Brain Damage

1

You were gone so long. I was worried.

I had to go all the way

to that goddamn gourmet deli.

But you got them?

- A dozen.

- Good. Good.

Nah, they're too damn small.

Not like the ones we got from Gottlieb,

may he rest in peace.

Maybe we should order

from that French butcher again.

No way!

Always asking questions, making jokes...

These are beautiful.

Beautiful.

Oh, he'll love them.

Puny little things, way overpriced.

God, I miss Gottlieb.

Are you coming now?

- I'm going to feed him.

- In a minute.

He's going to be so excited.

Aylmer, din-din.

What? What?

- He's gone.

- No!

- Oh, my God.

- He's gone!

He's gone.

'Brian? Hello, Brian.'

'Are you asleep?'

'Brian, you're supposed to be

getting ready. We have to leave soon.'

'Brian? Brian?

'Brian?'

Aylmer?

Where are you?

- He's still asleep?

- Yep. Afraid so.

Brian?

Brian?

Brian?

Come on, Brian.

We have to leave here in a few minutes.

You look awful.

I feel awful.

- Are you sick?

- I wasn't before.

Just laid down for a quick nap,

and all of a sudden my head is spinning

and I'm too dizzy to move.

I dunno, maybe there's something

going around.

- Yes?

- Hi.

We're the Ackermans,

the couple down the hall.

I'm Martha. This is Morris.

- Could we see your bathtub a minute?

- My bathtub?

- Yes, please. You see...

- Hey!

What's wrong? What's he doing?

What the hell is going on?

Sorry. Our mistake. Have a nice day.

"Have a nice day"?

Well, you're certainly in no shape

to go out tonight.

"Out"? I can't even stand.

Poor baby.

Wait a minute.

There's no reason you shouldn't go.

- I don't want to go without you.

- Go with Mike.

- No. No...

- Why not?

You've already got the tickets.

Hey, Mike! Come here!

- He'd love to go. Ask him.

- Hey, what's up?

Do your brother a favor

and take her out tonight.

Want to go to the Syd concert

with me tonight?

- Brian can't go.

- Sure. I'd love to.

- You don't mind?

- Of course not.

Okay, great. Thanks.

You sure you'll be okay?

I just need some sleep.

I'm going to be fine.

- I hope he's okay. He never gets sick.

- You know Brian.

- He'll be a new man in the morning.

- I sure hope so.

Sh*t!

Sh*t!

Sh*t!

What the hell's happening to me?

Okay, okay.

I know there's someone else here.

I don't know who you are

and I don't know what you are,

but I know you're in here.

So you may as well come on out.

Come on out and let me see you.

Hi.

This is the start of your new life, Brian.

A life without worry

or pain or loneliness.

A life filled instead with colors

and music and euphoria.

- A life of light and pleasure.

- But who are you?

- What are you?

- I am you, Brian.

I'm all you'll ever need.

- I don't understand.

- You will, Brian.

From now on, your life

will take on a whole new light.

And all you have to do

is look into the light and listen.

Listen to the light, Brian.

- Just listen to the light.

- Yes.

Yes, I'd like to again, but...

I don't see it now.

Then I'll make you a deal.

I'll show you the light

if you'll take me for a walk.

"A walk"? Where?

Anywhere you like.

I'm hungry.

Wait, wait... I'm confused.

I'm not following any of this.

Then don't worry about it.

You don't need to worry

about anything ever again.

I'll do all your thinking for you.

Just put me on the back of your neck

and everything will be fine.

My neck?

Oh, you mean the hole. I...

Wait... I don't know.

Trust me, Brian. Trust me.

I just want to check on him.

Make sure he's okay.

- Okay.

- Shh!

Brian...

Guess I shouldn't have worried.

Maybe he just went out

for something to eat.

Yeah. Right.

Can I take you home now?

Sure. Why not?

Oh, wow!

Oh, my God, wow!

This is f***ing great!

Yeah!

This is absolutely f***ing great.

'Listen, Charlie, I want you

and One-Shot to come on home,

'or I'll fire both of you.'

'I'm not coming home,

and neither is One-Shot. Goodbye.'

Freeze, a**hole.

- All these colors.

- Shut the f*** up, a**hole.

Lie on your stomach

and don't make a f***ing sound.

What the f*** is that?

Roll over.

What the hell is that?

Wow!

Hey, wha... what's going on?

What are you doing? Is he okay?

Not bad. A bit underdone.

Let's go. We better get out of here.

Hey, could you juice me again?

The colors are starting to fade.

- You've had enough tonight.

- Oh, come on. Just a little.

Oh, all right. Just a little.

He's in the bathtub.

He's been in the bathtub

for the last three hours.

- Jesus!

- He's like a completely different person.

I don't even know him anymore.

What is going on?

I don't know. I've tried to call him,

but he's never home.

Oh, he's here. He just doesn't answer

the phone anymore.

Well, he finally answered it last night,

but all he did was giggle.

You know, I don't even think

he goes to his job anymore.

I don't even think

he leaves the apartment.

If he's not in his room,

he's in the bathtub.

Let me show you something.

Look at this.

That's more than he's got

on the front door.

Yeah, but he only locks these

when he's in here.

- Why? What's he hiding?

- I don't know.

The only thing new

are those pails down there.

He changes the water four times a day.

I'll show you something else.

Look at this.

He's got the bathroom all bolted up, too.

I tell you, he's become

a real stickler for privacy.

Have you asked him about any of this?

Yeah.

What'd he say?

He says he's been feeling

a little bit light-headed.

"Light-headed"!

Brian, are you clean yet?

- Do you hear me?

- Huh?

It's Barbara.

We have a date tonight, remember?

Oh, yeah, sure. I'll be right out.

Things are getting

really weird around here.

I'm going through some

pretty intense changes,

and I need to be by myself for a while.

- Why? What's happened?

- I see things differently now.

- You mean us?

- Oh, everything.

It just doesn't last very long.

See, right now, for instance,

everything looks normal.

See? No trails.

- "No trails"?

- None.

But sometimes...

sometimes I can see completely.

Sometimes everything glows

with a different kind of light.

I can touch an object

and listen to the sound of its color.

I can hear voices and music

in the flicker of a match.

I can look into a mirror

and see a thousand different faces

staring back at me.

I can turn night into day

or watch the darkness shine,

and I don't even have to open my eyes.

You're on drugs, right?

Nothing that simple.

Then what?

I'm trying to understand you, Brian.

But I feel like I'm talking to a stranger.

Two months ago,

you wanted us to live together.

Now you're telling me you haven't called

because of lights and colors,

and I just don't understand.

Okay, okay, I'll try to explain it,

but I doubt you're going to believe me.

Remember the night you and Mike

went to the concert?

Well, when I woke up I... Ow!

Um, I don't think

I should explain it right now.

- Why not?

- It won't let me.

- What won't let you?

- I can't tell you that.

It's someone else, isn't it?

You're seeing someone else.

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