In Loco Parentis

The other day I was called away urgently from work to the ER in respect of my Ward. Apparently the youngman had taken some Bubonic Kronic at a party and was acting out. At the hospital reception the desk clerk/nurse asked if I was his Dad and I said No, but that I was his guardian and I was acting In Loco Parentis. I guess the lady got her latin mixed up because her straight faced response was,”No wonder the patient is exhibiting traits of madness.His parents are Mad!” I was taken aback by her quip and had to pause, shut my eyes and exhale. Feathers ruffled I proceeded to the Male Ward ushered in by the smell of antiseptic and bacteria locked in brutal and unrelenting microbial warfare. And there he was on a dainty bed, eyes fixed in a vacuous gaze. staring into space and time beyond me and these puny hospital walls that made to contain him – mind, body , spirit and all. Earlier that morning at 9:15 am precisely, my ward Charles (Crazy Charlie from this point) had caused pandemonium in Professor Green’s class. Crazy Charlie had cried “Bomb” during class and when it was finally determined that it was a false alarm he refused to get back into the class claiming that unbeknownst to the school authorities terrorists had infiltrated the campus and were planning a deadly attack. While security and a few colleagues were trying to calm him down and escort him to the Security Post he declared himself a diplomat. An Ambassador Plenipotentiary of some sort, with diplomatic immunity and authority to smoke Marijuana when and where he pleased. He said he was answerable to no one but the President and C in C of the Country alone and that he owned all the cars parked in the campus parking lot and he promised to gift all the cars to the students and security guards. Oh Charlie ! My boy! Star Student at sunrise. Crazy person by Noon. Who would have thought right? I never saw the signs ! … Or perhaps they were there but I missed them. I was disappointed. A little in Crazy Charlie but more in Society and our School system which treated kids as matured adults instead of supervising them and offering them guidance to focus and channel all that teenage energy and anger and frustration and curiosity and exuberance into positive goals.