-read to understand what was going on. Overall, this was really, really good.

Sorry, but I couldn't find any criticism for this one.

Keep Writing! :D
The fault must partly have been in me.
The bird was not to blame for his key.


And of course there must be something wrong
In wanting to silence any song.


- A minor bird, Robert Frost


{I used to be ForgottenSpellbinder}



  





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Thu Oct 13, 2011 6:18 pm
Dragongirl says...



Very funny, but before I get to the good stuff I want to mention a couple things that I didn't like.

I didn't love the way you started this story. Though it defiantly was original and had a certain amount of humor to it. I found a naked man wondering if he's having sex a bit of a turn off. But than again that could just be me. I'm not huge on jokes about sex or anything of that content. However, I will admit him flashing the girl scout was pretty dang funny.

I also thought this line was a little confusing. It's after he think the nurse has beautiful eyes.

I'm a girl.


It sound like the MC is say they are an actual girl here, which we know he's not, but it still made me go 'huh?' for a second.

Other than that, I thought this was great!

I love that he is always trying to remember stuff and then totally forgets everything. like right here.

Julie. Wow. Julie, Julie, Julie. Maybe if I say it enough time I won't forg-

Hey, I'm in a hospital


That line is classic. :)

"I don't want to forget anymore! I don't want to forget. Please....please, I don't want to forget."

Wh-why am I crying?
***
I feel like crap.


I liked how the emotion he was feeling from before hand is still there even if the the memory of what happened is gone. I though that was a relistic nice touch.

I love the ending line. It was perfect for the piece.

Julie...Damn it! It was Julie!


So as a sum up, I felt the characters were all relistic,( Minus the police officer. That guy was ridiculous. However think thats what you were going for.) I enjoyed Tom and Julie's light hearted banter. I fell in love with Tom, the guy is so sweet. it was pleasurable read.
~DG
"Every writer I know has trouble writing." - Joseph Heller

~ A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones who need advice.~
- Bill Cosby
  








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