during the day the common room is called the day room in nch_inpatient_692015

there are only a handful of places
to go on the floor where you don’t
have to ask permission
your room:
but you cannot invite
someone else there
the hallway:
i stood there this morning
motionless for about ten
minutes and nobody said
a thing
the day room:
but that’s a mixed bag of crazy
the restroom:
that is not true, though–you
do have to mention it to the
staff and finally the shower

–when i am once again
cognizant of Self i ask the
desk nurse about showering
procedures and she informs me
that i have missed the window–
the following morning i make my
way through the hallway
towards the showers there
is a fresh-faced desk nurse
positively brimming with
vitality who notifies me that
the window is not yet open
that it will be after morning
group i shuffle into the day
room toiletries under my arm
and sit at one of the tables to
have some coffee when something
invades my peripheral looming
tentatively at my left elbow
it’s one of the two carloses i met
at group the previous evening not
the carlos who, when ana p
announced she was told that
she will be going home on friday, exclaimed
that is if she doesn’t lose it last minute like
she did last time no
this carlos only vibrates looking
through you grinding chattering
teeth like some skinny cenobite
this carlos does not want my soul though
he clacks his teeth and his eyes come into
focus and land on my towel & toothbrush,
wash your hair! wash your hair! wash your hair!
he laughs like someone announced phone call
for carlos as he shouts this imperative; however,
i can not be certain i am the understood ‘you’