Chapter 23: Wherever World

By Allen Frost

Very slowly with brushes, Fled Magyar applied the green make-up of Frankenstein’s monster. Classical records played on the wooden player, one after another as time passed by.
George turned another page of an Edgar Allan Poe book. The bag sat on the next plastic chair beside him. The soldier seemed to be sleeping away the long waiting.
“There we are,” Fled said.
Sam was allowed to lumber out of his chair. His feet were already worn into thick soled boots. He took big chopping steps away from the chair, one by one. What a monster he was as he walked away from Fled to the door.
“Let’s go, George,” he growled.
George followed holding the book up to his face like a rare flower or window to an underwater or wherever world.
Sam opened the tin trailer door. Rays of sunset made him squint his green lidded eyes.
“Hey, don’t forget your bag,” Fled called.
“Oh!” George gasped.
Fled Magyar held the bag and it was open and he was looking inside and smiling. “This is good work,” he told George. “You make this?”
“No,” George answered, resigned slow motion taking the bag back. “To be honest, I found it on the beach, I don’t even know how it stays alive. It defies my medical knowledge. What can I say?”
“Hmmm,” Fled replied. “Not unheard of though. You should come by the circus later tonight.” He stared at the green under his fingernails. “I’ve been keeping something under wraps at the sideshow. It’s a body…Without a head.”
George stood there like paper mache.
“I assure you it’s completely alive and only waiting for a chance like this to come along.”
“Oh…I don’t know,” George said. “I’m sort of looking out for him.”
“Yeah, he’s my guardian angel,” the soldier brayed and sneezed. “Listen doc, you bet I would like having a body again! You fellahs have no idea, this is torture.”
George said, “Well then…Sam…Would you mind if I—”
“No,” Sam burst. “I need you here. This is a dangerous place, there’s a war on, I could get hurt, I need to have my doctor nearby.”
This speech coming from a green Frankenstein made George smile and almost laugh. “Okay Sam, okay.”
“But what about me?” said the soldier’s head. “I need that body.”
“I may be able to do the procedure,” Fled offered. “In fact I’m sure I could.”
The soldier’s head looked hopefully at George.
“Well I don’t mind,” George finally laughed. “I’ll, ahh, it’ll be strange not to be carrying that bag all around.”
“You did forget me a minute ago,” the head reminded George.
“I know, that was a mistake, I was reading a book.” He directed his eyes at Fled, “It’s a fairly simple operation attaching the nerves, veins, muscle structure and various ganglia.”
“Ugh,” the head said. “I don’t want to know.”
“You’ll be okay,” Fled promised. “I’ve done this kind of work for years.”
“It would be a sort of relief,” George sighed looking down into the bag, “No offence to you, I’m just getting tired out emotionally and physically, making sure you’re cared for all the time.”
“You know,” the soldier said, “I’m so grateful that you and Sam Samsara showed up when you did. You saved my life, I’m really thankful for that. But I need to get back to my wife and I don’t want to go back there the way I am. It’s crazy. What’ll she do, put me in a birdcage? If I can be attached to a body again, what could be better? Please doc, give me a chance.”
“Sure, of course.” George let Fled take the bag from him, though it wasn’t entirely easy, it was still like something stolen off a laundry line.
“Don’t worry friend,” Fled said. “A new life isn’t far away.”