Hal was sitting by himself in the TV room in the institution. He was watching a rerun of Fantasy Island. Hal and Linda used to watch the show every Saturday night before they were married, although Hal was usually in his own fantasy as he often fell asleep during the show. But Linda didn't mind. She loved Hal, and she knew they would soon be married.

Hal and Linda had eventually married, but now she was gone. Where? No one knew. All they knew about his wife was her name. Some people said she was dead. And no one knew much about Hal either.

It was difficult for anyone, even the counselors at the institution, to tell when Hal was telling the truth or making up stories. It was ironic that Hal's favorite TV show was Fantasy Island since his whole life seemed to be a fantasy ever since Linda was gone. Maybe that's why he watched the show - It reminded him of the happy times they spent together.

But of course, they did more than watch television. They often went dining and dancing. And they traveled extensively - Europe, Mexico, and Australia, to name a few places. But when they relaxed at home, they watched their favorite TV shows. Another such show was The Love Boat. The lighthearted romance of the comedy/drama seemed to reflect their relationship, so much so that they spent their honeymoon on a cruise ship.

But now, it was more than seven years since Hal had seen Linda. Yet, just the other day, he told his counselor all about her - when they got married, their first house, and how she loved to bake, especially apple scones.

While Hal sat immersed in his favorite television show, someone quietly poked their head into the TV room. It was Hal's friend, Stan. "Hey, what are you doing all alone down here? Aren't you going to the dance?"

"The dance, the dance," Hal repeated to himself, trying to remember what Stan was referring to. "Oh yeah! The dance. Give me a few minutes to freshen up a bit, and I'll be right there."

"Don't hurry on my account," warned Stan. "But there's plenty of ladies present."

The next day, Hal told his counselor all about the dance. "And the best part was I danced with my wife! I hadn't seen her in years! We had such a great time, just like the good old days!"

The counselor didn't know what to say. His only reply was a politely skeptical, "That's nice." He didn't believe a word of it. It was just another one of Hal's stories.

Later that afternoon, a woman patient who was in the process of being transferred to a larger state-run facility was crying hysterically, "I want to see my husband! I want to say goodbye to him before I leave! Please! Please!"

Hal couldn't help but notice the woman struggling with the two security officers trying to restrain her, as he desperately shouted to her, "LINDA!"

Story Copyright © 2024 by Michael DeFrancesco

Cover Illustration - Public Domain