good times

by morning I had chewed
through the straps of my straight
jacket
and was able to breathe
through my mouth.
at last I could talk out
loud.
I struck up a conversation
with a neighbor in
the padded cell next to me.
hey, I said.
are you up yet.
he was recovering from a failed
lobotomy
and electroshock therapy
but was quite lucid and
awake.
hey there old chap.
he said. they have me chained
down here to my
bunk, but I can chat if you'd like.
quite a night, wasn't it?
he said.
all of that dreadful screaming
down the corridor. I do
wish they'd put some carpet
down, or drapes to absorb
some of these ghastly howls
at night. hard for a bloke to
get any good winks, if you know
what I mean.
I know, I said. spitting out
chunks of leather and strands
of nylon thread.
I could use some breakfast, I said.
ham and eggs would be nice.
I agree, he said. perhaps a hot
spot of tea would be delightful
as well. maybe a nice butterpie
to go along with it.
how long you in for I asked him,
swinging from the hook contraption
I was attached to. I was trying to
get some feeling back into my legs
having been wrapped up for the last
ten hours in a cocoon.
well, I hope to go home soon, he
said. I actually feel quite well
today. feeling like my old self.
I drift in and out personalities
at times. it's all quite annoying
to family and friends as you can
well imagine. and what about you
old sport. in for long?
I came in for a head cold a few weeks
ago and that mixed me up with
someone else. it's seems to be a
a paperwork thing, or should I say
a computer glitch, but I hope to be
home for the holidays.
well.i wish you the best my good man.
I hear the orderlies coming down
the hall, so mum's the word. when
we get out of here perhaps we'll
meet and have a pint or two,
reminisce old times.
sounds great, I tell him. by the
way, where are you from anyway.
Kentucky, he says, but I prefer
to speak in the king's English most
of the. cheerio.