Are You Alright Mister Lawrence? Read online

  Chapter 1

  “She’s gone! She’s gone! She’s gone! She’s gone! She’s—”

  “Mister Lawrence!” Shirley said as she opened the door. “What is wrong Mister Lawrence?”

  “I lost her. She’s gone. I, I don’t know where she is anymore.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I had this dream and my mom was right there and I knew where she was and and—”

  “Slow down Mister Lawrence. I can’t keep up like this.”

  “Shirley. I lost her. She’s gone.”

  “I know. We were just at the repass yesterday night.”

  “I lost her from my dream Shirley.”

  “You are not making any since Mister Lawrence. Tell me what happened in your dream.”

  “I had to have been a child because I was walking in the kitchen and bumped my head on the table. Then my mom walked into the room. It was unlike anything I could describe. I knew where she was standing and knew when she was moving towards me. I didn’t hear her walk in or nothing. It’s like she stood out from the darkness. She stepped into the kitchen, walked towards me, and put her hand on my forehead. Then I woke up.”

  “How did you lose her Mister Lawrence? She was right there with you in the kitchen.”

  “Now that I’m awake, I don’t notice the difference that I did when she walked into the kitchen around all the darkness.”

  “What? Are you going to be alright Mister Lawrence? You wanted me to ask you that.”

  “I don’t know yet. I just, don’t know.”

  “Do you want me to go to the grocery store for you today? You do not seem like you’ll be up for it.”

  “You are such a worrywart Shirley. Go on now. I will be just fine.”

  “Oh alright Mister Lawrence. You know that I worry about you. Well, remember to take your walking stick with you when you leave your room this time.”

  _________

  Later at the grocery store…

  “Who is this walking into my store?”

  “Oh hey Vanessa. What have you been up to?” Mister Lawrence asked.

  “Running the floor like I always do. I see that you have your walking stick with you today.” Vanessa said.

  “Well, you know, Shirley has been bugging me about taking this thing with me.”

  “I don’t see how she puts up with you.”

  {Vanessa to register thirteen. Vanessa to register thirteen.}

  “That girl. I just came from there.” Vanessa said.

  “She’s not new, is she?” Mister Lawrence asked.

  “No. You know Ashley.”

  “The one that works over at floral. I knew her voice sounded familiar. Why is she on a register?”

  “I called her over for relief help and—

  {Vanessa to register thirteen. Vanessa to register thirteen}

  “Let me help her out right quick and I’ll call a clerk to help you shop.”

  “Alright. You know where to find me.” Mister Lawrence said.

  {Jordan to the front for customer assistance}

  “He’ll be right with you in a minute Mister Lawrence.” Vanessa said.

  “Remember me Mister Lawrence.” Jordan said as he approached with a shopping cart.

  “No, I don’t. It sounds like you have a problem with your memory if you need me to remember who you are... I’m just messing with you. I know who you are. Your name is Jordan isn’t it.”

  “Yeah. So you did remember me.”

  “No. The name doesn’t ring a bell. I just heard it on the intercom. Keep up with me now.”

  “Alright. Alright. So, what can I help you find today?”

  “I want to go over to the fruit there and get some bananas. Then to the deli and over to the milk. I need to go to the pharmacy. Oh and I have to get some bread too.”

  “Right this way. Excuse us.” Jordan said as he guided Mister Lawrence toward produce.

  “You may not remember me but I helped you find something that another clerk couldn’t help you find a few weeks ago.”

  “That, was you. I knew your voice sounded familiar.”

  “How can you remember my voice and not my name?”

  “When you’ve been alive as long as I have, you can remember the differences. Maybe not every name but a voice you can. Eventually I can match someone’s voice to their name.”

  “Here we are at the bananas.” Jordan said.

  “I want five or six almost ripe ones. Not with too much green.”

  “Are these good?” Jordan asked.

  “Here. Let me hold them.

  “Hmmm. These will work. Alright. Let’s go to the deli.” Mister Lawrence said.

  “If I remember correctly, Vanessa said your mom was not feeling well. Is she doing better?”

  “She passed a week ago.”

  “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “Don’t be sorry. You know what they say. A dying man needs to die like the sleepy man needs to sleep. Well, you may be too young to have heard that. Basically you can’t keep someone whose time has come from going you know.”

  “Hey, Mister Lawrence is back. What’s good with you?” Dennis said.

  “If it isn’t the second best deli employee here. How have you been?” Mister Lawrence said.

  “Second best. I am the best this store has ever hired. Why you think I’m the only one you come here for?”

  “You’re the only one who’s ever here around this time.”

  “That’s because they some slackers.” Dennis said.

  “Or they out at lunch.” Mister Lawrence responded.

  “What you know about our lunch schedule? Yo. You want the usual Mister Lawrence?”

  “Yep. My Cajun turkey, provolone cheese, and cheddar cheese slices.”

  “I got you. And let me throw in a little extra. I heard the news about your mom the other day.” Dennis said before going into the back.

  “Hey Jordan.”

  “Yes Mister Lawrence.”

  “Watch my cart for a minute.”

  “Mister Lawrence. Where are you going...? Don’t you need your stick? Hey. Don’t walk into that lady. What is he...? Uh-oh.”

  “What are you touching my face for you old man? Back off before you get hurt.” She said.

  “I’m sorry for that miss. I didn’t realize that I was… Your voice sounds like how my mom’s used to sound and when you spoke I noticed where you were.”

  “Hey boo! This old man putting his dirty hands on me.”

  “You putting hands on my girl bruh!” He said before getting in Mister Lawrence’s face. “Aye! Swing on me first cuz.”

  “Alright. Just calm down young man. I did not mean to cause a problem. I’m sorry.”

  “Why you trying to back down cuz? You got a problem with me now cuz. Feeling on my girl bruh. If you want a start problems then be a G about it and swing on me first cuz. Swing on me first.”

  “Hey man. Just back off of me and I‘ll be on my way.”

  “Oh nah cuz. Swing on me first. Don’t start nothing and not finish bruh. Swing on me first cuz. Swing on me first. Aye! Aye! What’s up cuz! Swing on me first!”

  “Hey! Knock it off you two.” The security guard said as he separated them.

  “This old man was feeling on my girl cuz!”

  “Why you getting loud?” The security guard said.

  “You looking at me like I’m the problem! You profiling cuz! Why the young black man always the problem?”

  “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.” The security guard said.

  “What you making me go for? He got the problem cuz.”

  “Come on boo let’s go.”

  “Yeah bruh. He ain’t want no problem with me anyway. You got to be crazy to swing on me cuz. Nobody want to mess with this cuz.”

  “Why you still talking? Just keep making your way out the store.

  “Mister Lawrence. What happened?” the security guard said.

  “He walked up to that l
ady and was touching all on her face.”

  “I can talk for myself son. Jordan. Where were you at?” Mister Lawrence said.

  “I was getting security.” Jordan responded.

  “Mister Lawrence. You just can’t be touching on people’s faces. What has gotten into you?” The security guard asked.

  “Her voice sounds like how my mom’s voice used to sound when I was a child. When I heard it, I noticed where she was.”

  “Yeah you noticed where she was. She was talking. That is no reason to touch her. You just can’t do that.”

  “I was thinking about my mom when I made it to her and it was just a reaction. My mom would let me touch her face at any time.”

  “What? Are you alright Mister Lawrence?”

  “I don’t know what to tell you.”

  “Hey Jordan. Help him finish shopping. I need to get this fool from the front of the store. I can still hear him.”

  “Mister Lawrence. It looks like Dennis is back with your meat and cheese slices. They in a real nice gift basket and everything. What else did you want again?” Jordan said.

  “I just want to finish shopping so I can go back to the home. I need to sleep this off tonight.”

  “Hey. There’s the table. I know where it is. I can move around it. I just have to stop walking. Ouch. Why did I do that?... Mom. Is that you? You’re standing out from the darkness again and you stand out in a different way compared to the table.”