"Hey, you're awake!" I hear someone shout. It's a nurse, I assume. I can't say anything.
"Oh, sorry. I was just on my phone." I frown. "Oh, yeah. You were in a coma for 22 years." My eyes widen. "You're family isn't here right now. They're on vacation, as far as I know." I start to get teary-eyed. "Oh, you'll be okay. We'll notify them as soon as possible, promise." The young nurse gives me a smile.
"Your daughter seems nice. She was 5 before, right? Yeah, she got all sorts of awards. Great college, Dartmouth. Everything someone would want from their kid." She continues to look at this strange screen. It's like a computer, but far smaller. Her eyes are stuck to it. "This is an iphone. Boy, a lot has happened since you were still awake. It's like a computer, but smaller. And everyone uses it. We also had a global pandemic, if you can believe it."
My eyes again start to get teary-eyed as the nurse looks back at her 'iphone'. "I mean, I could blab on and on, but you probably just have to see it for yourself." She doesn't make it easier and speak, she just looks at that damn phone.
My eyes dart at the walls. 'Six feet distance', 'spread kindness', 'don't use social media for more than 60 hours', 'we respect everyone here'. I sigh, the tears trickling down.
No one cares. Everyone's obsessed with their 'iphone'. My daughter doesn't care about me. My family left my side, probably guessing I would never come back. Everyone seems so much more self-absorbed. They don't even care that its been 22 years, they just want to be left to their own accord.
I think about the year 1978. If someone woke up from then in 2000, would everyone act this way? Cold? Selfish? Were we really always like this?
"Sir, don't cry. Nothing has really changed. I know you can't speak, but, uh, everything will be okay." The nurse ensures me, putting her hand on my leg for comfort.
I sigh, flipping my head to the side, looking out the window to see the skyline.
Where are the twin towers?
ns 15.158.61.16da2
