The Joker And The Fool

First intermission

first intermission

The aftermath of her disease was that it had become exceedingly hard to function socially. She was known as the girl who was sent to a mental hospital. And though everyone knew that the reason why she was sent away was because of an eating disorder, people still seemed to judge her for it. It was strange, when any other type of disease would strike a person, people could empathise, but when it was a sickness of the mind, they would simply look at you with a dirty face. Before that time, she had always been quite popular in school. But she never desired to become popular again. She was very much exhausted with her old, supposed friends. In fact, she was happy to be an outsider for a while. Until Gregory Penn asked her out on a date. For he was not just a very handsome young man, he was also a graduate and a very popular footballer. Though, they only went on one date, did she regain her popularity through that. She minded it not, for she cared not to keep it nor lose it. However, she did fulfil the role with delicacy and ease.

She had enrolled in school during the month of February. Her mother had specifically requested none the teachers to spent time on her disease and her welcome. She did not allow her daughter nor her family the embarrassment. For to be embarrassed was the largest failure one could have. And Diana had not truly failed before.

She had received education at Saint Elizabeth hospital, however when she returned to her old school, she found it difficult to keep up with her studies. Her first few grades were lower than usual. She had to come to school for a private conversation with her mentor. And not one time did her mentor ask her how she felt. Though, if she would have asked, she would have received the same honest answer as her therapists had: she didn't feel. In fact, she believed that the reason for her anorexia nervosa was that she wanted to experience what it was like to die. She confessed that she was somewhat a coward and did not want to slit her wrists; she chose the easy way. But sadly (or luckily), she had never gone too far. For when she grew tired of the lectures and diet plans and her company in the hospital, she decided one day to just eat. The doctors were amazed with what they had seen. Their patients had never recovered as swiftly as she. But nonetheless, her file now said; cured. Thus, she was allowed to return home.

However, when she did finally return home, she did not receive a warm welcome. The only person who had been happy to see her was her own father. But Thomas Watson was a very busy man, and of all the time he could spare, he spared none for his daughter. They were a loveless family. You could smell it in the corridors, you could feel it in their air, you could even taste it in their dinner; there was no love.

Diana did not go to her piano lessons that morning. She had tried to tell her mother that she was no longer interested in any of her hobbies. She found that she wasted too much time. Her mother had her enrolled in piano lessons, singing class, ballet and field hockey. And very occasionally she was also meant to go golfing with her father, the only thing she did for pleasure. Not for herself, but to make her father proud and happy. But she was not allowed to quit any of those forced hobbies. So, she had decided that she would just stop going. However, she was not rebellious enough to stop studying.

Diana was trying to write an essay for her history paper which she had to catch up on. Her teacher had given her a subject, she was not allowed to choose. Thus, she had to settle on the subject of the investiture controversy. A subject which he had never found interesting. She was very much frustrated as she was writing the few words that came to mind as three quite silent knocks on her door were heard. Diana, who was on the bed as she was writing the paper, in a bed of books, answered not. Though it was clear to hear that the knocks came not from her mother nor father nor brother, was she not fit for another conversation.

"Miss Watson?" sounded a sweet and soft voice which most likely came from one of the female servants from whom she knew the names not.

They often stayed for one year, perhaps two, that was until they were fired by her mother or decided willingly to quit. Mother said that the caretakers had a habit of stealing, which was understandable for there were many things to steal in the house. But Diana always wondered that perhaps they had affairs with her father, also reasonable, for her father had a need for affection and most women that worked at her home were indeed very pretty. Not to mention greedy.