Subtle Fruits

Excitement building, Dan rushed down the wooden stairs, nearly tripping head over heels in his haste. Today was the day! He had finally mustered the courage to entertain, to flirt, to capture the sweet essence of his desire.

One final move. He had to look at his reflection. He brushed his blonde hair away from his eyeline, straightened his tie, adjusted his sleeves, checked his hood and gave one last blast of the cologne that his gran had given him for his eighteenth birthday. Today, you are a man he thought and with that, he exited the narrow passage to his doorway and out into the open world. Today was warm. Today was sunny. Today was perfect.

Dan checked his watch. 7pm. He still had time. He skipped down the tree laden avenue with a freedom that he had not known before. Yes, he was a man, an adult. And today would begin the rest of his life. You see, Dan had a date. Not just any date. A beautiful date; a date that defined who he was and what he was about to become. A date he had always dreamed off. Dan had made a solemn promise to himself that when this day arrived, he would embrace his new found adulthood. The end to his adolescence and the beginning of his existence.

As he scampered along he waved cheerfully at passes by. Old and young. His smile as bright as the day was sunny. He couldn’t help feeling that he had succeeded. He was blonde, handsome, over six feet tall with a muscular frame that was the envy of all those who knew him. Dan was a catch and he knew it. But today he was the one seeking the catch. As he came to the end of the tree laden avenue he made an abrupt jolt to his left and there stood utopia. A small, isolated shop that only sold wines. All kinds of wines from every corner of the earth. Pinot Noir’s, Shiraz’s, Rioja’s and Merlot’s. He took a deep breath, trying to conceal his burning desires. His lust for the subtle fruits that beckoned him in and casually opened the green wooden door and entered his paradise.

His eyes widened as he gazed at the splendour that was arranged in front of his admiring gaze. Although there was a rich array of talent on show, Dan knew what he wanted. He wanted the Merlot, with the exotic fruits and calm embrace. He had read about it, dreamt about it. Dan had quite frankly, obsessed about it. And there, it was. His holy grail. The only thing that mattered to him. Sleek in body and deep in charm. Dan danced his way to the till and purchased his desire.

He exited as if he had robbed a bank. Shady and nervous, he glanced around the singing streets. Now he had to return without being noticed; a hard act when he had made such a spectacle in travelling in the opposite direction. He pulled the hood of his coat up tight and hid his face. If he was trying to make himself inconspicuous, he was sadly failing. At least, he thought, nobody would approach him on his return. And he was right. Nobody did. Perhaps this was for two reasons. Perhaps people were so wrapped up in their own lives that the idea of inquiring about another was forlorn. Or perhaps, Dan just looked like a raving lunatic, with a hood across his face in the middle of the summer heat that to inquire may have resulted in assault. Whatever the reason, Dan, to his relief, made it safely back.

Once inside his bubble, he removed the hood and concentrated his full attention on his precious cargo. Perfect he thought. He tiptoed into the empty dining room and placed the bottle on the centre of a large, circular, white table. This was it, the date had begun. Just him and Merlot. Perfect. Only it wasn’t, was it?

Dan moved thoughtfully towards his vinyl collection and scanned for the perfect tune. Eventually, he decided. "My Girl" by The Temptations. This would capture the mood of spending time with perfection. The dream was becoming reality and Dan was ready. He moved away and returned with two porcelain plates, two crystal wine glasses and finally, two spotlessly clean, white napkins.

The music began to fade and was instead replaced by distant voices, gradually moving closer. Louder. Until the figures emerged into the light.

“Now Dan. What do you have here?” a quiet voice soothed, “you know we can’t allow alcohol.”

Dan pretended not to listen. He didn’t want his date to be ruined.

“Dan repeated the voice. Come on, back to your ward?”

“But I am having a date. This is Merlot.”

The nurse, smiled. “I know Dan and Merlot will still be here tomorrow.”

And with that she led him up the stairs to the ward where his schizophrenia could be ‘treated’.