2006

Manny read the wedding announcement and wept. He really did see it coming, but really didnt want to believe it.

After seeing the picture together, and seeing him, he understood. He could give her what she wanted, Manny just couldn't... in no way, in any world.. he couldn't.

She could also give him something Manny wanted so desprately.. and kept taking form others, without regard to what others felt, or how he was percieved. His thoughts wandered to her making love to thar man in the picture, how she sold her self basically to the highest bidder... his large, smelly body on top of hers, how she was pprolly trying to catch her breath as she begged in her mind for him to finish.

He sighed and tied the woman he had in his room  a bit more.

PRESENT DAY

He came to his senses before he hit downtown... it was funny actually, even though he turned into the monter he was now, he still felt the moral, and adult obligation to report to work... at least a little of his wiring wasn't frayed.

He got off near the VA Hospital and walked toward it.. maybe the seargent could help him.. he has before, if anything, maybe he could refill his prescription.

He called him uo a block from the Hospital..

"Are you fucking crazy for calling me??" Seargent Decker asked.

Decker was a career military man, a man that had been thru 2 wars, a countless other battles on the homefront.. married 4 times, and nearly broke, the only joy he knew was helping his fellow veterans.

But Manny was different, he was just fucking crazy.. he didn't know or understand what happened to him, but he knew it probably had nothing to do with any war, except the war raging inside Manny's head.

1984

Manny stood naked in the padded room.. a single window shone what light there was, and the door with the tiny window where an attendant would come by every 5 minutes to check and make sure Manny was OK.

this wasn't the first time he tried to kill himself, and he really thought he was going to do it this time.. after returning from overseas, while the other servicemen were being greeted by adoring wives and children, Manny got an attorney with a divorce decree to sign.. seemed Manny wasn't the "Officer" material she wanted, and she ran away with a Marine Corps Captain..

and took his son with her.

A knock on the door and the shrink came in.. a woman of about 35, slender, blonde, eyes not wavering as Manny stood up naked in front of her.

"Time to talk" She said.. as she caught Manny staring at her chest.

PRESENT DAY

"What the HELL do you want from me??" the Seargent asked.

"I need my pills sarge.. you can get them for me, and I need you to meet me at the diner.."

He looked into the Houston sun as he continued..

"Its time to talk"  he finally said.