COMPASSION

Chapter 25

The D.I.O.F. Syndrome

Joe continues to secretly write his thoughts on his yellow pad. He keeps his writings in the trunk of his car because her fears Tommy goes through his room when he is at work. It is Saturday and Joe won’t see Sandy for another week so he decides to go to his college library and try to write there. It has been fifteen years since Joe has been at The Wilkes Library. He enters the lobby and heads for the third floor where it should be quiet. He picks a cubicle by the window and takes his black binder out which contains his writing and starts to write.
 
He arrives at eleven in the morning and writes continuously until five in the afternoon. Joe realizes the library is a safe haven which he can use as an excuse to avoid his brother. It is Memorial day next weekend and he will see Sandy the final time before Summer starts.
 
Saturday morning comes and Joe leaves for  his final cleaning with Sandy. He pulls in front of the Old Forge Flower Shop and parks his car. Joe gets out and enters the store and is greeted by the Florist.
 
“Good Morning.”
 
“Joe replies, “ Good Morning.” He looks around the store and does not find what he wants.
 
“May I help you?”  the Florist asks.
 
“Yes I want to buy flowers for a Lady.” 
 
“May I ask is this a happy occasion?”
 
“Joe replies, “ Yes.” 
 
“Is the Lady your Mother, Sister, Wife?” 
 
“No she is my dental hygienist,” Joe replies.
 
“There is a Floral Etiquette when giving flowers to a woman. You have to give her the correct flower or she could get the wrong message.”
 
“I want to buy a dozen red roses,”  Joe tells the florist.
 
The florist looks at his customers face and has seen this look many times before. He knows this man is suffering from a case of Rushed Passion and knows there is very little he can do to talk the man out of this purchase. 
 
He asks Joe, “Do you want a card with the flowers?”
 
Joe replies, “No do you take credit cards?”
 
“Yes sir. It will take me a few minutes to prepare the presentation.”
 
Joe looks at a chart hanging on the wall with photos of flowers and fruits and their meaning. He is drawn to a tree from Asia with Purple Berries. The florist returns with Joe’s bouquet and Joe asks him what is the meaning of the Black Mulberry.
 
 
“That is a berry that is best eaten but you never want to present it as a floral arrangement.”
 
“Joe asks. “Why?”
 
“If you put the berries still on the branch on someone’s front door it means Death.”
 
Joe pays for his flowers and leave the shop. He lays the roses on his back car seat and heads to meet Sandy. He pulls into the parking lot shuts off his engine and reaches for the roses.
 
“Ouch!” Joe pulls his hand away and see a thorn has deeply punctured his hand and it is bleeding quite heavily. He opens his glove box and grabs some tissues to stop the bleeding. 
 
“That is a bad omen. I better not give Sandy the flowers. I know who to give them to.” 
 
Joe exits his car and enters the waiting room. Sandy is standing there in an all white dental uniform. She motions to her patient to follow her and Joe obeys.
   
Sandy tells Joe, “This is my final cleaning so I won’t see you again until September or October. Is there anything you want to ask me?” 
 
Joe summons up the nerve and asks Sandy, “Would you like to play tennis sometime?” 
 
She replies, “All I do is drive for a living.”
 
Joe is confused at first but does not continue the chase. He quietly sits there looking at Sandy and wishing she would have said No or Yes then he can move forward. He was not sure what her reply meant. Sandy finishes up the cleaning early and wishes her patient a Happy Memorial Weekend then leaves him in the chair. Joe exits the dental office more confused, more obsessed and more lost than ever. He heads to the one place he feels safe at his Mother’s grave.
 
Joe parks in front of the black iron fence and walks to the grave. The new granite gravestone has been added since the last time he was here. Joe walks back to his car and gets the dozen roses and places them on Mom’s grave without saying a word. He makes the sign of the cross and walks back to his car and drives away. A strong wind arises and blows the roses off the grave.
Catherine and Tom are in their library having their first fight in their new home. “I told you not to match Joe up with a girl. He is not ready. Now he is really in trouble,” Tom tells his wife.
 
“Well it is easy to second guess me. All you is sit back and watch me make decisions. Then when things do not work out you blame me.” 
 
“That girl is way out of Joe’s league, She is too much for him to handle. What I do not understand is she knows Joe is attracted to her . She knows she is not interested in him so why does she not tell him to get lost? Is she trying to punish him?”
 
“I do not understand it either. She should tell Joe she is only interested in him as a patient. I asked Dr. Parmo the same question and he does not answer me.”
 
Tom tells his wife the sad truth that Joe is becoming more mentally ill. “Joe is suffering from the D.I.O.F. Syndrome!”
 
Catherine asks, ”What is that?”
 
Tom tells Catherine, “ It is the four stages of a lovesick person.

First stage Depression usually brought on by the loss of a loved one.
 
Second Stage Infatuation usually caused by falling in love with something or someone unattainable in this case Sandy.
 
Third Stage Full Blown Obsession where the person is being consumed by the object of their Infatuation.
 
Finally Fourth and Final Stage where you are basically Fucked!”
 
Catherine asks,” Is this a real medical syndrome?” 

Tom replies, “ No I made it up.”
 
“So you think this is a joke?”
 
“What do you want me to do cry?” Tom replies. I am starting to wonder why Dr. Parmo wanted to match Joe up with this girl. Something is wrong here and I hope Joe somehow gets through this obsession or he is going to pay a serious price for it.”