“Do you know why you’re here today Mrs. Harris?” Asked Dr Fuller
“Not really. But I have other things to do today, so I would like to get this out of the way.” Patty said.
“Well your son, Corduroy scheduled this appointment for you, and him. He is here correct?”
“Yes. But he’s in the waiting room. That’s what I was told was happening.”
“Alright let me explain to you what is happening today” the doctor said, taking off his glasses, and crossing his legs “your son, Corduroy thinks that you are trying to keep him home for some reason that you’re not revealing. Why would he think that?”
Patty looked around the room, and acknowledged how conservative the colors, and scenery was here.

“Because it is true. I am trying to keep him home.” She responded

“Why is tha-”

“Because I need him at home. We have a very large farm that needs a lot of tending.” She snapped at him before he could finish. The room went silent for a while as the doctor took notes. There was a lot of tension following this moment. It took the doctor a while to finish his notes which made Patty curious about what he could’ve possibly already written down. “Look.” she said sternly. “I am not crazy, or angry, I just want my son to be at home.”

“Could you please send Corduroy in?” The doctor asked politely



“Hello Corduroy” The doctor greeted him after patty had left the room.

“Hello, Dr. Fuller.” He responded, respectfully.

“Your mother didn’t tell me very much about you. But it says here that you have always gotten pretty good grades, and have always been pretty athletically gifted.”

“Yeah I guess. But none of that really matters.”

“And why do you say that?”

“Because that’s not going to have any effect on my outcome in life. My mom is making me stay home for the rest of my life.”

“I don’t think that that is very true at all.”

“Well it is. It was a mistake coming here. I wouldn’t expect you to understand.” Corduroy said as he walked out the door.

Corduroy decided to walk home from the appointment that day. It was a 4 mile walk, but he figured that he could make a stop by his best friend Gary’s house on the way back. As he walked he thought. He thought about how unhappy he was, and how much he just wanted to be left alone some times. But it never happened. When school wasn’t breathing down his neck, his mother was. That’s why he enjoyed taking walks like this. To clear his mind, and think about something other than his mom, or school. He was very stressed out these days. Often he thought about what it would be like to run away, or to just free himself from this world altogether. And his friends knew this. Especially Gary. He could tell that his best friend was not doing well. After about 20 minutes of walking Corduroy arrived at Gary’s house.

“How’s it goin’ old buddy?” Gary always greeted Corduroy like this. Since they were just kids. Corduroy noticed that Gary had his prized possession, his 9mm handgun in his hand. He was shining it. Like always. He put the gun in his favorite mahogany cabinet before they continued the conversation.

“Its going alright I guess. That appointment didn’t go as well as I thought it would. I didn’t get what I expected.” Corduroy said.

“Well what happened?”

“Nothing really. I expected myself to trust the doctors more than I actually did. I found it hard to open up to a man that I had just met.”

“Well I’m sorry to hear that bud. I wish I could help sway your mom to let you be yourself.”

“Yeah me too. But we both know that that is never gonna happen. She is too hard headed. But it’s getting to be a little too much to handle. I try my hardest at school, and I try my hardest at home but nothing seems to matter to her. She would rather sit at home and drink, than go get a job or tend to the farm. Then all of the responsibilities are pushed off on me. I’ve just got a lot on my plate right now Gary.”

“I know bud. But remember that I’m always here if you need someone to talk to.”

“I appreciate it Gary. I better get home now before it gets too dark.”
Corduroy was glad to be able to talk to Gary. It always helped clear his mind.

When Corduroy got home he was greeted by the smell of whiskey and shouting.
“Where have you been boy? That appointment ended 2 hours ago, and I know damn well that it doesn’t take you 2 hours to walk home!” His mother said.

“I stopped by Gary’s ma. I just wanted to talk to him about something. Corduroy replied.
“And who on earth told you to do that? You know I need you home! You’re just like your father, you know that? You don’t give a damn about me or this house. Why don’t you just leave? I know that’s what you want to do! Just like your daddy!”
“Come on mom. You know it isn’t like that. I just wish you would try not to drink so much.”
“And who the hell are you to tell me how to spend my money?”
“I’m just sayin’ Ma. I don’t think it would hurt.”
“You know what corduroy? You need to leave. Take all of your things, and get out of here now!” As she shouted this she hurled a glass bottle in his direction, which missed him barely, shattering against the wall. “Go to Gary’s house! I know you’d rather be there than home!”
Corduroy left the house. This was getting to be unbearable for him. He knew that this isn’t how a young man should be living. He was only 16 years old, and he had to fear for his life every time he went home. He arrived at Gary’s house a little after 10 o’clock. Gary’s mom, Leona answered the door.

“How are you doin’ this evenin’ Corduroy?” she asked

“I’m doing alright.” He replied

“Another fight with your mom I suppose?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Well you’re always welcome here.”

“Thank you ma’am.”
Corduroy walked to the back of the house where Gary was already asleep. Corduroy was careful not to wake him as he set up a couple of blankets on the floor. He was awake for a while. Thinking of how great it would be to not have to deal with any of this any more. When Gary woke up he could tell that Corduroy had been there last night. But Gary was used to this, and he thought nothing of it and went to school. He began to get worried when Corduroy didn’t show up for school. As the day went by he knew that something was up. When he got home his mother was not there. He went into his room and saw a note from Corduroy on the mahogany cabinet.
“You said that you would always be there to help in any way possible, and this time you helped more than anyone has before. I want you to know that you helped me through a lot of hard times, and I appreciate all of those times, but this time you helped me the most.
Thank you, love Corduroy.”
Gary already knew what was happening, and broke down into tears. He made the conscious choice to never open his old mahogany cabinet again, in fear of finding it empty.