Ossified Old Friends

“Wake up, wake up Joe!” Robert called.

All Robert heard was a dull murmur. Robert’s bony feet stamped on the grass trying to awaken his old skeletal friend.

“Come on Joe wake up it’s Halloween. Dig yourself out of there it is our time to walk the earth!”

“Ok, Ok don’t lose your shirt, I’m up, I’m up,” muttered the grumpy skeleton as his hands broke through the surface and out popped his skull.

“So much for resting in peace,” complained Joe.

“Robert you lost weight! You’re nothing but a bag of bones,” exclaimed Joe.

“Of course, I am, I’m dead you idiot!”

Both skeletons laughed, having touched their funny bones.

As evening approached Robert was excited to get the ghoulish scary night started, seeing old friends and scaring the impressionable young Trick or Treaters. Joe, on the other hand seemed very subdued considering the weight of the occasion for the dead community.

“What is eating you Joe?” Inquired Robert, concerned for his friend.

“Nothing, the worms have given up on me and moved on to the new arrivals,” quipped Joe. “It just bothers me sometimes that I was never able to become a doctor in life. Don’t mind me, I’m ok. It will pass in a minute,” he whispered.

Robert was suddenly struck with a thought.

“Hey Joe I have an idea. I know that you always wanted to be a doctor, but how would you like the next best thing?”

“What are you talking about, Rob?”

“How would you like to go to Harvard Medical School? We could install you as one of the displays. I worked there in the maintenance department for a while. I know my way around!”

“But you wanted to have fun tonight scaring everybody,” Joe replied.

“There will always be next year for that, Joe. This is a chance to regain a semblance of your life’s desire?”

“Sure, it sounds great…if you don’t mind, Rob!”

Evening had turned to night during their expedition. They trampled through huge piles of multicolored leaves crackling and snapping under their bony dry white feet as they trekked to the University on the other side of Boston. Robert remembered each and every turn as they approached 25 Shattuck Street in the Longwood Medical Area. The Medical Building was very old and as the skeletons approached Robert could see that it had changed very little there since his employment. They walked straight through the thick thorny bramble of bushes that formed an impenetrable barrier between the building and the outside world. Going directly to a window whose lock had not worked properly for many years, the panel pushed in easily pivoting on its pivot. A thick musky smell of formaldehyde issued from within. The two bony skeletons slipped quietly inside.

The building breathed in and out like a wheezing old man. Walls and floors creaked as doors squeaked back and forth on dry hinges due to the windy night combined with a lack of proper maintenance. Grotesque eyeballs, dismembered hands, feet and all other anatomical parts imaginable were displayed in formaldehyde encased glass blocks and hermetically sealed jars. The skeletons found it ironic that even in death these monstrosities were hideous and scary to behold. Joe was sure that the eyeballs were following him as they moved past Necropsy rooms and labs where cadavers rested in body bags.

They next found a large lecture hall with many displays lining the walls. Anatomical models along with encapsulated body parts surrounded the room. In this room bright inquisitive young minds would conduct their inquisition, picking morsels of knowledge from the brains of their professors. These gifted young people thirsting for knowledge with their infectious enthusiasm would infuse and reinvigorate their teachers. Joe would be there in his roll as a visual display silently teaching these students also. Being treated reverently and with care was a vast improvement over lying in the dirt while creeping crawling hungry worms searched. Joe was beside himself with excitement as Robert found an unused display case in a storage room along with some tools.

“Now don’t worry Joe this won’t hurt a bit,” said Robert, carefully drilling a hole in Joe’s skull and installing the bolt, washer and nut suspending Joe from the thick cable in the old wooden and glass case. Next Robert positioned the case out of the limelight so as not to draw too much attention as a new addition. After a dusting Joe was all set for his new career, finally happy to be involved in his true calling if only in a supporting role. Joe and Robert said their goodbyes, Robert promising to come back next Halloween to unhook Joe for their annual romp.

“Only a true friend would be so supportive and selfless, putting the needs of a friend before his own, and that is why true friends are so special and rare in life and can usually be counted on one hand…or set of digits as the case may be,” said Joe.

“Goodbye old friend,” said Robert.

Robert left through the window closing it behind himself retracing his steps back to the cemetery for his annual rest, knowing that he had been a true good friend.

 

Jim

October 2020