I'm Not Lisa

It was a densely foggy night. Visibility was down to a quarter-mile. Even less in some areas. Lisa was almost to her destination when she began to feel the effects of not having gotten enough rest before she began the two-and-a-half-hour drive from New Orleans to Lafayette. As she approached the stretch of I-10 that goes over the Atchafalaya Basin her eyelids began to get heavy. So she turned up the radio and opened the windows in her vehicle. I’m too close to stop now. I can make it, she said to herself. She was only doing about 30 mph because of the fog. As the highway elevated into a bridge her eyes closed for what seemed like a moment. But when she opened her eyes all she saw was the bright red flashing lights of a stalled vehicle. She was too close to stop so she turned the steering wheel sharply to the right. Her car smashed through the guardrail and down into the swamp below. The car’s airbags deployed when she hit the guardrail but as the car crashed into the shallow swamp her head hit the steering wheel hard. 

Five days later Lisa Carson woke up. She squinted as her eyes attempted to adjust to the lighting in her hospital room. She looked around and tried to make sense of her surroundings. When she attempted to move, she found herself restrained with straps. Her right leg was in a cast and elevated. She felt pain in her head. When she put her hand to her head she found it wrapped in bandages. Her movements cause a red light on the console at the nurse’s station to come on. One nurse notified the attending physician while another nurse hurried to her room. Walking up to the side of the bed she looked at Lisa and said, so you’re still with us? Good. Would you like some water? Lisa nodded a weak yes. The nurse poured water into a cup and inserted a straw. She brought the straw to Lisa’s lips and told her to sip slowly. After a few sips of water, Lisa mouthed the words, where am I? The nurse said you’re in the hospital. The doctor will be with you shortly. A moment later Dr. Nathan Trask walked into the room holding Lisa’s chart. He asked the nurse, how is she? She’s alert and her vitals are stable, the nurse replied. Lisa patted the bed to get their attention. She wanted to know what happened to her. Dr. Trask walked closer to her bed and said, you were in an automobile accident. Then he asked her if she remembered anything about the accident. Lisa replied, no I don’t. Then she paused for a moment and a look of anxiety came on her face. And then she asked, who am I? You mean you don’t know, said the doctor. Lisa thought inwardly. She shook her head and said, no, I can’t remember. Dr. Trask asked the nurse to go and get Lisa’s personal effects. When the nurse returned she handed the items to the doctor. He held them up one at a time and asked Lisa if she recognized any of them. She said, no. Then he opened the handbag and took out a woman’s wallet. He opened it to reveal her driver’s license and handed it to her. She looked at it for a long while and then she asked, is that me? Is that how I look? The doctor said, yes. You are Lisa Carson. A look of bewilderment remained on Lisa’s face as she tried to remember. Then Dr. Trask said, you suffered a severe blow to the head in the accident. That is probably why you are having difficulty remembering. Give it a few days. Because you are awake and alert it means that your healing process is underway. We’ll continue monitoring you and I’ll be back to check on you before I leave. 

As the days passed Lisa’s body continued to heal but she still couldn't remember anything about her past. Before the hospital released her to one of their aftercare facilities they posted her name and picture in the local newspaper and sent out feelers nationwide hoping that someone would recognize her and come to her aid. After eight months of medical care that included rehabilitation for her leg injury, the hospital had no choice but to terminate patient care. 

Some of the people she met while she was a patient in the hospital and some of those that helped her at the rehab facility became friends. They helped her as she tried to get her life back on track. One woman by the name of Florence McCall took her in and told her she could stay as long as she wanted. While she was going through rehab she met with a psychologist by the name of Kellie Newsome. Kellie developed a program of mental exercises for Lisa with the hope that it would trigger a memory that would be the catalyst to restore all of her memories. From time to time she would tell Lisa that the brain is fantastic and fickle. That like the rest of the body it needs exercise to enable it to function at its most efficient capacity. Lisa liked Kellie because she could make her laugh. During one of their sessions, Lisa told Kellie that although her driver’s license has Lisa Carson as her name she could no longer identify with that name. Kellie suggested that she should make up a name for herself and that when and if the time came she would assist her with getting her name changed legally. Lisa told her, I’ve already got a new name for myself. What is it, asked Kellie? It’s Chastain Blakely. Hmm, Chastain Blakely, I like it, said Kellie. From now on I’ll call you Chastain so you’ll get used to hearing it. Thank you, said, Lisa. Several months later Lisa legally changed her name to Chastain Blakely.

One day a man walked into the lobby of The Peoples Hospital. He was dressed professionally in a suit and tie. He walked up to the information desk and asked to speak with anyone who could tell him about Lisa Carson. Then he opened his briefcase and took out the newspaper article that the hospital posted a year ago. The attendant at the information desk immediately phoned the hospital administrator, Paul Finkel. Mr. Finkel told the attendant to escort the man to his office. Arriving at Finkel's office the attendant knocked. Come in, said Mr. Finkel. The man walked in and said, hello my name is Daniel Keen. Hello, Mr. Keen please have a seat. I understand you’re inquiring about a former patient of ours. Yes, her name is Lisa Carson, said Keen. What is your interest in this person, said Finkel? I am a private investigator. I’ve been hired to locate Lisa Carson for Mr. T. Garrett Carson, said Keen. You mean the T. Garrett Carson the billionaire said, Finkel. Yes, the same replied Keen. Mr. Finkel enters the name Lisa Carson into his desktop computer. Then he said, Ms. Carson was transferred to our rehab facility. Maybe someone there can help you locate her. May I have the address to the facility, asked Keen. Finkel pressed the print key on his computer and seconds later handed the address to Mr. Keen. Thank you for your assistance, said Keen. You’re welcome and good luck, said Mr. Finkel.

Driving up to the Peoples Rehabilitation facility, Mr. Keen gets out of his vehicle and walks through the automatic opening doors and up to the front desk. He said, my name is Daniel Keen. Before Keen could say anything else a representative by the name of Janice Tate walks up and says, hello Mr. Keen. Mr. Finkel phoned me and said to extend to you every courtesy. Come this way, please. Over the next hour, Ms. Tate and Mr. Keen talked with practically everyone who had something to do with Lisa’s rehabilitation. None of them could tell him anything about Lisa’s whereabouts. Then Ms. Tate said, there’s one other person we have not talked to. Her name is Kellie Newsome. She’s the staff psychologist. She isn’t here today but as I recalled she worked with Lisa extensively. If anyone can help you find Lisa she can. Will you contact her for me, asked Mr. Keen. I’ll give her a call right now, said Ms. Tate. After speaking with Kellie, Ms. Tate told Mr. Keen that Ms. Newsome will meet with you tomorrow morning in her office at 10. I’ll be here, said Mr. Keen.

Mr. Keen had been sitting in the lobby waiting for Kellie Newsome since 9:30. Kellie walked through the entrance at 9:50 and headed to her office. The receptionist said, good morning Ms. Newsome. Your 10 o’clock is in the lobby. Kellie said, give me five minutes then bring him in. Five minutes later the attendant escorted Mr. Keen to her office. Walking in, Mr. Keen said, thank you for meeting me this morning Ms. Newsome. I understand you’re trying to locate Lisa Carson, said, Kellie. That’s correct, said Keen. I’ve been hired to locate Ms. Carson because she is believed to be the only living heir of Mr. T. Garrett Carson. If she is the distant relative we believe her to be, she stands to receive a substantial financial endowment. Oh, I see, said Kellie. Do you know where I can find her, asked Mr. Keen? Yes, I know where she lives. But she no longer goes by Lisa Carson. Kellie explains the situation to Mr. Keen. When she finished the story she asks Mr. Keen if he could meet her back in her office at the same time tomorrow. I’ll have Chastain meet us here. Then you can tell her what you told me. That will be fine, said Keen. Then Mr. Keen asks, do you think her memory will ever return. The brain is fantastic and fickle Mr. Keen. But given the right stimulus, a song, a certain smell, or the image of a loved one might break through and restore her memory, said Kellie. I sure hope so, said Keen. Why? Is that important, said Kellie. As a matter of fact, it is, said, Keen. There’s a stipulation in the paperwork I have that states that she has to tell me the name of her father and the name of her grandfather through which her relation to Mr. Carson lies. If she can’t tell me she will not receive the endowment. Oh my, said Kellie. After Mr. Keen leaves, Kellie phones Chastain and asks if she can come over after work. That’ll be great, said Chastain. Then you, me, and Florence can have dinner together.

After dinner, Kelie asks Chastain to take a walk with her. As they walk Kelie asks Chastain if she still does her memory exercises. Not every day but I still do them, said Chastain. No breakthroughs, huh, asks Kellie. Nope, said Chastain. Are you busy tomorrow morning? I have a new procedure I’d like for you to try, said Kellie. What time, asks Chastain. Ten o’clock said, Kellie. Okay, I'll be there said, Chastain. One other thing. There will be a Mr. Daniel Keen there to observe and ask you some questions if you don’t mind, said Kellie. If it’s okay with you it’s okay with me, said Chastain.

The next morning Kellie and Mr. Keen are in Kellie’s office when Chastain walks through the door. Mr. Keen stands to his feet as Kellie introduces him. He extends his hand and says hello Chastain. Then Kellie tells Chastain that Mr. Keen has some important information he wants to share with you. What sort of information, asks Chastain. Well, it’s best to let Mr. Keen explain, said Kellie. Keen says, Chastain, Ms. Newsome has told me about the accident you had and about your amnesia. I have some pictures I want you to look at and tell me if you recognize any of the people in them. Okay, said Chastain. Keen takes a large brown envelope from his briefcase and hands it to Chastain. Then he says, take your time and look at them carefully. She nods her okay. While Chastain is looking at the pictures Keen begins to slowly hum a lullaby. It’s a lullaby that originated within the Carson family and has been handed down through the generations to be sung exclusively to the babies of Carson parents. As Chastain continues to remove one picture after another from the envelope she comes across one sealed in plastic. When she opens the plastic the aroma of perfume rises to her nostrils. She realizes that she is somehow familiar with the aroma but she doesn’t know-how. The image from the picture seems to stir feelings inside her. She looks at it for a long while. Then as the lullaby and the aroma of the perfume and the image of the picture all come together, her head begins to spin. The overload of stimulus is too much for her to process and she passes out.

After several minutes have gone by, Chastain starts to come around. When she opens her eyes she looks up into the faces of two people she does not recognize. She asks, what happened? Where am I? Kellie responds, Chastain, you’re in my office. You’re with me and Mr. Keen. Don’t you remember? She pauses for a moment to gather her thoughts. Then she asks, who is Chastain? You are, Kellie said. No, my name is Lisa Carson. I don’t know Chastain. Kellie looks at Mr. Keen. Mr. Keen and Kellie help her to her feet and guide her to a chair. As she sits Mr. Keen walks over to the desk and picks up the envelope. He takes out the picture sealed in plastic and hands it to her. She takes it and opens the seal. This time when she smells the perfume she says that’s Aunt Nana’s perfume. Then she removes the photograph and says that’s my Aunt Nana. Mr. Keen asks can you tell me your father’s name? She nods yes. His name was Forrest. How about your grandfather’s name? Papa’s name was Victor. Mr. Keen looks at Kellie and says that’s right. During the next 30 minutes, Kellie slowly and compassionately explains to Lisa/Chastain the events of her life over the past two and a half years. As she does the gaps in her memory are restored and she remembers…everything.