Harrow Hills Hospital
I was a senior back then. I was young and blissful. I had serious goal about my future education and I was determined. I was studying in California at Beacon Hills High School. I had to do my social responsibility project until the end of the year and I thought It would be a great idea to do something different so I decided to participate in social responsibility studies in Harrow Hills Mental Hospital.
After completing the registration process I got on the 8 am train. I was there by noon. A old lady with a white uniform came to me and said ‘Mr. Cooper come inside, let me show you around.’ We walked for a while talked about the patients. I had a chance to chose the patient I will be caregiving. The old lady gave me a list full of patient’s resume. There was a patient named Harold Tennessee. He was young like me and he had a very tragic resume. I don£t know why but something inside me wanted me to choose him. So I chose him. The old lady said to me be careful with your choices but somehow İ was feeling comfortable with my decide. She said follow me I will show your room. After I settled to my room I met with him. He was quiet and pensive. But he there was a little smile on his lips.
It was the sleeping time at the hospital so I gave Harold his medicines and I go to the bed for sleeping. I’m not sure but i guess it was around 3 am I woke up with a sound of screaming coming from Harold’s room. I ran to his room. He was having a seizure with his face in his hands. I kept his hands and said his name. I turned my head to push the emergency button. And when I turned back I saw my own face. Suddenly I was alone in the room. I looked at my hand and there was bracelet with a name on it. The written name was Harold Tennessee. The nurse came to the room and I said where is Harold. She said ‘Oh Harold didn’t you take your pills again.’ I said ‘What are you talking about I’m Will Cooper.’
She said ‘You have to accept it Harold. Will is dead. He died 10 years ago in that car accident. I know it’s hard to lose your best friend. But stop blaming your self. You were the lucky one to deserve to be alive.’ Turns out that my mind was playing tricks on me…
*Will Cooper was the first friend of Harold in the hospital and also he was Harold’s caregiver. Harold was seeing him as a family, as a best friend. It was the second tragedy of Harold after losing all his family in a car accident.