[Remedy]

. N e l s o n   L i m m e s .

A partly cloudy sunrise accompanied by a gentle breeze; it was a fine day for a relaxing breakfast-picnic.  The grass swayed slightly and the trees rustled, eliciting forth the gentle coos of various birds and wildlife.  The air was fresh and clean, the day was young, and the weather was perfect.  So early in the morning, the park was nearly empty save for a lonesome homeless man sleeping on a park bench and a few early morning joggers running their course around the fields.  

Dr. Nelson Limmes filled his lungs with air and released a long, drawn out sigh of contentment.  Decorating his figure was a neatly creased and ironed pair of khaki pants, a yellow and white pinstriped dress shirt, and a sky blue tie neatly encircling his long, thin neck.  His hair, golden and somewhat long for a professional of his status, stayed put, unaffected by the breeze thanks to the excessive amount of gel confining it to its shape.  The tall, thin, sharp-angled man scanned the grassy park with blue-grey eyes for the perfect place to set up his peaceful picnic.  

It only took a minute for him to select a perfect area - appropriately spaced away from the joggers’ trail and also not too close to the poultry-filled trees (any accidents would certainly ruin his day in a moment) - and stepped forth with polished brown dress shoes to approach the designated spot, a picnic basket in one hand and blanket in the other.

[TrizzyTreke]

Nev treasured these conditions. Clear, perfect air filled him with a sense of perfection, as if he had discovered a secret garden. Nature still created moments when it could seem untouched by mankind. And this gave Nev peace as he walked along the sidewalk. As easy as it was for him to get along with everyone he met, he was most happy when he was left alone to his thoughts.

Today Nev was searching for inspiration, something to write a song about. He listened to the tweeting birds and chattering squirrels. He loved feeling so calm. Then he noticed a great, green tree, taller than the others in the park. Its boughs offered cool shade, and a space between its branches looked ideal for Nev to relax in. He left the sidewalk and headed toward the tree.

[Remedy]

Nelson had just laid out all the necessary ingredients for a sandwich, each specific item placed neatly on separate paper plates.  He rested now on a blanket perfectly spread out on the grassy ground, a welcomed shield between him and the creepy crawlies lurking beneath.  After a deep breath of the lovely, fresh air, he got right to putting together his ham and cheese sandwich.  Nelson was strange in that he prefered to save the makings of his food until the picnic himself.  In his mind’s eye, it gave him more time to enjoy the outdoors.  

Once his delicacy was appropriately constructed, he raised it to his mouth, looking up as he did so - only to catch, in those short split-seconds, the image of a soccer ball growing larger and larger.  He was struck heavily in the face, though thankfully his sandwich took the brunt of the attack.  It had been forced almost all the way into his mouth after the impact, leaving him baffled and gagging.  It took a few moments for him to realize he was choking, and with this realization, he waved frantically for someone to come and help.  Unfortunately, the teenagers who had shown up to the park when he’d been preoccupied with his sandwich making were oblivious to his distress and merely wanted their ball back.

[TrizzyTreke]

Nev dropped his shoes and socks on the ground and started to climb. The tree was huge, to say the least. Nev had a hard time finding the right places to grip with his fingers and toes, but he reached the first branches quickly. There was a perfect place for sitting in between two of the branches. He stretched and settled down in the space, ready to relax and prepared his mind for one function--listening.

A bright purple songbird fluttered down next to his head. He remained calm. Nev was one of few people who understood that when a musical animal was nearby, it was common courtesy to stay still and not move until they had finished performing. If a person moves to much, the bird will not even open its beak in their direction.

The bird began to sing. Ah, nature. Nev didn’t think of himself as a tree hugger, but he did love animals and plants as much as most people love video games, or something equally popular. He could spend all day up in that tree, listening to birdsong and rustling leaves.

Suddenly, the bird stopped singing, and Nev heard its wings beating away before a soccer ball popped through the canopy of leaves and knocked Nev out of his peaceful nook. He grabbed a branch to keep from falling, and then he saw the ball dart through the other side of the canopy to smash a man who was eating a sandwich in the face, kicking him flat. Nev probably would’ve laughed if he hadn’t already been making a stank-face at the kids walking toward the man. They walked over to pick their soccer ball up and didn’t bother to help him remove the sandwich he was choking on. The poor guy! He probably wanted to have a nice, quiet picnic, but now it had been ruined. Nev hesitated. He didn’t want to irritate him like another annoying kid. But dude, the man was choking! He let go of the branch and ran over.

[Remedy]

Nelson continued his flailing, now beginning to suffer tunnel vision.  As the edges of his sight got dimmer and dimmer, his body grew numb, and his struggling turned sluggish and slow.  Oh, what cruel fate - to die at the hands of a ham and cheese sandwich, which he created with his own hands.  Destroyed by that which he loved the most.  Oh, agony!  

Just as he was about to lose consciousness, his throat contracted, and the stubborn piece of food he was choking on continued on its path down his gullet.  His vision slowly returned, but by all appearances he might just be dead - his skin was pale and he lay on his picnic blanket, arms still wrapped around his throat.  He was stunned, and in his astonishment remained in this position, unaware of the approaching figure.

[TrizzyTreke]

This man was lucky Nev was a lifeguard. He was glad it was only the Heimlich maneuver he had to do, instead of full-on CPR in the middle of the park. The man hacked and coughed, and Nev could see pieces of a once-delicious ham and cheese sandwich flying from his mouth. What a shame. It looked like such a delightful sandwich.

Once Nev was done, the man kneeled on all fours to catch his breath, and as the adrenaline left his body, Nev took a closer look at the man. He looked like a much-too-distinguished gentleman, in freshly ironed khakis and a yellow pinstripe suit. Almost a mustard color. Why on earth was such a spiffy man having a picnic in the middle of the park in a crisp suit?

Nev realized he was being rude by just staring. “Are you alright?” he asked the man. Stupid question, but at least it would get a conversation going.