The Mandela Catalogue

meeting

(this is when Damien first moved in the building.)
(Michael POV)
(TW: in case this is a sensitive subject, mentioning of Schizophrenia and stuff to do with the subject)

I was sitting behind the counter at the petrol station, it was nearly midnight but every once in a while a car would pull up and its owner would come in. The people were mostly men in their 30-40s, coming in to grab a beer or some cigarettes. If I was lucky enough it would be a family that were on a roadtrip who would stop by to use the toilet or grab something to eat. My elbow was resting on the counters surface and my hand propping up my head, I was ever so slightly drifting off. I stand up, putting on some music. Snap Out Of It by Arctic Monkeys started playing and I hummed along as I went into the back to brew a coffee. I have one of those machines where you put a pod in and some water or whatever and then it ejects coffee into your mug, it makes a really loud noise too. As I was putting the pod in I hear the shop door open and close. "just a sec!" I yell out to the customer, I pick up my coffee and then I walk outside closing the door behind me. I see what looks like a 17 year old, roaming the isles.

I look outside and there is a motorbike propped up with a stand. The person seems to be staring at the wall from a distance with their phone pointed at it. Were they taking a picture of the wall?
"Hey you ok over there?" I ask.
They stand there, not answering.
I come out from behind the counter and go over to them.
They look frightened.
"Hey what's up?" I ask, looking at where they're looking.
"There's nothing there." I say.
They breathe heavily.
I assume that they're having a panic attack or something.
"Hey you wanna sit down, I can make you tea or coffee to make you feel better?" I ask them.
They turn to me, signalling for me to lead. I walk back to the counter and they follow, looking at the floor.
They have black fluffy hair with blue-grey eyes and are about 6'8.

We get to the back behind the counter, I tell them to sit down and I Boil the kettle.
"How many sugars and how much milk?" I ask.
"Three, half please." They mumble.
I give them their tea and sit down opposite them.
"So, is there something that happened?" I ask.
They sit in silence for a minute and then they answer.
"Kind of." They say, they're more calm now.
"Is it linked to you staring at the wall?" I ask.
"Yes."
"Are you comfortable telling me? I'm sorry if I'm asking too much, I'm just confused and want to help."
"There was someone there, who wasn't real."
"Is that why you had your camera out on your phone?"
"Yes."
"Do you know why you saw this person or was it just a one off thing?"
"I...I have schizophrenia."
"Oh ok, do you have a way to cope? I'm not very good with this kinda stuff."
"I try to ignore them but it's hard, I was only diagnosed a month ago."
I stare at the floor for a bit, I try to change the subject.
"Where are you coming from?"
"The building not too far from here, I recently moved there."
"Oo, how are you finding it?"
"It's ok."
"Did you move in by yourself or are you living with someone."
"I'm by myself with my pet but I'm open to having a roommate, I moved closer for college."
They suddenly get up in a hurry.
"I left her out there, hang on." They leave the room. A few minutes go by and they come back with a fluffy crow perched on their shoulder.

"Sorry, she was sitting on one of the shelves." They say.
"Oh, it's not everyday you meet someone with a pet crow." I say.
"She's kind of my support animal."
"What's her name?"
"Pepper."
She gives a soft caw and nibbles their ear.
"What's your name?" I ask.
"Damien, what about you?"
"Michael."
"Nice to meet you Michael."
"Nice to meet you too, I hope I'll be seeing you regularly." I smile.
"Yeah!"
I get up and go into a cupboard.
"Does Pepper like walnuts or almonds?" I ask.
"She loves them!"
I bring out a bag of plain mixed walnuts, almonds and peanuts.
I fish up a walnut and hold it out to Pepper.
She bites on it with her beak and chews the shell while holding it with her talons.
I give a couple nuts to Damien and put the bag back.
"I gotta go, thank you for your help." He says
"No problem!" I say.
"I just need to get some stuff and I'll leave." He says.
I stand at the counter while he browses and gets the stuff he needs. He comes to the counter.
"You want a bag?" I ask.
"Yes please." He says.
He grabs his stuff.
"See you later." He says.
"See ya, stay safe! Bye Pepper!" I say.
He leaves.
I watch him as he packs his stuff in the little storage compartment on his motorbike and gets on.
He drives off.
I sit behind the counter in silence once again.