Strange Bedtime Stories

Illustration & Story by: Elli Austria

By: Disco Ratchet Zi

Case no. 1486422- Melvin Generoso, Male, 10 yrs old is admitted in the center last September 13 2002 and is suspected of having mental disorder, He murdered Smile Generoso, sister of the suspect/patient, test must be conducted immediately so that results may help in the on going trial.

Interview #9 (Doctor Perez and Melvin Generoso.)

Doctor Perez: Tell me Melvin what made you hurt your sister?

Melvin: Serves her right! She busted JV’s face pretty bad so I returned the favor, I hit her with mom’s figurine, I wanted her to tell JV sorry, but she wouldn’t, so I kept on hitting her.

Doctor Perez: Did you know that you hit her jaw which prevented her from talking and all she can do is scream?

Melvin: But I know she’s just faking it! She always does that! She always scream so I will get in trouble.

Doctor Perez: Trouble with whom? Your parents?

Melvin: Its just dad…. He keeps on saying that I should be nice to Smile and let my sister lend all my stuff, But she keeps on breaking them so I hit her and then dad hits me when she hears her cry and even if she is just faking her cries dad still wont listen and call me a liar.

Doctor Perez: So tell me who is JV?

Melvin: JV is my best friend; do you know where he is? Do you know what happened to him? Is he alright? Please mister I want to see him….PLEASE!

Evaluation: after last question the patient acted violently and was given sedatives to be controlled

Note: Patient is suffering from stress and some paranoia, more test should be conducted

Interview #15 (Doctor Perez and DetectiveJune)

Doctor Perez: so what happened?

Detective June: When we arrive at the house, after receiving a call from the neighbors, We heard some screams and some pounding sounds, when we got upstairs the suspect was pounding the face of the victim with a antic wooden figure, the screams we heard was coming from the suspect and its like a sadistic glee of some sort, we engaged and apprehended the suspect, he kept on yelling “Say sorry to JV!” “Say it!” The girl in the other hand, Sustained heavy injury which led to a fractured jaw and skull which later, led to her death due to loss of blood and oxygen.

Doctor Perez: is that so? Hmm…. Hey do you want to have lunch?

Detective June: well I suppose….

Doctor Perez: Great! Do you like pasta?

Detective June: um no….

Doctor Perez: Oh…. Well let’s go to Wendy’s then

Interview #30 (Doctor Perez and Mrs. Wendy Generoso)

Wendy Generoso: Melvin is a good boy, my baby is a good boy! Believe me he is a good boy! Please let me see my baby!

Doctor Perez: Please calm down madam! I’m just asking you these questions so we can help him, now, please calm down, breathe and slowly please answer the question

Wendy Generoso: well Melvin is a good boy

Doctor Perez: I know Mam you already made that clear earlier now please….

Wendy Generoso: Well he is a smart boy he was accelerated to grade 1 at the age of 4 and was accelerated to grade 3 at the same year but due to the age difference with the other kids, it became hard for him to make friends and those wretched kids keeps on picking on him, so that is when my husband and I decided that it was best to put him in a home school program, the teacher is one of our relative who teaches in a university. He didn’t go out that much he just stayed home and watched TV all he did was watch TV even in family reunion he would not go out he will be in his room. He will also eat in his room which got my husband angry, so he disciplines the boy.

Doctor Perez: does he do that regularly?

Wendy Generoso: yes mice are running around his room he might get sick

Doctor Perez: Ah…. Um I mean does your husband always discipline Melvin?

Wendy Generoso: Oh um…. I don’t know I’m always out going to casino and to my friends

Doctor Perez: is that so?… well thank you Mam, is there anymore you’d like to add

Wendy Generoso: Can I see my baby now?

Doctor Perez: I’m sorry Mam you can’t, but you’re daughter is in the funeral homes might want to see you; you could just see her instead….

Note: mother of patient is under stress may cause a breakdown, considering referral.

Interview # 48 (Doctor Perez and Mr. Peter Generoso)

Doctor Perez: So I heard that you hit Melvin is that true?

Peter Generoso: did my neighbors said that? Those filthy liars….

Doctor Perez: No sir, it was your wife now please sir just answer the questions…. Truthfully they may put you away for contempt if you don’t cooperate, I know this is hard, but please, if you could tell something about Smile

Peter Generoso: Okay, Smile was born when Melvin was 7, I know that the boy will be jealous so I decided to buy him a new TV and a new Playstation so he will not get all bummed with the coming of her new sister, My plan worked but with a draw back, Melvin wouldn’t come out of his room so I decided to get the Playstation, still the damn kid wouldn’t come out his room so I have no choice, I have to discipline the boy.

Doctor Perez: Do you know that you’re already committing child abuse?

Peter Generoso: Well do you know any other way I can do it and not spoiling my child?

Doctor Perez: Yes and its called talking sir….Any way thanks for you’re cooperation we will give you updates on the situation, in the mean time; try to talk to your wife and calm her down.

Note: Father of patient should be referred to anger management immediately.

Final Evaluation on case no. 1486422- patient went under extreme stress due to parental influence and environmental factor, the coming of a new sibling also made the patient feel threatened and given him fears that the attention he is getting will be lost, and regular beatings that was given by the father increased the stress on the patient, which also resulted in suppressed anger, developed delusions and paranoia. Evidence of this paranoia is having an imaginary friend, but not the typical type toddlers make, it was an inanimate object in the house, it was their Television which is of a JVC brand which later due to loneliness it was named JV by the patient, the patient should be transferred to my care and have a 4-5 year treatment. Also considering giving the parents some seminar and appointments.

Illustration by: Paolo Gardon

Bago ako makarating ng Makati ay kailangan ko munang sumakay ng jeep galing La Salle papuntang Buendia. Pagdating naman sa Buendia ay kailangan ko munang pumila ng isang mahaba at minsan ay matagal para lang makasakay ng FX papunta sa opisina.

Habang nag-aantay ng FX ay nagpapalipas ako ng oras, nakapila, nakikinig ng kung ano anong maiingay na tugtog galing sa trusty old cellphone ko para lang hindi antukin.

Pinagmamasdan ko ang napakaraming taong naglalakad, pipila, nakapila na, nag-aantay ng taxi, nagyoyosi. Mga bibili ng tinapay, shampoo, o corned beef sa malapit na tindahan. Mga barker na nag-aantay rin ng mga parating na FX at van. Mga batang kalye na naglalaro sa daan na animo’y makikipagpatintero sa mga truck at bus. Mga foreigners galing sa katabing hotel na parang wala pang ligo na nag-aabang ng taxi dala ang mga maleta nila (feeling ko pupunta nang airport?). Pinagmamasdan ko rin minsan ang mga plate number ng mga sasakyan, hoping na maka-ispot ako ng TAE-143.

At pinagmamasdan ko ang isang batang babaeng nagbebenta ng sigarilyo sa isang tabi.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pangalan niya kaya tatawagin ko nalang siyang Elsa (dahil mukha siyang Elsa). Nakaupo sa isang tabi, katabi ang kahoy na lalagyan ng yosi at kendi. Nakatali ang makapal at mahaba niyang buhok. Damit niya’y parang pinaglumaan na ng panahon. Nagmukhang luma dahil sa polusyon ng Maynila at siguro dahil buong araw lang siyang nasa kalye.

Tahimik siyang nagtitinda ng sigarilyo. Parang laging antok ang mga mata niya, hindi niya maidilat ng maayos (o siguro ganoon lang talaga mga mata niya, chinky eyes?). Siguro mga nasa 15 o 16 ang edad niya. Pero hindi ko rin masabi dahil minsan ay mukha siyang matanda dahil mukhang pagod (early in the morning).

Lagi niyang hawak ang isang maliit na radyo na kulay silver. Minsan ay natapat ako sa kanya habang pumipila at narinig ko siyang nakikinig ng Hit Me Baby One More Time ni Britney Spears. Hindi niya kinakanta pero halata sa mukha niya na aliw na aliw siya sa naririnig niya. 

Kayumangging kayumanggi ang balat niya. May mga puti puti sa legs at siko na galing sa kalmot dala siguro ng pagka-dry nito. Habang nakaupo siya sa isang maliit na silya at nakikinig ng radyo ay nilalangaw ang paa niyang may mga sugat sugat, pero hindi niya ito pinapansin. 

Isang beses ay naabutan ko siyang may pinulot na plastic na parte ng laruan. Kulay green. Kinuha niya ito’t nilapit sa mukha niya. Inamoy. At tiningnan ulit ng malapitan. Hinimas na para bang napakahiwaga ng nakita niyang parte ng laruan. At saka tinago sa bulsa niya at nakinig na ulit ng radyo.

Kapag may bumibili ng paninda niya ay may mga panahong di niya ganong pinapansin ang taong bumibili. Tinitingnan lang niya saglit, tumatango, at saka babalikan ulit ang radyo niya kahit di pa niya nabibilang kung sakto ang binayad ng mamang bumili ng yosi. May mga araw naman na binibilang niya na parang bigas ang mga barya sa kamay niya, paulit-ulit at detalyado. Nilalapit sa mukha at saka itatago sa lata niya kapag nasigurado na niyang sakto ang bayad para sa yosi o kendi. 

Wala siyang kasama. Wala siyang kasama kundi ang radyo niyang buong araw lang tumatalak masamahan lang siya sa isang tabi.

Pagkatapos ng mahabang pila ay sasakay na ako sa FX na biyaheng Makati. At kahapon, habang bumabyahe ako ay naisipan kong sumulat ng isang kwento tungkol sa kanya. Si “Elsa” na hindi ko kilala. Si “Elsa” ng buhay ko na napadaan lang sa harapan ko at nakaupo sa isang tabi na nagbigay sa akin ng isang ideya na siguro mas mas interesado ang buhay niya kesa sakin. Magkaiba man kami ng estado ay hindi ibig sabihing walang saysay ang buhay niya. Malay ko ba kung mas marami na siyang napagdaanan sa buhay kesa sakin. Malay ko ba kung mas matanda na pala siya kesa sakin. Malay ba ng ibang tao kung ano talaga ang tunay niyang pangalan at kung saan galing ang pangalan niya. Malay ba ng mga pumipila sa sakayan kung bakit siya mag-isang nagtitinda sa may Buendia at kung bakit siya laging nakikinig ng radyo. Malay ba nating lahat kung anong meron sa kanya.

Ang alam ko lang ay siguro, sa dinami-dami ng taong dumadaan sa harapan niya, nagmamadaling makasakay, umiiwas sa mainit na sikat ng araw, na ayaw mapawisan o ayaw mahuli sa trabaho, may isang “Elsa” sa na steady lang na nakaupo sa isang tabi, nakikinig sa lumang radyo niya at nag-aantay ng mga bibili ng yosi o kendi. At habang ginagawa niya ang lahat ng ito ay pinagmamasdan rin niya tayong lahat at napapaisip tungkol sa kung anong meron naman sa mga buhay nating lahat. 

Malay ba niyang may nagsulat na pala ngayon tungkol sa kanya.

At sa utak niya ay nakangiti siyang nagmamasid sa mga tao. Alam niyang masaya ang mundo niya. 

Illustration by: Elli Austria