Lit Log

On Friday we sit down for another community meeting forced upon us by Nurse Ratched. I look around at the other men slumped over, and muttering to themselves. These poor useless men guarantee that I’m the only one in here in the right mind. Nah I’m really the craziest of them all and old Ratched knows it. I remember that I’m gonna need them all today, so I put on my very best behavior. I raise my hand and politely request if we could reassess the topic of TV time. Then the goddamn woman informs me that this is therapy and my grievance is too petty to discuss. I don’t take that type of disrespect so naturally I keep speaking my ideas. Then the woman interrupted me again and the next thing she said just drove me mad. She suggests that I’m imposing my personal desires on the other gentlemen in the ward, which I’m sure as hell not. Then she has the audacity to suggest the others would be happier with me gone. I keep it interesting around here, and she knows it. One of the guys speaks up though, and tells old Ratched to give me a chance. They bicker for a while and finally she lets me propose my ideas to the group. I tell them I want a revote on TV in the afternoon and the nurse tells me again that there’s more important things to do, but she eventually gives in. I made a quick joke, and consequently she suggests my removal from this ward again. Clearly this woman, if you can even call her a woman, is invincible to my charm.

I decided that a show of hands is the right path forward, and I’m the first to confidently stick my hand in the air. Lucky for me and my dignity, the men raise their hands, one by one. Soon enough, all twenty of the men they call Acutes are raising their hands. I knew they agreed with me, the poor fellas were just scared. Everyones dead silent and even old Ratched is stunned. Then that goddamn woman informs me that there are forty patients in the ward and I need the majority to make a change. At that point I was done with the niceties. I stood up and just about yelled in that woman’s face. I told her off about how ridiculous it is to require those old birds to vote, to change anything around her. Then she and the doctor went on about the constitution of the place. It was such bullshit and I just about lost it. Then the damn woman tells the doctor to write it down like I’m some case study. Before they can stop me I go over and do everything I can to convince those chronic men to flap their wing just a little bit. I go from one to the next begging them. First Ruckly, then Ellis, Pete, Gabriel, and George. I only manage to get a blank stare or a mumble of gibberish in response. Finally I get to Chief Bromden. The man can’t hear or talk so I have little hope at this point. The Big Nurse announces that the meeting is adjourned, but miraculously The Chief raises his hand. I jump up and down whooping, and give him a good hard pat on the back. I cheer and announce to the group that we’ve reached majority. The Acutes gather around me in celebration, and the Nurse walks away with a fake smile across her face.

Later in the day, we see her behind the glass with the same strange smile. I don’t pay her much attention as I scour the baseboard. I check the clock and see that it’s about game time, so I leave my rags on the ground. I walk by Old Ratchet and who’s red faced and glaring at me. I give that woman my best grin and a wink for her troubles. This only makes her angrier though, but I know she likes me. I go get my favorite armchair and I bring it over to the TV. All the other guys glance at me but they’re too chicken to stop working. I turn the tv on, put my feet up, and light up. The only thing that would make me happier is an ice cold beer. I see the nurse staring at me. I knew she couldn’t resist me. Then she turns off the damn tv, so I lean way back, and take another puff. I always win.

Authors Note:

I wrote this scene from the perspective of Mcmurphy. I decided to write in a lot of short snappy sentences with casual and not very descriptive narration. He speaks in a colloquial way in comparison to the way Bromden narrates and Nurse Ratched speaks. He also curses a lot and is often exasperated which I express through his narration. He’s also very manipulative so I made it clear through his thoughts that he’s strategizing how to get everyone to cooperate with what he wants. He objectifies and flirts with Nurse Ratched a lot so I also included that in his thoughts.