Whoops...(Chapter 2, The sleep centre chronicles)

5 of us were in the taxi...I smiled about something I remembered, this kept me at ease in the silence. The girl with the kind face who sat next to me asked when I was going to Ireland. Her voice calmed me and I decided she was my favourite. The girl with the Coronation Street voice was good too, and the strong one was there. Ramal.

Talk of travels subsided as questions were answered. Now I looked to the shabby, generic houses and over sized roads for diversion. I noticed a hedge, a poorly kept hedge. The memory of my two-week-old antics came flooding back to me...

* * *

Lost on route to the clinic, a compelling urge to shit gripped me. I staggered through outer suburban mediocrity hoping for some sort of sign that said 'you could shit here'. Achingly desperate, I saw a bush up to my chest. You could see the house it surrounded, but I quickly calculated that I could crouch in a gap and not be seen. I completed the offering, sighing with the pleasure of relieving myself from the dirty waste that was so eager to leave. Serendipity provided me with newspaper, and luck saw that my shoes and pants stayed clear. I left it all there for some kid to find and be haunted by its mysterious origin and odour. No one saw me.

I strolled out of the improvised cubicle and found my way to the appointment. I washed off with soap what I couldn't remove with leaves and made myself known to the nurse. "Hi, my name's Thomas...I'm here for the sleep trial."

* * *
I looked at the four ladies. No one was talking and I was grinning again now. We passed the exact spot that saved me. I couldn't help wanting to say 'I shat there. Over in those bushes. It was was quite lucky actually. I wonder if it's still there..?' And as I smiled at those nice women, staring out the window, that's what I was thinking...

'I wonder if it's still there?'

Ramal (Chapter 1, The sleep centre chronicles)

She was one of those radiant, strong women. She talked of strength, she oozed empowerment, she did jujitsu and she wouldn't take no shit from no one.

"They think you're fragile...But I will take them out!"

She resigned from her job as it didn't fit in with her '5 year plan'. Ramal had a 5 year plan and was sticking to it, I could feel the power...the resolve.

In a sterile medical research centre lounge, clouded by sedatives, I could have gone a hug from Ramal...A hug from a strong South African women with a brown belt in Jujitsu. That would've been real nice.