Up from the darkness he swam, feeling only pain on his awakening; shit, he thought, I am supposed to be dead!
He tried moving, his body wracked with pain. He noticed at this point moving was impossible; he was body casted, upper torso encased in immovable hardness.
He heard a voice, surely from an angel. Nope, not an angel at all but the second ugliest nurse God ever created. Man what a dog!
"You are awake huh?" she said. No shit, knockaround answered. He heard her laugh and that laugh transformed her into the fifth ugliest woman God ever created.
Where the F*ck am I? Bellevue hospital was the answer. His brain asked a million questions but his body was tired, he faded once again into blackness.
His eyes opened again. He had no idea how much time he lost. Knockaround asked for a doctor. His wish was answered.
"OK doc", knockaround said; fill me in on the blank spots. The doctor replied, "well it seems as you were shot, a cop car from the 25th precinct came around the corner and rushed you to Harlem hospital. They stabilized you as much as possible and rushed you here. We needed to go in and remove some lead from your body. You are a hard man to kill, knockaround. 4 bullets we took out, but had to leave some smaller fragments there. "Ok" the doc said, and looked at knockaround steady. "I have something to tell you". Knockaround answered, "sure doc, shoot", and laughed, the doc joined in the laughter and then the docs face sobered some and he said; "You died on the table; over 3 minutes no heartbeat. We were about to call it {time of death} when your chest heaved and you started breathing; amazing I would say". "How long I been here doc"? 22 days had passed and it seemed like moments ago all this started.
"Am I going to be Ok doc"? "Seems like you are healing fine for now, only time will tell. Your body has had quite a shock, I might say".
"Anyone been here to see me doc"? "Nope", the doc replied. "From the shape of your body and the shape it was in when they hauled you in here, I have a feeling you do not have a lot of friends. Knockaround answered, "you are right about that doc".
"Now" the doc said, "the police want to talk with you". "Sh*t", knockaround thought. Here we go.
In they came and right away knockaround knew he was in for a hard time; detectives eenie and meeney he thought.
Right away knockaround said: "I never saw who shot me. I have no idea who would want to shoot me either". Eenie looked at meeney and smirked,"Sure just an innocent man out for a walk right"?" Yep", knockaround answered, "that's me, Mr. Innocent himself".
"I am tired detectives, leave me alone" he commanded imperiously and as quick as they arrived, they were gone.
Stay tuned for the ongoing adventures of knockaround guy.