Batman's clever -- Boston Brand didn't know how the Bat was going to get info out of Alzheimer's patient John Smith, but he didn't expect him to pass the case off to someone else
( Read more... )
With his daughter's surgery out of the way, he can finally get to that favor he promised Batman. The flight to Fawcett City was smooth enough, and his rental car's a nice change from the heap he drives back home. He looks at the old retirement home and begins to wonder what he's doing here. He's not a cop after all. He gave all that up. Hoping this isn't a sign that he's going to become one of those old fogies who's always trying to relive the glory days he steps out of the car and up the manicured lawn to the retirement home.
Inside, he looks about at the various inhabitants of this place. The smell of sanitation is thick in the air and the sense of this place gives Jim the chills. God I hope I never end up in one of these.
He walks up to the attendant and kindly asks, "Hello, there. I'm here to visit a Mr. John Smith."
The guy beckons for Jim to follow him, and talks as they walk.
"Nah. Not many. Jim Barr, the businessman that used to be Bulletman? He stops once in a while. Guess they used to know each other. And there's a couple other old guys who stop in once in a while. Oh, and the senior support people. They try to bring him Christmas gifts and stuff, but..."
He shrugs.
"He's got pretty advnaced Alzheimer's. Sometimes he's there, sometimes..."
Jim approaches the sitting man slowly, not wanting to startle or disturb unneccessarily. When he is near the elderly gentleman, he makes sure the attendant is not in ear shot before he speaks...quietly, "Hello, Mr. Smith. I need to ask you a couple of things. Would that be ok?" He waits to see if there's a response, though he isn't holding out any hopes.
The old man continues to stare out the window for several seconds, as though Jim weren't there. Then, with a strange sort of sudden awareness, he turns his face to look at Jim.
"I don't know you. Do I know you? YOu don't look familiar."
"No, Mr. Smith. You don't know me...and I'm sorry to disturb you like this. I just wanted to ask you a couple of questions about something that happenned a long time ago. I wanted to ask you about Balbo."
That got a reaction. He's not surprised or shocked, per se -- more ... focused. A little light sparks in his eyes as he trains his gaze on Jim.
"Balbo's been gone ... long time now."
He's quiet again for a moment. Still there, but quiet. And when he speaks, it's as though he's remembering how to.
"Long time gone. He was ... he was like a brother to me. People used to think that was weird. Grow-up black guy and a blonde teenager. Different times."
Comments 16
Inside, he looks about at the various inhabitants of this place. The smell of sanitation is thick in the air and the sense of this place gives Jim the chills. God I hope I never end up in one of these.
He walks up to the attendant and kindly asks, "Hello, there. I'm here to visit a Mr. John Smith."
Reply
"John Smith?"
Realizing he probbaly shouldn't have let himself seem that surprised he sort of hurries on.
"I'm sorry. It's just that, he doesn't get a lot of visitors, and I thought I knew them all."
Reply
Reply
"Nah. Not many. Jim Barr, the businessman that used to be Bulletman? He stops once in a while. Guess they used to know each other. And there's a couple other old guys who stop in once in a while. Oh, and the senior support people. They try to bring him Christmas gifts and stuff, but..."
He shrugs.
"He's got pretty advnaced Alzheimer's. Sometimes he's there, sometimes..."
Reply
Reply
"I don't know you. Do I know you? YOu don't look familiar."
Reply
Reply
"Balbo's been gone ... long time now."
He's quiet again for a moment. Still there, but quiet. And when he speaks, it's as though he's remembering how to.
"Long time gone. He was ... he was like a brother to me. People used to think that was weird. Grow-up black guy and a blonde teenager. Different times."
Reply
Leave a comment