T3

Tommy sat in the waiting room alone.  They made his mother drop him off and leave to another room, presumably to sign him in.  It felt like waiting for the dentist.  Tommy frowned at the thought, he hated going to the dentist.

            The walls were bright pastel colors with green leaves.  He supposed it was supposed to help him relax in some sort of forest setting.  Again, like the dentist.  Maybe they should put some Valium in the fluoride, that should cure most of the anxiety. 

 

            “Tommy?”           

            Tommy looked over to the receptionist.

            “The doctor will see you now, just go through that door.”

            “Okay, thanks.”

            “You’re very welcome.”

 

            When Tommy opened the door the first thing he noticed was how different this room was from Dr. Ashley’s.  He wondered whether the doctor would be different.

            “Thomas Calvin?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Come on in, have a seat.”

            “On the couch?”

            “If you want, or this chair is fine.”

            Tommy went to the chair and sat down.  The doctor just looked at him as if he was trying to find something out.  Tommy stared right back at him. After a few moments the doctor’s stare won, and Tommy had to look away.

            “My name is Dr. Marshall.”  Dr. Charles Marshall looked to be in his early to mid thirties.  He seemed harmless enough to Tommy.

            “Well Mr. Calvin, first things first.  What do I call you?”

            “Call me?”

            “Yeah, are you a ‘Mr. Calvin’ or a 'Tom’ or a 'Tommy?’”

            “ It doesn’t matter.”

            “No, it really doesn’t, but you still get to pick.”

            “… okay.  Everybody calls me Tommy.”

            “And you don’t mind being called Tommy.”

            “It’s fine.”

            “Then Tommy it is.  I remember when I was a kid everybody called me Charlie and I hated it.  I spent my entire high school years getting people to call me Charles.  It drove my mom nuts, since I had always been Charlie.  And that’s why I ask.”

            “So you’re Charles?”

            “Everybody calls me Charlie.”

            “Oh.”

            “That’s the thing about names Tommy, they tend to stick.  Might as well get comfortable with them.”

            “I guess.”

            “Well Tommy, let’s talk about you.”  Charlie waited a moment, to see how the boy reacted.  Sometimes the new kids cried, sometimes they didn’t.  Tommy didn’t seem like he was going to react at all.

            “Okay.” Tommy replied.

            “Why are you here?”

            “Here?”

            “Yeah, here in my office, here in this clinic.  Looking here,” Charlie held up a file.  “It looks like you are going to stay with us for at least a little while.”

            “Doesn’t it say why I’m here?”

            “Eh, I never put much stock in files.  And since you’re here now, we might as well find out from the source.”

            “I, uh, think you should just read the file.  It says why I’m here.”

            “Okay Tommy, let’s take a look.”  Charlie scanned the file, though he had already read it earlier in the day.  “Well Tommy, this really doesn’t say anything at all.”

            Tommy was confused.  His mother wasn’t around to tell the doctor what the problem was, and if the file didn’t say anything.  Well, Tommy had no idea why he was there.

            “I guess that I’m depressed.”

            “Guess?”

            “That’s what I’ve been told.  Isn’t that what the file says?”

            “It mentions possible depression.  Are you depressed?”

            “Sure, I guess.  I dunno.”

            “Yeah, me either.  Well let’s not worry about that right now.  I know that today is your first day here and I know that it’s not an easy transition.  You are going to get your own room in a dorm with other kids around your age.  You’re fifteen, right?”

            “Yeah…”

            “Okay, well this facility will be your home for awhile, and Maggie up front will give you a tour and let you know the rules.  Do you have any questions?”

            “I dunno.  I think I might have some questions later, when I, like, know the rules and stuff.”

            “I suppose your right, just let us know whenever you need anything.  Tomorrow you’ll get to meet our other students, and we’re all here to help each other.  It was very nice to meet you Tommy.  I look forward to working with you.”

            “Umm… thanks Dr. Marshall.”

            “Go ahead on out, Maggie will show you around.”

            “Okay.”  Tommy walked towards the door, and as he twisted the doorknob.  “Dr. Marshall?”

            “Yes Tommy?”

            “Do you know how long I have to stay here?”

            “I’m sorry Tommy, I don’t know yet.”

            Tommy nodded his head as if he already knew the answer, and walked out the door.

            Charlie felt bad for the kid; it’s always hard on the first days to be in a new place away from everything you know.  Sometimes he wondered if the worst trauma for all these kids was being stuck in this place.  Sometimes he felt like a warden, and he hated it.