Not what I had planned
As I walked out of the stall and towards the sink, I became aware of an indistinct voice to the left. Probably some crazy talking to himself in the public john. I rinsed off my hands in the warm water and reached for the soap dispenser when the voice called out again. I realized then that voice was calling to me.
"Are you not bound by courtesy of recognition and greeting?" asked an firm but elderly voice in an accent that sounded faintly Irish. I turned to the source and saw a short and thin old man wearing a brown tweed jacket and khaki-colored corduroy slacks. His thin, white eyebrows had pressed in irritation against his dark but cloudy eyes. An oddly large aquiline nose stood out above his frowning lips. As he peered at me, the look of angry frustration widened into one of surprise.
"Many sorrows. I falsely saw you as that clown Elias, being arrogant again. But you are not Elias, are you?"
"Sorry, no..." I replied.
He looked at the ceiling with a pensive posture and expression. As he stared, his lips moved silently, as if he were doing sums in his head. After a moment his lips stopped and he looked straight at me.
"You were given a name, yes? By your parents?"
"Uh... Gary, sir." I stammered to answer.
"Gary?" he repeated with some confusion, "An odd name. Well, being Gazpar, I shouldn't question the naming of others. Anyway, Gary, I need you to become a fake Elias for a bit."
Surprised at his sudden demand, I barely had the chance to decline. "Sorry. I've really got to get back to..."
"No," he interrupted firmly as he drew close. "You must assist me in this subterfuge. The Brotherhood mustn't lose face because the whims of that clown. You must be Elias until all treaties are final."
I started to back away from the old man but soon realized that my body was locked in place. The old man placed his wrinkled hands on my shoulders.
"Come with me now... Elias."
A flash of light overwhelmed me and quickly faded into an endless darkness. As my awareness fell deeper into that black void, I could only think of one thing.
I didn't get to finish washing my hands.
"Are you not bound by courtesy of recognition and greeting?" asked an firm but elderly voice in an accent that sounded faintly Irish. I turned to the source and saw a short and thin old man wearing a brown tweed jacket and khaki-colored corduroy slacks. His thin, white eyebrows had pressed in irritation against his dark but cloudy eyes. An oddly large aquiline nose stood out above his frowning lips. As he peered at me, the look of angry frustration widened into one of surprise.
"Many sorrows. I falsely saw you as that clown Elias, being arrogant again. But you are not Elias, are you?"
"Sorry, no..." I replied.
He looked at the ceiling with a pensive posture and expression. As he stared, his lips moved silently, as if he were doing sums in his head. After a moment his lips stopped and he looked straight at me.
"You were given a name, yes? By your parents?"
"Uh... Gary, sir." I stammered to answer.
"Gary?" he repeated with some confusion, "An odd name. Well, being Gazpar, I shouldn't question the naming of others. Anyway, Gary, I need you to become a fake Elias for a bit."
Surprised at his sudden demand, I barely had the chance to decline. "Sorry. I've really got to get back to..."
"No," he interrupted firmly as he drew close. "You must assist me in this subterfuge. The Brotherhood mustn't lose face because the whims of that clown. You must be Elias until all treaties are final."
I started to back away from the old man but soon realized that my body was locked in place. The old man placed his wrinkled hands on my shoulders.
"Come with me now... Elias."
A flash of light overwhelmed me and quickly faded into an endless darkness. As my awareness fell deeper into that black void, I could only think of one thing.
I didn't get to finish washing my hands.