Flash Fiction
A psychiatric hospital- two beds are in one room. A certain someone is dealing with her roommate but not well.
The therapist watches through the closed glass door.
Scene 1
Patient 1
Damn it lady, you left your socks on the floor again, is this deliberate?
Patient 2
It is not deliberate, it was not my intention to leave a mess.
Patient 1
Of course it’s deliberate, you are such a slob.
Patient 2
Looks down at socks.
Why do you care so much about my socks being on the floor?
Patient 1
Funny, I thought you did.
Patient 2
It’s just a pair of socks. Why do you care?
Patient 1
You should be picking up your goddamn socks, you brat.
Patient 2
Quit telling me what to do, I do not need to do what you say or what anybody else says.
Patient 1
Are you a teenager? Your brain is stuck thinking like that or are you in your 60s?
Patient 2
I can do whatever I want, and nobody can stop me from drinking.
Patient 1
Fuck you.
Patient 2
Don’t tell me to fuck off, whatever.
Patient 1
You suck. Your daughter was right about you.
Patient 2
She’s the troublemaker! It is never me. I’m the innocent one.
Patient 1
You picked a fight with me. Sounds like you get like that with other people in here. People way more fragile than you.
Patient 2
I would be fine if I was allowed to drink.
Patient 1
Crazy bitch. You really think you can do whatever you want in here?
Patient 2
Yes, I can, and I can prove it to you.
Patient 1
I’ve been forced into sobriety, a week in, you have delirium tremens as bad as I do. You aren’t even trying to help yourself. You want to stay stuck in your addiction.
Patient 2
I don’t need to improve myself but my daughter is into that for herself, and I wonder at why.
Patient 1
Quitting the booze is difficult but not impossible. You aren’t making an effort at getting stable.
Patient 2
I don’t have any wine!
Patient 1
No duh, we are meant to be sober, I’m at least making an effort while you refuse to go to therapy groups.
Patient 2
Your friends gave up on you, because you are mean to them.
Patient 1
You are just as mean as I am. Your friends enabled you to drink as much as you did.
Patient 2
I can stop myself.
Patient 1
No you can’t.
Patient 2
Really unlike you, I can stop myself.
Patient 1
I couldn’t and you are struggling.
Patient 2
I am not struggling (arrogant).
Patient 1
Yes you are.
Patient 2
You’re ridiculous.
Patient 1
And you are arrogant as shit.
Scene
iriavp 