Mental (Lams)

Chapter One

John Pov
Fresh outta college!
Damn, I gotta say it's been a great run!

Laf, Herc and I all headed to South Carolina and are living in a nice house with a big ass field as a yard.

On top of that, I've got a job interview today.

I studied psychology in college and did a few side classes of marine biology.
It was hard as hell but hey, it was worth it you know?

When Laf, Herc and I moved to Carolina the two of them went to work at this insane asylum, a real loonie house.

You might be thinking, well who the fuck would want to work there?!

But trust me, that is a psychology major goldmine.

It takes real skill to work with those people and you can really prove yourself there.

Herc quit really quickly because he was just scared of the place and Laf did too eventually only because he said it was almost boring without Herc.

I don't believe him though.
He's scared of the place.

I want to go and prove that I'm not a pussy.

Not like Laf and Herc.

For a couple of months I've been working at this small building for therapy and it's nice and everything but come on.

I want to work where I'd be real important.

I might even make it in the papers! Above the fold!

Damn that'd be awesome.

I highly doubt it though.
How often do you see people making above the fold news about loonie houses?

I tapped my fingers on my knee waiting for my name to be called.
I was in the waiting room for the interview. God this is so fucking awesome.

"Mr.Laurens? We can see you now." A lady said.

Ya hear that?
Mr. Laurens!
They made me sound important!

I smiled to myself and stood up. I sat in the room with the lady.
Wow.
How descriptive.

I shook hands with her and sat down.

"Hello, I'm Margarita Schuyler, but you can call me Peggy. One of my first questions is, why do you want this job?" She asked.

"Well, I want this job because it would really help me learn more about psychology and I'd be helping those that need it." I answered.

She smiled and nodded.

"Out of all of the other candidates, why should we hire you?" She asked.

"You should hire me because..because I really strive to improve in psychology. This would be..really my first big job and it'd be a real professional achievement." I said.

She smiled.

"You've got potential Laurens. Alright, now I don't ask this question much but I'll do it for you, only because I'm genuinely curious,"
I smiled.

"Tell me how you think other people would describe you." She said.

I thought for a moment. What would other people-
Ive got it.

"..I think people would say that what you see is what you get," I told her.

"If I say I will do something, I do it. If I say I will help, I help. I'm not sure that everyone likes me, but they all know they can count on what I say and how hard I work."

She smiled.

The interview went on for about thirty more minutes but I'll spare you the boring questions and answers.

But I will tell you, I got the job!
She told me right up front which I was not expecting at all!

Job interviews don't really ever do that...it made me a little nervous but happy nevertheless.

Then again, it's an insane asylum. It's gonna be different.

It starts on Monday and she gave me this...file.

"This is the man you'll be working with. He's going to be a hard one, but I can tell you're up to it. No one so far has gotten much out of him and I want you to give it a go. Do you know Sherlock Holmes?" She asked.

I nodded, a bit confused.

"He's like...like Sherlock Holmes..but scary.
He's got the smarts of Sherlock Holmes and killer instinct. Try to get as much as you can out of him, and really help the boy with his mental health.
He's really tense..
try to ease him and get his guard down. Really talk to him.
Good luck Laurens. See you on Monday."

I smiled to myself.
I've got this.