The Curse of 1977 (Book 2)

"Fact number seven. Prehistoric stone monuments called dolmens have been found over the graves of the dead in northwest Europe. Anthropologists speculate they've been placed at the graves to keep vampires from rising." The middle-aged, stringy Floyd enthusiastically read from his trusty flipbook as he paced back and forth across the floor in front Jeremiah and his desk.

All Jeremiah could do whenever Floyd wasn't looking in his direction was lean back in his leather seat and roll his eyes in agony as the man recited "so called" facts about something he wished to God he had never even brought up to begin with in their session together.

"Fact number eight, Vlad the Impaler was thought to be the inspiration for who we all know to be "Dracula."

"Ok, Floyd, let's take a break, and—

"No, no, you have to hear this." Floyd urgently pleaded. "This is where it gets really good!"

Jeremiah gritted his teeth and sat back once again before gripping his chair's arms and bearing down as hard as possible.

"Fact number nine, "The Count", you know, from Sesame Street, is believed to be—

"Ok, Floyd, I think our hour is up now." Jeremiah desperately shot up from his seat and from behind his desk.

Appearing completely confused, Floyd folded his book and said, "But you didn't hear the next fact, doc."

Patting Floyd on the back, Jeremiah replied, "It's not necessary. What you have to know is that your progress is coming along just fine."

"Really," Floyd looked up at Jeremiah with stars in his eyes. "But just last month you said that I may need to spend another two months in Ashlandview just for observation."

Jeremiah stood and just looked at Floyd's balding head. From a professional standpoint, there were so many things Jeremiah needed to say to the pitiful man, but subconsciously, he hadn't the desire to even make one point at that juncture. If the man had remained inside his office another minute he would have been tempted to toss him out the window that was only five feet away from where they were standing.

Clearing his throat, Jeremiah said, "I know what I said. Look, just go home and try to forget all about the vampire lore. I mean, even if vampires did exist, who's to say that they would ever visit Cypress?"

"So you're saying that it's possible they could come here?" Floyd's eyes lit up.

"I'm saying that your life is so much more important than some ancient European myth. Go home to your wife, make love to her and I'll see you next week."

Giggling, Floyd packed up his book as well as his Cincinnati Reds ball cap before saying, "I've never heard a psychiatrist tell anyone to make love to his wife."

"Believe me, it'll work." Jeremiah began shoving the man towards the door. "And put down the vampire books. Remember, you live in the real world."

Shrugging his shoulders, Floyd replied, "Whatever you say, doc."

As Floyd walked out of the office and down the hallway, Jeremiah caught sight of Gloria Cohen who just happened to be coming out of one of his colleague's offices at the same time.

Both her and Floyd passed each other, while all Jeremiah could do was stand at his own door and take ever so quaint glances at the young woman who herself appeared embarrassed to even be seen.

Jeremiah continued to stand and watch as Gloria stood and waited by the elevator. He knew that staring at her was unbelievably rude and uncomfortable, but the man just couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her until she eventually entered the elevator and out of his sight.

Just before he could turn into his office, his colleague from down the hall waved at Jeremiah for him to come and join him.

Truth be told, the last thing Jeremiah wanted at that point in the day was more company, but he sighed and reluctantly ventured down just three doors where he met his friend Paul who just happened to be grinning like an imp.

"Did Julie give you my message?" Paul asked. "I called at least three times last night."

Despondently shaking his head, Jeremiah replied, "Uh, no, I was doing something else last night."

Paul led Jeremiah into his office before shutting the door and racing back to his sofa. Jeremiah was leery of the man's erratic behavior, but also curious at the same time. There was something enticing racing through Paul's veins, and Jeremiah, despite his unenthusiastic demeanor, wanted to get down to the bottom of it before five p.m. arrived.

Jeremiah sat himself down on the plush sofa next to Paul and asked, "Okay, what's got you so happy that you look like you just won an Oscar?"

Unloosening his brown tie, Paul sat back, spread his arms wide behind him and sighed, "Last night, I finally did it."

"Did what?" Jeremiah

"I finally got Deborah Lundgren in

Appearing as if his friend's news went into one ear and clear out the other, Jeremiah squinted, "Deborah

have known all along. "The same hard ass professor that said you and I were

Giving a nonchalant grin, Jeremiah handed the man a tedious clap

serious." Paul tossed up his hands. "Lundgren may be a hard ass, but at forty-eight, the woman has to have the best looking body on that campus. You see what happens when you

the most lazy eyes he could give the man. "You must be

I both wanted to nail that bitch from day one, but you're the one that did the dirty and got hitched. If you ask me, I think

his hands across his

I give, what's going on

forward. "Do you realize that I just spent an entire hour listening to a fifty-six year old man

"Ok, what's so upsetting

"And after that, I get my best friend telling me that

doubt this is about me or your patient." Paul

on the

Paul sat and stared thoughtfully at Jeremiah before he inquired, "Oh, would it have anything to

"Yeah, that's exactly

she was hard to resist. I mean, she's been living

to keep my damn hands off

got the rest of

he had lost his mind

You've been acting weird all these months only because you've been trying to conceal the fact that you've been sleeping

"It's not so much

"Then

to blurt out the first thing that came to his mind became

"Do your

Chuckling from the stomach, Jeremiah replied, "Yeah right, if they find out then

"Well, do you need

"No, I'm at the Holiday Inn down on

like you haven't slept in days." Paul turned up his nose. "To tell you

trying to divert his thoughts to another subject that wouldn't offend him so much. Paul, however, just sat and continued to stare on and on methodically at

to be hit by a car.

their summer reruns, but anyways, Archie's best friend, Stretch Cunningham, dies. So, Archie and Edith go to the guy's funeral where they both end up

his friend's story that he hoped and prayed would by some holy miracle wind up making sense

"So Archie, being Archie, not only gives the guy's eulogy, but of course fumbles

stopped speaking. Jeremiah sat and waited for the man to

Paul leaned forward and peered into Jeremiah's eyes. "Tell your parents what happened between you and Julie." He slowly whispered into the man's face, sounding as if his words were wise and

just shook his head; it was all he could do without

sigh, Jeremiah said, "I can't believe I'm sitting here listening to

probed. "Look at you," he pointed, "you're tie is falling apart, your shoes are untied, you've even missed shaving. You look like you

Jeremiah sat up and dropped his head. "I just got done telling a guy to go home and make love to his wife. Mind you, this same guy beat up his wife just a year ago because he thought she was a

listened to the air-conditioner come to life from the other end of the

don't know what else to say to that effect." Paul remarked in

Jeremiah happened to look over at

Paul glanced back at the man with a humorous appearance on his face before saying, "Confidentially, my

up from off the sofa and went back over to his desk.

help it that

since she was sent to Ashlandview, she