Chapter 3

Five days later, at the hospital, a doctor walked into John’s room and saw him sitting on the bed.

“Mr Smith, have you contacted your family yet?” The doctor asked.

“No doctor, but I am sure they will come for me soon,” John answered.

“Try and get in touch with them fast because if by tomorrow you do not pay your bills, you will not leave this hospital.” the doctor said.

“Don’t worry doctor, I'm sure they will come over tonight”

The doctor nodded and left the room.

John was saddened. It’s been five days since Andrew floundered him up and injured him with chicken puree, yet no member of Wilde’s family had come to visit him, not even Olivia his wife.

He was not surprised that none of Wilde’s family members came for him, but he had hoped that at least Olivia would have shown little mercy and show up for him, but she did not

He would have been glad if the hospital had retained him with food, he wouldn’t mind sleeping anywhere, but staying without food even for a moment would be a serious problem for him and because of this, John thought of what to do to get out of the mess.

It was obvious that Wilde’s family never wanted to help him and since he had no insurance, all the hospital bills must be paid in full and he had no money to do that. Thinking of that, a thought came into his mind. Even though he knew that it was a bad idea, he still made up his mind to carry it out, since he had no other alternative at the moment.

Just then, a nurse came into his room with a plate of food. That would be the last meal he would receive from the hospital. As soon as the nurse dropped the food, John said.

“Please nurse, can you borrow me your phone? I need to make a call”

“My phone, what happened to yours?” the nurse asked. John was embarrassed, not that this was his first time hearing this kind of question, but he felt so useless to admit that he had not used any phone for over two years. He sold his last phone to pay up a debt.

“My phone is not here with me. I left it at home when I was coming to the hospital,” he replied.

The nurse pulled out her phone from her hip pocket and gave it to him.

John thanked the nurse and imputed some numbers. It was not long before someone answered. It was Murphy, his former colleague at the bank, who is also his best friend.

As soon as John introduced himself, Murphy put his phone on speaker.

It was Friday evening and Murphy was having a good time with some of his colleagues when John called without John knowing what was going on. He went ahead to tell Murphy about his problem.

“Please Murphy, I need your help. I need some money to pay for my hospital bills. Please, can you lend me some money?”

Murphy kept quiet for a few seconds and answered

“. I will see you at the hospital. Which hospital are you?” Murphy asked. John was glad, and he answered.

“St Mark Specialties”

“I will be right there in a few minutes,” Murphy said and ended the call.

He looked at his friends, and they started laughing.

“So, what are you going to do now?” Asked Edward, one of his colleagues.

“Nothing, of course,” Murphy answered and continued with his drinks.

“But you promised to see him,” Edward added.

“Well, I am not going anywhere,” Murphy insisted.

“No, Murphy, you can’t be so cruel that you won’t allow us to have some fun. We are all going to visit John,” Zachary said.

“Exactly, we can’t just miss the fun,” Matthew added.

Murphy smiled.

“You guys are badass, let’s visit that useless, honest man,” Murphy said, and they all started laughing again.

A few minutes later, the four men walked into John’s private room at the hospital. John was excited and he welcomed his friends.

“John, what was that you told me on the phone?” Murphy asked. Immediately they settled.

John felt embarrassed but thought maybe the men came to help him out. So he put his thick finger inside his nose, pulled out some dirt, cleaned it on his clothes, and replied to Murphy without noticing how his friends twitched their faces in disgust.

“Murphy, you know you are my good friend. Please help me out with some money. I will pay you back as soon as I get out of the hospital” John pleaded.

Even though Murphy was just visiting him for the first time since he was admitted to the hospital, John didn’care all he wanted was for him to help out with his bills

“Are you sure that you going to pay me back once you get out of here?.” Murphy asked.

“Yes Murphy, I will pay you back.”

“How much are we talking about here?”

“Twenty thousand dollars Murphy. You know I am no longer under any health insurance. I am paying one hundred percent” John answered.

“John, how did you intend to pay me back? You know that even if someone decided to buy you off, you are not worth up to 10-dollar bills. You have no job, no skills, and no strength, not even an ordinary talent. so tell me how are you going to pay me back,” Murphy mocked.

His friends started laughing, and that was when John realized what was going on. However, before he could say anything, Zachary’s voice came into his ear.

“Mr. Honest, why are you now begging for money from those men you consider dishonest? Do you wish to eat illegal money?”

Other men started laughing again.

“To be sincere, John, you are not only useless, but you are also insane. I think poverty has marred your brain and has done some damage there “ Michael added and that hurtful laughter eluded again into John’s ear.

Despite all the insults John received from his friends, he continued to beg them for help.

“Look, Murphy, I will do anything you want. Just help me out. Only this once” he pleaded, and Kenelt before Murphy.

Murphy smiled arrogantly and looked at John.

“You are the one who said it, not me, Can you do anything for my money?”

“Yes Murphy, I will do anything you ask me to do”

“I want you to wash my girlfriend’s pants “

The men burst into laughter.

Tears welled up in John’s eyes and he remembered those days when he had helped the men mocking him now. He used to help them pay some of their bills, and now he needed their help. Not one of them was willing to help him out.

This time, John was determined to end the conversation, but before he could do that, his eyes met Murphy’s condemning orbit.

“I was glad that you were fired, and you what? I was the one that set you up and right now we are free to dupe some stupid customers, you are always playing righteous and making us look sinful and dirty,” Murphy roared with hatred.

“Look at us, we are rich and comfortable. We live in luxury, but you, a useless live-in son-law, dirty and fat. From now on, don’t you ever consider yourself our friends because we are no longer in the same class and level” Murphy spat.

“You disgust us and we don’t have the time to spend with a useless man like you. Just call me when you are ready to wash my girlfriend’s undies, “ Murphy said and shoved him away before he headed toward the door, others followed him laughing at John’s sorry look.

John did not allow the tears in his eyes to start dripping down. He quickly wiped off. The pain of rejection and betrayal ripped his heart apart as he watched the men shut the door behind them.