Allergy Season

A man is allergic to the shifting of the universe

James had finished with the diagnostic machine before he had taken his seat in the cloud-blue room.The bulky medical machine had pryed and poked at him with its cold metallic feelers and if it weren't a machine, James would have suspected it was making a pass at him. After it finished the rudimentary open wide and say ahh routine, which is considerably more strange when spoken by a floundering, monotonic robot, it shone an x-ray down the length of his nose and into his skull. The projecting light flicked off. A white scroll printed from the machine’s torso. The machine clutched it with one of its clamps and guided James into the doctors office where we begin our short story. This white scroll was the doctors script and it was Jame’s diagnosis.

On the doctor’s desk were picture frames faced outwards for James to see. Children played in the sprinklers, forever encased in that moment of soaking joy. In the other frame, a brunette wife in a tan turtle neck smiled with the sprinkler children, but in this photo they were dry and in their sunday best. James didn’t believe the photos, but he applauded this actor’s commitment to the role. If he were going to have a doctor, James wanted him to be a damn fine actor.  

           James’ head pounded above his eye sockets.  The narrow look in the doctor’s eyes confirmed his worries. James was certain there was consequence from his month long headache. Before James could speak, the doctor started, “The universe is shifting Mr. Atkins, metamorphosing and us with it,” His voice trailed off as he looked down at his desk. James wondered if that was part of the script or if he was improvising. He wasn’t half bad. James wondered if he had performed on Broadway before he decided to settle down as a doctor. “I can feel it, my assistant feels it, Hell, even my kids can feel it. Do you feel it Mr. Atkins?”

           The only thing I feel are my eyes crushed by the congestion in my brow, James thought. “I’m not sure I understand. Is there anything unhealthy about me?”

           “You don’t feel the shift Mr. Atkins?” The man who played the role of his doctor said.

           “I only feel the migraines.”

           “And that’s what I was afraid of, This is difficult for me to tell you, but since I act as your physician I am inclined to,” his doctor said, reviewing the script. These human doctors were supposed be more gentle when giving bad news. This man was supposed to be an emotional crutch and yet he feels as cold and mechanical as the machine that diagnosed me, James thought as the doctor read from the machines printed diagnosis. “You are allergic to the coming change; the pineal gland or enlightenment gland, in your brain is swelling dangerously.” He made an expanding motion with his two hands, almost like a small explosion. He slipped an x-ray sheet to James’ side of the table, directly in the middle of his skull, a blue circle was pushing the brain matter around it.

           “This is serious? You can’t be serious. They’re only congestion headaches. The pollen in the air… “

           “Yes this is very serious. I’m sorry, this must be very hard to understand.”

           “Hard to understand? Its not possible”

           “Mr. Atkins, the universe does not find you fit for the shift. Your soul is not ready and so the universe is going to try to do away with it.”

           “My soul?”  

           “Consciousness, whatever you’re comfortable calling it, here in the medical field we refer to it as the soul.”

           Questions he did not want answers to filled his head. His throat had run dry and the drought wrapped around his tongue. He was finding it hard to speak and had to fiddle with the thumbs in his lap, he was picking at his nails, a habit he had formed in his first grade classroom, “What happens next?”

           “You begin sneezing. Pressure releases from the pineal gland and an alternate timeline in which you are more likely to die is created. It will not kill you directly, but it will put the odds against your life.” The actor waited for a response, but seeing James’ sit in binding confusion, he continued from the script, “There is an experimental treatment we believe will put the odds in your favor but nothing is solid yet.”

           “No, this isn’t possible. Science doesn’t allow for this. The universe doesn’t work like this.”

           The doctor laughed, there was something very funny about James’ denial. The doctor smiled to imaginary people at his sides, but in seeing that James was the only one in the room, his smile collapsed and his voice became more earnest, “Mr. Atkins, our universe is not limited by known physical law, quite the contrary. Physical law is established by what we know of the universe and that view is changing. This universe can do what it wants, however it likes.”

           “I want the treatment. If it will give me more time I want the treatment.”

           “It may not give you more time, but it could give you better chances,” The doctor went on reciting fractions and statistics from the script on his desk. James’ did not hear anything except ‘more time’. He wanted more time. “It is experimental and since this is not a publicly known ailment the medication will not be covered by your HMO or EPO.”

           James’ head lifted, his nose tilting towards the ceiling, eyelids slammed shut. He sucked in air and exhaled an explosive sneeze into the palm of his hands. His hand now shined, wet with the likelihood of his death. The actor flinched and held his hands in front of him as a fleshy blast shield. When the doctor felt safe from his patient he lowered his hands to reveal a solemn expression; pity grasped his face, “God bless you Mr. Atkins.” And James believed the sympathy.

Author's Note

Just a piece I've been sitting on for a while

Reviews

[Vian]

Ha ha ha you just made my day. I love your matter-of-fact writing style and this beautiful story. Though, beautiful is not exactly the right word, your work is really something. "You are allergic to the coming change," some people are in fact allergic to the change... its coming. I honestly just love it!

[ZackOfBridge]

Thanks you, feedback like yours is my biggest motivator

[Dan Hiland]

Interesting for a couple reasons. One is the idea that someone could be allergic to this type of situation. This seems like the springboard for a longer story, because of the possibilities. The other thing I picked up on was a dislike (distrust) for doctors. Maybe that is not what you were trying to add as a subliminal comment, but I have increasingly felt that way with the passing years. Do they really know what they are doing? Probably- but I've been to more than my share who don't seem to give a damn about my situation. The idea seems to be to get you in and out of their office ASAP.
The portrayal of the doctor as an actor was interesting- though it distracted me from the plight of the patient. I kept going back and forth between the "allergy" and the "actor" reading his script.
Interesting concept, though, that is full of possibilities for expansion, some of them humorous.
Very nice start.

[ZackOfBridge]

You are right, this is actually a basis for a novel I intend to write sometime in the future

[Dan Hiland]

It reminds me of a short story I wrote about a carpenter who started questioning the laws of physics while gazing at the bubbles in a level- and another I started about a writer whose characters slowly start to realize they are being controlled by someone. It's tough trying to figure out how to pull this stuff off, but a lot of fun as well. Like working on a jigsaw puzzle in the dark. You have to go by feel. I just wish I wasn't so damned lazy. I need to finish some of this stuff!
Keep up the good work.

[Chadvonswan]

This was Phantastic....................