Thursday, May 7, 2015

Shattered mirrors

Jerome jumped up and slammed his hand down on his alarm clock. He didn't even have to look at it.the alarm went off every morning at 3am.his car was warmed up and pulling out its parking spot by 3:30. His life was very habitual he hated it but couldn't change it.if you don't work you starve was what his grandmother always told him.
By 4am jerome was walking into his job.the local hotel he worked at wasn't the nicest but it gave him spending money.from there he left and worked in the back of Jason's deli.where he washed the dishes and prepped the food.it wasn't the most glamorous life but he lived it.making it work day by day even though he prayed for better.
Jerome never went to college or trade school.after high school he just started working and never even considered anything else.school didn't come as easy for him as it did for others.he had barely made it through high school so college just seemed impossible for him. He didn't hate his life he just wished it was comfortable.with over forty hours at  Jason deli a week and another thirty or so at the hotel.his days were mostly filled with work.he slept in his bed and did it all over the next day.that was his routine for the past three years.
Now though more then ever he wanted it to end, the years of hardship were catching up to him. jerome was only 23 but felt like 45. Two years ago he saw his first strands of grey hair.now a bald spot had began to form in the top of his head.now thinking about it Jerome realized that was the least of his worries. All his life one thing had made his living so hard for him.his face was hideous he was always teased and picked on.all his life for that sole reason.
Jerome's teeth were crooked and chipped from years of fighting.the memory of his first chipped tooth still haunted him.Jerome could remember fighting a bully in middle school.he fell on the floor with his face on the curb.the bully stomped on his face.The impact of his teeth on the concrete pushed his two front teeth into his gums. It took a few months at the dentist to repair his teeth as best as they could.he was naturally a quiet person but never ran when he had to defend himself.his nose was long and narrow.He had been told many times it looked like a hound dogs nose.
Jerome had dark brown eyes his left eye though was in a constant state of blood shot.in high school during another fight the guy punch him so hard.the blood vessels in his eye burst.the doctors told him that he would never fully recover from it.he was almost blind in that eye, then to top it off he always struggled with bad acne.from birth he was born with eczema.it had cleared up as he got older but his skin was almost two toned.
All these factors made it hard for him to find a job.most places didn't want him in the front of the store scaring customers.so he found jobs that needed minimal contact with others.which hurt him since he was a very social person, with the people who gave him a chance to be.
Now jerome stood in front his mirror looking at himself.the anger inside him grew by the second.without thinking he punched his mirror.the glass shattered into a million pieces cutting his hand with it.he looked down at his bleeding hand and slammed it down on the counter-top. pulling it back and holding it.he opened the cabinet and found some bandages. Within a minute he had his hand all bandaged up.
Jerome turned the water in and drew a bath.he just wanted to soak and listen to the radio. His favorite dj Got-u was on.it was the perfect way to relax.classic blues with r&b mixed perfectly on his ones and twos. As Jerome listened in he ducked his head under the water.how good it would be to just hold himself under.who would miss him? No one he thought to himself.
His mother died giving birth to him.His father left and was never seen again since he was born.Jerome was raised by his grandmother who now had Alzheimer's.most days he went to visit her she didn't even know who he was.she either thought he was the help or chastised him for his looks.it hurt him but he knew that wasn't how she was.he remembered her always holding him and telling him he was beautiful when he came home crying from school. His grandmother was his best friend growing up they did everything together.now it was just him and he was alone in the world.
Jerome looked at the radio in its stand.His hand reached over and he was ready to just push it into the tub with him. As he did an ad started that made him stop.
'Are you unhappy with your looks?do you wish you could have a beautiful smile? are you depressed? Stop living in shame. Call Dr.Zizmor plastic surgery that will change your life. Accepting all insurance and even payment plans. Call NEW-LIFE.we're only a phone call away from changing your life.giving you the new look and smile your deserve.
Jerome jumped up out the water almost falling back in the tub with the radio.he regained his balance and found his phone. He dialed the number as fast as he could. It rang a couple times then a sexy sounding lady answered.They spoke for a while and set an appointment up for the coming Monday.Jerome hung up the phone feeling rejuvenated.
That Monday morning Jerome woke up at his usual time at 3 a.m. today though he didn't have work.he had called out from both jobs.His appointment was for 8a.m. and he was ready.trying to sleep the night before was almost impossible.His alarm shocked the hell out of him today.it felt like he had just closed his eyes.
A week later he was looking up at a bright light counting down from ten.by the time he got to 6 hits eyes closed.Jerome woke up with his face covered in bandages. Dr. Zizmor was standing over him with a smile.
"The surgery went through without a hitch.in two days well take off the bandages.I hope you will like what you see.
"im sure i will"

Jerome sat in a wheelchair as the nurse unwrapped his bandages. thread after thread his excitement became to rise. first he noticed his eyes and how they were back to actual size. the blood shot look in his left eye was gone  everything looked so clear to him now. his eyes kinda hurt getting adjusted to the light but the world wasn't the fuzzy blur that he was use to without his glasses. finally the nurse finished taking off the wraps. Jerome couldn't contain his smile he was finally beautiful now. his teeth were straight and no longer crooked. his jaw was well rounded and supported his new teeth very well.
"do you enjoy what you see" the nurse asked
"yes my god thank you so much thank you so much" Jerome said breaking into tears

The nurse leaned over and hugged him allowing him to cry on her shoulder. it felt so good to have a women touch him. the way she looked at him was not with disgust but with compassion. as if she actually saw a real person and not some hideous monster. when she let go his heart almost didn't want to release her but he did. the nurse left the room and left him sitting in the wheelchair just looking at his face touching it and admiring it. by the next day Jerome was packing his clothes up from the hospital and ready to head home. getting into the cab outside the hospital they drove off with Jerome smiling. half way home jerome stopped the car and paid him. he got out the cab and decided to walk the rest of the way with his suitcase.

it was a beautiful day outside the sun was shining and birds were singing. to Jerome the sun had never looked so good. people walked past and he made eye contact with them. which was kinda unusual for him, he usually just kept his head down and went where he had to go. Now he received smiles from ladies who walked past him and he smiled back. passing a electronic shop. all the cameras faced the streets on every monitor their he stood. Jerome couldn't help but admire his new face, he screamed thank you god so loud people walking past, looked at him weirdly as they walked around him. catching himself jerome began to head back to his house. he was only a few blocks away. his suitcase hardly bothered him. it only held in a few pairs of clothes.

walking up to his building door the super's wife was hanging out the window just getting some fresh air and people watching. something Jerome passed her doing everyday he came home.
"jerome te ves tan bien i didnt cast te reconozco. you look good now good for you. if i wasn't married i would come after you"
"thank you Bonita" Jerome said with a smile

Jerome walked into the building and into his apartment. he dropped his suitcase down and went to the fridge jerome grabbed a beer, then went and opened his blinds to let the sun in. he over looked the street and felt an overwhelming feeling of things beginning to change in his life. this was the first day of the rest of his life. Jerome took a swig of the beer and just smiled. he went and found his radio took it into the bathroom. placed it on its fold out tray and began to run the water. it had been a couple days since he took a real bath. he grabbed his bath soap and poured it into the tub. when he went to put the bottle back on its shelf. some of the gel fell on the floor. jerome placed it down and went to get a towel to wipe it up off the kitchen floor.before he came back he took off all his clothes and threw them in his room. a classic song by curtis mayfield- pusher man came on the radio.

Jerome loved the song he began to sing along. sipping his beer with his bathrobe over his shoulder. the second chorus was coming on, Jerome ran to the radio to raise it up he loved this part. once he got into the bathroom, that glob of bath soap caught his foot and he lost his balance. Jerome slipped into the tub with the radio. the lights went out with the circuit blowing as Jerome and his radio fried in the tub.



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