About Time

Chapter 7

Few weeks after I left the hospital I found myself walking again at the busy streets of Manhattan.

From time to time I get to work on my part time jobs and earn some change to make a living. In the morning I stay at a shelter and at night time I work at a gasoline station. I sometimes work at a candy shop in the morning and stay at the shelter at night. I still don't have a clue about who am I, what I do and where I came from.

The thoughts of the unknown still give me headaches. I still have sleepless nights and when I doze off, I can see some flashbacks and honestly it makes me more confused.

"I could never live like this. I have to put an end to this."

As much eager I am to know my past, I still don't know where to start. Then I thought, the hospital.

I took an early bus to go to the hospital. I was still so lost then I remember her. For some odd reasons I couldn't take my mind off of her. Mildred.

I went to the nurse's station to look for Mildred. At the front desk of the nurse's station stood a middle aged woman, cartoon printed scrubs and big specs. She got a look of every strict asian moms.

"Uhm excuse me, I am looking for nurse Mildred?" I asked her with a nervous tone.
"Okay one second." She said with a crispy accent.

Paging nurse Mildred Johnson, paging nurse Mildred Johnson, please proceed to the nurse's station.

Mildred Johnson. I didn't know we have the same surname.

I waited for her at the hospital lobby for few minutes until I saw her walking happily towards me. She looked very familiar and I wanna ask her everything that could help me remember things.

"Hello Andrew, how have you been?" She asked me excitedly. She have this very homely aura and I don't know exactly what it is. "I'm getting better, thank you" I answered. "I'll finish my shift in 3 hours, I know you have a lot of questions and I don't mind having a conversation with you about them but would you be willing to wait until then?" She asked me with a very hopeful tone. "yes, ofcourse. I'll wait" I actually have my part time in 1 hour but I can't say no to that beautiful face.

I waited at the lobby and even walked back and forth around the hospital to not notice the time. Until after 3 hours I saw her running towards me. She looked very excited and somehow made me feel giddy as well. It's a weird feeling to have towards a stranger .

"I'm so sorry for the wait" she apologized sincerely. "not a problem at all" I assured her.

She then took me to a small coffee shop nearby the hospital.

"So where do we start?" She started the conversation. "Hmm I cant believe we have the same surname" I didn't know what to say. She smirked at me and started laughing her heart out. She looks beautiful in her white nurse's scrub and her little yellow ribbon on her reddish hair gives me a sense of familiarity. I couldn't stop looking at her then she gave me a serious face. "What's funny?" I asked. "It's nothing. I only know one person who's got the same surname as me. That's why." She explained.

"Alright, so what do you wanna ask me?" She said. I honestly don't know where to start. "Uhm were you there when they took me to the hospital?" I asked. "Yes I was. I didn't have work that day. I was at the train station." She told me. The idea of the train station shocked me. "What was I doing at the train station?"

She noticed me getting so confused and uncomfortable. "Do you wanna talk some other time?" She asked. "no, I wanna remember everything" I told her. I don't know what kind of spirit consumed my body at that time but i frankly asked her "Do you personally know me?". She looked shock and I noticed her eyes tearing up. "I am so sorry I didn't mean to confront you!" I told her while handling her a piece of napkin sitting on the table.

"Its alright Drew, I'll see you some other time" she told me before she stood up to leave.

My heart sank, if not broken but I don't know why.

Mildred. Mildred.

I couldn't take the idea of her off of my head .