{"id":135,"date":"2016-04-01T14:44:55","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T18:44:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/?p=135"},"modified":"2019-02-28T19:20:19","modified_gmt":"2019-03-01T00:20:19","slug":"royce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/2016\/04\/01\/royce\/","title":{"rendered":"Royce"},"content":{"rendered":"

Royce<\/b><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI knew you\u2019d come,\u201d the old man cackled as he wrapped bony fingers around Jerry\u2019s arm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHere, come in here,\u201d the old man dragged Jerry toward an open doorway. Jerry looked down to where the old guy had a hold of him. <\/span>Damn, this old bastard\u2019s got some grip<\/span><\/i>. Jerry planted his feet and stood firm in the hallway.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat can I do for you, pops?\u201d Jerry asked, trying to reclaim his arm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cCome on Jimmy . . . come in and sit down,\u201d the old man let loose of Jerry\u2019s arm and turned away. His arthritic fingers clawed the door frame as he made his way into the room. Tall at one time, the elderly gentleman walked in the stooped manner of a man in some pain. He began to reach for the footboard of his bed long before he actually got to it. Jerry could hear his labored breathing across the tiled floor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHuu, huu, huu,\u201d he whistled, settling onto his bed. \u201cDon\u2019t just stand there boy, get in. . ,\u201d he began coughing violently. The man bent over as if he might roll off the bed, his back heaved up and down with each tortured cough, while his feet tattooed the tiled floor. Jerry blinked at the gagging man for a moment before he turned and looked for someone to help. An old lady, bent over her walker, scraped down the otherwise empty hallway. There wasn\u2019t a doctor or nurse in sight.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShit,\u201d Jerry stepped back across the room and laid his hand on the old man\u2019s bucking back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTake some deep breaths,\u201d said Jerry. He rubbed the old man\u2019s back. Slowly his coughing subsided and leaning over a green plastic wastebasket standing at his feet, the old man spit out a wad of phlegm.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTake a deep breath – that\u2019s some good advice for a dying man.\u201d The old man leaned back on the bed. \u201cHell, you oughta be a doctor.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWould you like me to go find a doctor?\u201d asked Jerry.<\/span><\/p>\n

The old man shook his head slowly, disgusted.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDoctor – that\u2019s a hoot. Ain\u2019t no doctors \u2018round here boy. Doctors only come to this hell-hole to sign Medicare papers and pick up their checks. Now orderlies, we got all kinds of them thievin\u2019 bastards . . . put a guy on a bed pan then stand right there in front of him and go through his drawers.\u201d He put his hand on Jerry\u2019s arm and lowered his voice, \u201cThen they\u2019ll call you a liar and walk outta this place with every damn thing you own.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The old man sighed, resigned to his fate. Jerry looked about the room. Plush drapes adorned the windows, an easy chair sat along the far wall across from a small TV angled to afford a view to both the chair and the bed. An oak dresser stood directly adjacent to the bed, a matching oak wardrobe flanked the entrance to the room. This was not the furnishings of a poor man. It seemed unlikely a place like Northside Riverdale Care Facilities would employ thieves. Jerry ruminated about his grandmother\u2019s last years in a nursing home far different from this one. That nursing home flat out told the family to take all of Grandma\u2019s valuables with them when they left. It was expected that these items would be stolen otherwise. <\/span>It was amazing, come to think of it, how easily we accepted that admission of dishonesty. Were we just so relieved to find someplace that would take her?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cGimme a cigarette.\u201d The old man broke into Jerry\u2019s daydream.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA cigarette, gotta cigarette?\u201d The old eyes looked hopefully into Jerry\u2019s.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry I don\u2019t smoke – never did.\u201d Jerry apologized.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, yeah, yeah good for you. Next time bring cigarettes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNext time?\u201d <\/span>What the hell? <\/span><\/i>\u201cLook, you need\u2026,\u201d Jerry longed for the doorway, he longed for the comfort of his car, he longed for anywhere but here. \u201cYou sure you don\u2019t want me to get someone for you, a nurse or a doctor maybe?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The old man reared back and looked at Jerry as if he was seeing him for the first time. Clear green eyes glittered through the cough-induced tears. Something lay beyond those eyes. Something unpredictable. Jerry stepped back.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGod Jimmy, I don\u2019t remember you being so damn stupid.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jerry\u2019s face flushed. \u201cNow you hold on there old-timer,\u201d said Jerry stabbing his finger at the old man’s face. \u201cMy name isn\u2019t Jimmy and I don\u2019t need any crap from you.\u201d Jerry turned to leave.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is what you get when you try to help, no good deed shall go unpunished. Marty\u2019s always said that and she\u2019s right.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cJimmy!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Jerry wheeled around.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJerry.\u201d Spat the younger man. \u201cMy name is Jerry. Look, I don\u2019t know who the hell you think I am but – \u201d Jerry threw his arms up. \u201cforget it man just\u2026.forget it.\u201d He turned back for the door. <\/span>This is crazy, I must be nuts trying to talk to this senile old. . .<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t you dare walk away from me young man!\u201d thundered the old man.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jerry stopped in mid-stride, he could hear his pulse thrumming in his ears.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m still your father, boy, and I can still whip your ass!\u201d The old man was off the bed now and advancing on Jerry. His wild green eyes flashed. The power of the past became the power of the present and Jerry experienced fear long since forgotten as he stood there; the surrogate son of this deranged, angry, disturbed man. The old man stopped inches away from Jerry\u2019s face.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was climbing stairs with jukeboxes on my back since before you were born. Think whatever you want about me boy but don\u2019t you ever think you can just walk away from Royce Stilson!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Sour breath wafted across Jerry\u2019s face as the old man\u2019s chest heaved in and out, white hair traced along the dome of his liver spotted scalp and lay plastered along the sun weathered creases on his forehead. For the briefest of moments, Jerry saw the younger man\u2019s image hidden beneath the paper thin flesh of Royce Stilson.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow old are you, sir?\u201d Jerry didn\u2019t know why he had asked his age. It just popped out of his mouth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Royce\u2019s shoulders suddenly dropped and his eyes flicked away from the younger man\u2019s face. Turning back to his bed, Royce spoke, \u201cI\u2019m eighty-two this August you\u2019d know \u00a0– maybe you\u2019d a known that if you\u2019d come around more often.\u201d He dropped on the bed.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s my fault isn\u2019t it?\u201d Royce nodded sadly his eyes searching Jerry\u2019s face, \u201cOk, yeah, well you\u2019re right goddammit, Jimmy it\u2019s all my fault.\u201d Royce leaned forward and sobbed into his hands.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet me get someone to help you,\u201d offered Jerry. The sobbing continued. \u201cRoyce,\u201d Jerry raised his voice, \u201clook I\u2019m just going out in the hall for a <\/span>
\n<\/span>second – I won\u2019t be long.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNo, son please,\u201d Royce dropped his hands. \u201cyou gotta understand, I never believed for a minute it would turn out this way. \u00a0She was my wife!\u201d The old man\u2019s hands trembled before his face as he pleaded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jerry tried to explain, \u201cRoyce you don\u2019t – I\u2019m not your son, Royce. I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cShe was my WIFE! They had threatened before but I never thought they\u2019d actually do it. Balducci hisself, Johnny Balducci stood on my \u2013 our front porch and told me everything was fixed. He lied to me and I believed him. God help me, I believed him Jimmy. \u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Royce\u2019s lower jaw trembled as he relived the betrayal.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou gotta understand, Jimmy she was everything to me just like she was everything to you. When they killed her . . .when they. . . oh Jesus, they killed me too.\u201d Pain shimmered straight away from Royce, filling the room and clamping around Jerry\u2019s stammering heart.<\/span><\/p>\n

Oh man, this is bad. <\/span><\/i>Jerry spun on his heels and shot for the door. As he turned into the hallway he heard Royce\u2019s shout:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut I got every one of those bastards Jimmy, they\u2019re all in hell.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Marty saw him burst from the building, pushing the doors wide, he took three steps and then stopped. Stopped like he forgot something.<\/span><\/p>\n

For a minute she thought he was going to go back inside, he just stood there looking back at the glass doors. Twice she put her hand on the door handle to get out and twice she decided against it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally her husband turned and walked across the parking lot, shoulders slumped, he didn\u2019t look at her as he pulled the door open and dropped into the passenger seat.<\/span><\/p>\n

She gave him until they were on I-94 and he still hadn\u2019t spoken. Marty wasn\u2019t going to wait forever, \u201cSo I guess it didn\u2019t go so good, huh?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

He shook his head sadly. \u201cAh – he\u2019s crazier than I thought, honey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat? Did you guys fight \u2026is he sick? Come on don\u2019t make me pull it out of you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s got Alzheimers I guess, hell he didn\u2019t even recognize me Mart.. I knew this was a mistake.\u201d he sighed deeply and turned his face to the window.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh no, I\u2019m sorry. I shouldn\u2019t have pushed you into this,\u201d Marty clucked her tongue and stole a glance across the car to see her husband\u2019s face, \u201cWow, Royce with old-timers disease, who\u2019d of thought that would ever happen to him?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah well, you can\u2019t say we didn\u2019t try,\u201d he said. \u201cLet’s go home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe it’s better this way,\u201d She reached over and took his hand in hers. \u201cya think?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYeah I think.\u201d said Jimmy Stilson.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Royce \u201cI knew you\u2019d come,\u201d the old man cackled as he wrapped bony fingers around Jerry\u2019s arm. \u201cHere, come in here,\u201d the old man dragged Jerry toward an open doorway. Jerry looked down to where the old guy had a hold of him. Damn, this old bastard\u2019s got some grip. Jerry planted his feet and … Continue reading Royce<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beginnings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":416,"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135\/revisions\/416"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/voice.devinecreations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}