Lullaby for Broken Minds

"Esteemed colleagues and friends, we all know that mental retardation is a developmental disorder, characterized in varying degrees by a subnormal ability to learn, and also impaired social adjustment. This disability originates before age 18, and it affects approximately two percent of the population. The most common features associated with retardation include slower pace of learning, lack of age-appropriate adaptive behavior and social skills, and below-average language and academic skills." Dr. Stevens spoke in a confident voice, although he felt his throat dry and scratchy.

"Its causes are multiple, varying from genetic factors, to brain factors and environmental influences. Now, I would like to emphasize the DNA importance in this matter: mental retardation is triggered by many different, yet individually rare DNA deletions and duplications. What does that mean? Well, first of all, the identification of these changes is quite challenging, because they are not concentrated in a small number of genes, but, various studies provide strong evidence that genomic deletions and duplications frequently cause this disability!"

The doctor stopped for a moment to catch his breath, sipped some fizzy water, then closed his speech:

"In my opinion, if we continue the research, and narrow down the list of genes linked to the disorder, we will open the gate to enabling genetic testing and diagnosis. Also, my hope for the future is to use this approach in order to highlight altered genes in other medical conditions, such as schizophrenia and autism! Thank you for your attention!"

The applause exploded in the conference room like a rain of fireworks, while doctor Matthew Stevens welcomed the cheering with a wide smile. His hard work and determination made him a well renown psychiatrist and researcher, with avant - garde ideas, that were very appreciated by most of his colleagues in the field.

"Daddy, you were awesome, as usual!" spoke an appealing voice, like a tinkling bell.

Lorelei waved her long, blonde ponytail, and threw herself in the arms of her father.

"Thank you, sweetheart! I think it was pretty good, although, Dr. Brown over there sat frowning the entire time. I wonder what his problem is!" Matthew sighed, then continued with a whisper: "He always has something to comment or criticize!"

"Well, you know he's a narcissist, plus, he's like 100 years old! Maybe he needs a little therapy. What do you think?" responded the girl with a smug grin on her face.

"Absolutely! If you dig deep enough in the subconscious, there's always shit! His surname is "Brown" for a reason!"

"Oh my God, dad!" Lorelei burst into laughter, while clenching on his father's arm. "Alright, let's go home, before you get some new ideas on people's psychological profiles!"

Dr. Stevens smiled, grabbed his leather suitcase, and kissed the girl's forehead with love. Lorelei grew up so fast, and she was so mature for her age. After her mom passed away 10 years ago, she became the center of his universe, the fuel that kept him going, and alleviated the pain nested in his chest. Lorelei looked so much like her mother, Sarah...His beloved Sarah, who struggled with cancer for such a long time. He missed Sarah every single day. Maybe he was the one who needed therapy.

"Daddy, did you hear what I said?" muttered Lorelei with an annoyed look on her face.

Matthew snapped out of his thoughts, and realized they were already in front of the apartment.

"I said, I'm hearing Jerry singing that creepy lullaby again. I think he's wandering around on this floor. Maybe he will stop by, as he always does. Guess what? I bought him some candy this time, just in case."

"Oh, yes, Jerry, that poor boy!" responded the father with compassion, while pulling out the keys.

They were about to enter the apartment, when a husky, weird voice, like a gorilla struggling to sing, slammed their ears:

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird,

And if that mockingbird won't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring..."

Dr. Stevens and his daughter turned around and faced a tall, bulky man, with blue eyes and shaggy hair. His smile revealed big crooked teeth, and a trail of drool dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Lulu and doc are here! Lulu looks like dolly! Lulu looks like my dolly!" roared the man, and waved in the air a dirty doll with curly blonde hair, and red dress.

"Give me something, and I'll give you something!" he mumbled, swinging from one foot to another. "Something! Something!"

"Hey buddy! Do you want to play that game again?" said Matthew Stevens in amusement

Yes, yes!" You give me something, and I'll give you something! Something!"

"Hey, Jerry, I've got something for you!" responded Lorelei, and pulled out of her bag a chocolate bar.

Jerry snatched the candy with the agility of a vulture, then placed in the girl's hand a broken grey button. He stuffed the chocolate in his pocket, and released a gurgling sound from the throat, similar to a laughter.

"Thanks, J! " smiled Lorelei, while patting him on the shoulder "Now we have to go, buddy! Take care, and I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Lulu looks like my dolly!" the man mumbled again, then started singing, while heading to the next floor.

Jerry Randall was diagnosed with mental retardation before he entered preschool, and all his life had been a struggle. His intellectual functioning level was obviously well below average, thus, his communications skills were quite limited, but coordination, balance and dexterity in this case, didn't seem to be a big problem. Jerry's behavior wasn't aggressive, therefore, his mother would usually leave him roaming on the hallways of the building they lived in, without getting any complaints from neighbors. Everybody knew Jerry, the 27 years old man, with the mind of a 3 years old, who was always carrying around that dirty doll with blonde curly hair, and sang a lullaby. Dr. Matthew Stevens had a particular interest in him, since he was a psychiatrist, and a very kind and compassionate man, and used his case in several researches and presentations. Matthew hoped that maybe one day, he will find a way to help people with special needs.

The next evening, Dr. Stevens stood in front of the mirror, gazing at the reflection that was frowning back at him. Maybe the blue tie would look better with the suit he was wearing.

"Daddy, relax! You look very handsome, and that tie is perfect!" said Lorelei with admiration.

"Sweetheart, are you sure you'll be alright all by yourself tonight? The presentation won't take that long, but the after so called party, will probably last until midnight."

"Dad, don't worry about me, I'm almost 18! I'm not a little girl anymore!"

"Honey, you will always be my baby girl!" Matthew responded with a warm smile, and hugged his daughter.

After her dad left, Lorelei sighed and went to her room. She put on her pink pajamas, and started brushing her long, curly, blonde hair, while the mind was wandering in the past.

"Mom, I miss you so much!" whispered to herself, then put the hair brush down, and headed to the kitchen to get a warm glass of milk.

A loud knock on the door echoed around the house, making her thoughts dissipate into nothingness. Lorelei dragged her feet out of the kitchen to the front door, and opened it to see a smiling Jerry, swinging from one foot to another, while holding his doll.

"Lulu looks like my dolly! Pretty blonde hair!" roared the man "Give me something, and I'll give you something!"

"Oh, hey Jerry! You're looking happy tonight! Give me one second, I have something for you. Wait here, okay?" she responded in amusement.

Lorelei went to get her bag, which contained several chocolate bars, that she had bought the day before, for this silly game that Jerry was playing every day. She turned back and realized that the man was now inside her apartment, gazing at the walls. Everything was fine, Jerry's physical appearance was a bit scary, but his behavior was similar to a 3 years old child. She was fine, although a shiver of anxiety went through her entire body, like an electric shock, but Lorelei ignored the feeling, smiled, and handed him the candy. Jerry grabbed the chocolate, stuffed it in his pocket, as usual, and then pulled out a sort of necklace, made of broken white shells.

"I have something for Lulu! Something! Something!" he revealed his crooked teeth, and went behind Lorelei, to put the necklace around her neck.

"Um, thanks J, that's very sweet of you, but I think I can handle this myself" whispered the girl.

The fear was now crawling inside her heart like a giant spider, while she could feel his stinky warm breath on her skin. Jerry was deaf to her demand. He was trying to tie the string with the white shells behind her neck, with clumsy moves, breathing heavily, and tightening it, until Lorelei felt she couldn't breathe anymore.

"Jerry! Stop! You're hurting me!"

"Lulu looks like my dolly! Lulu needs to sleep now!" he responded, as he was pulling the string tighter, and tighter.

Lorelei widened her eyes in despair. The panic flooded every cell of her body, her lungs hurt, and felt like they were about to explode. She tried to fight it, waving her hands like a wounded bird, but the man was too strong, there was no escape. Life was gradually evaporating, with every choked gurgle released by her throat. The vision became blurry, while she felt a sour taste in her mouth. Darkness came, cold and peaceful, like raven wings in the sky. Death was peaceful. Yes...it was peaceful...

Jerry placed the lifeless body gently on the floor, and wiped the sweat on his forehead. He then took his dirty doll with curly blonde hair, and headed to the next floor.

In the velvet night, the hallways of the building were echoing again, the same husky, weird voice, singing a lullaby:

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird,

And if that mockingbird won't sing, Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring..."