This is a spin-off of several works I have completed or are currently underway.
This series of short stories will follow a few of my characters through the rehabilitation process until they have their moment of clarity.
Some issues dealt with in thi...
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*trigger warning*
"Nurse Adelaide said you didn't have dinner last night," Alison said. "She wrote in your chart that you were distressed."
"I'm fine."
She nodded. "I can see that. Now. Let's talk about what happened yesterday."
I didn't acknowledge her, instead staring at the clock. But this time I wasn't counting down the minutes until I could leave.
The jarring motion of the second hand gave me the same comfort as my uneven fan back the apartment.
I continued to watch it make its way around the clock, looking for something to happen.
Anything.
"What's drawing your attention, Lee?" Alison asked.
"That's an analog clock on your wall," I pointed out.
She glanced over her shoulder. "I suppose it is."
"Is it electrical or mechanical?"
She turned her attention back to me. "I don't know. What's the difference?"
"In mechanical clocks, the power source is typically either a weight suspended from a cord or chain wrapped around a pulley, sprocket or drum; or a spiral spring called a mainspring. Mechanical clocks must be wound periodically, usually by turning a knob or key or by pulling on the free end of the chain, to store energy in the weight or spring to keep the clock running."
Alison nodded. "And in electrical clocks?"
"Electric clocks have a power source in either a battery or the AC power line. In clocks that use AC power, a small backup battery is often included to keep the clock running if it is unplugged temporarily from the wall or during a power outage. Battery powered analog wall clocks are available that operate over 15 years between battery changes."
"And why is that capturing your attention?" Alison asked me.
"Well because they're two very different clocks that run on two different operating systems," I explained. "But they're both analog clocks."
"I think my clock is electrical," she said. "I have to change the batteries, although they don't last 15 years."
I watched the second hand continue to move around the face of the clock. "Okay."
"You know a lot about clocks, Lee," Alison commented. "Do you know any other facts?"
I drew my attention away from the clock and back to her. "I know a lot of useless information."
"Such as?"
I spent the next thirty minutes telling Alison whatever fact came to mind. We talked about the color of school buses, the breakdown of plastic in bottled water, and the strategy behind arm-wrestling and beer pong.
