Benjibopper

“Her profession's her religion
Her sin is her lifelessness”
--B.Dylan


Here begins a story I wrote when I was 19:


Midnight in Mexico


“So, what happened to him?”

“Apparently he’s a musician. Just signed a deal with Sony. Guy was so excited he ran 15 blocks from Sony to his house to tell the wife. Then he collapsed.”

“So how did he end up in a coma?”

“Hit his head so hard on the coffee table that he had an aneurysm.”

“Poor guy. What’s with the stereo set up?”

“His wife insisted. He’s a huge country fan. His favourite song is ‘John Deere Green,’ by Tim McGraw. She dubbed it over and over again on that tape. The idea is that he’ll hear it through the earphones, over and over again, and remember his record deal, have the will to live again, come out of the coma, and become a big star in Nashville.”

“Same damn country music song over and over again, poor bastard.

“Well Doctor, should we finish our rounds?”

*******************************

Jane Williams was at her new home when she first heard the miraculous news. Her and her boyfriend’s house was just two streets over from where what was once her and Jim Williams’ little red bungalow. After the accident Jane had spent two years living with her mother. About two months after the accident she decided that she could no longer bear the sight of her husband lying motionless, unaware of her presence, or of anything. She gave the hospital her mother’s address and phone number, and hadn’t been back since. Five years after the accident, when the phone rang at 3:00 am, Jane had a bad feeling.

“Jane, something unbelievable has happened.”

“What is it, Mom?”

“It’s Jim.”

“Oh my God. He’s dead.”

“No, Dear. He’s awake. He’s come out of his coma. He’s been walking around singing ‘John Deere Green.’”

Alan Shaw had to carry his girlfriend Jane to the car and drive her to the hospital. She had a slight concussion from when she hit the floor, but fortunately no aneurysm.

************************************

Jim Williams suffered the worst shock of his life that morning. He awoke to his favourite song playing in his ears. He had no idea that he had just listened to the song 567,000 times in a row. He was a little blurry on the events leading up to his present situation. How did he end up in a hospital? He recalled the record deal with Sony. He also remembered running home to tell Janie. Something had gone wrong.

When the nurse entered the room she discovered the man whose body had been kept alive by machinery for five years pacing around the room, singing softly to himself. “You’re up!” was all she could think to say.

Jim turned sharply and said, “How the hell did I get here? Where’s my wife?”

Jane arrived, leaning heavily on Alan, 30 minutes later. Jim wrapped his arms around her and cried softly. “It can’t be true,” he said.

She told him that she planned to marry Alan and that she wanted a divorce. S he cried as she apologized, 16 times.

She also told him about his song, the one that had earned him a record deal. It had been recorded by Dwight Yoakam. It had gone number one on the country chart. The royalties awaited Jim in an account at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.

Jim was an unaccountable miracle. He was alive again, broken heart and all.