Modern Vampires of the City

Their life in the shadows

The darkness, which he sees every day when he walks out from the door, the cold breeze of the morning frost hitting his face, and the scream of the bloody seagulls in his ears, so just a usual workday for Jimmy.

Like every other weekday, Jimmy woke up with his dog barking alarm sound, took a shower, set his hair, ate breakfast, took the garbage bag from yesterday, and went out to face another relentless day.

Jimmy is working in a gift store in the city center. For this reason, his working day is starting before even going to work. He was using the same way to go to work every day; first, getting on a tube, going a couple of stops after was changing his line, and going couple more stops with lots of impassive faces looking at their phones. Following completing his first task, he was using a bus, passing 14 stops until his one, and then he was walking to the shop for 25 minutes. The whole road trip was taking one hour and forty-five minutes every day. So he used this way today too.

When Jimmy finally arrived at to shop, opened the locks, and went in, the sun showed its face and lightened everywhere. It was like waiting for Jimmy to open the store. He turned on the switches of electricity and started to do his daily routine begin with cleaning. He was feeling a little different than the other days; his stomach was hurting, his skin was getting itchy. Like, it was seeking for something. He paid no attention to this, though. He finished his job and went out in front of the shop for a coffee break.

The shop was in the main street that is home to several other stores and, the people who work in these places were always meeting for coffee breaks in the middle of the sidewalk. They went out of their shops at the same time today like every other day.

- Hey Jimmy! What’s up?

Said the girl working in the vintage clothing store when she was walking to the meeting spot.

- Hey, not much. What’s up with you? How are the sales so far?

Said Jimmy.

- Going a little bit slow today, I sold only one sweater.

- Yeah, I didn’t sell anything yet.

In the meantime, the other two workers came to the spot too.

- Hey guys! How are you doing?

Said the girl from the other gift store at the end of the street.

And they started talking about their sales as usual when they are drinking their coffees. But suddenly, Jimmy felt dizzy and wanted to sit somewhere. His friends helped him to sit sidewalk.

- I don’t know what’s happening to me. I feel like something is wrong with me today.

Said Jimmy.

- Maybe you should talk with your boss and go to the hospital.

Said the guy working in the designer clothing shop.

- Maybe.

So, Jimmy called his boss, explained the situation, and managed to take permission to close the shop for today.

He closed the shop and went to the nearest hospital. He went to ER and told his complaints after he gave some blood samples. They did some tests. Eventually, they directed him to Dr. Raven.

After waiting in an eternal line, his place came.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

- Come on in!

- Hello, Dr. Raven! They send me from ER. My name is Jimmy.

- Yes! Mr. Jimmy, come! Sit. Tell me about your complaints, what’s wrong?

- So, everything was normal until today. I went to the shop which I work, like every other day. But I felt my stomach ache and itchiness on my skin. I was almost falling because of dizziness if my friends were not there during my coffee break.

- I see! What do you do for work, Mr. Jimmy? And during which days and hours?

- I’m a salesperson in a gift store. I’m working every day besides weekends from early in the morning till the sun is down.

- Hmm, and there is a street ban on the weekends, so you can’t go out. Right?

- Yes, I’m only going out when I’m walking my dog on the weekends.

- When was the last time the sun touched your skin for a while, Mr. Jimmy?

- Hmmm, I don’t remember! I’m going out early in the morning in the dark because my house is far away from work. And, I’m closing the shop after the sunset. As you said, there is a street ban on the weekends, so I’m sitting in the house all day.

- What about your coffee, launch breaks?

- Sometimes, we are drinking coffee together, with other shop workers in the street like today, but there is never sunlight because of the buildings. And lunch breaks, there is only me in the shop, so I can’t go anywhere to eat. I’m eating in the store always.

- Mr. Jimmy, we will do some more tests, but I think I know your problem; you have a “Modern Vampire Syndrome.”

- I have what? Doctor!

- Modern Vampire Syndrome, as you know, vampires getting hurt when the sun touches their skin. So you are living like a vampire, but you are not one of them. Your body needs sun, Mr. Jimmy.

- So, all my complaints because of this?

- Yes, Mr. Jimmy, it’s a common problem between the workers like you. If you go out, enjoy the sun more, your health will be okay.

- But how? Doctor! I have to work to live, and you are saying that I need the sun to live too.

Said Jimmy. They continued to talk about this subject, and Jimmy left with a prescription of some vitamins and, the words doctor said to him in his head; you need sun, Jimmy.

He was thinking about this dilemma when he was walking to the tube. And he continued to think about it in the underground. After this, he was still thinking about it on the bus. Finally, he arrived at his house.

After walking his dog with a stomachache, dizziness, and itchiness, he was sitting on his sofa and was still thinking.

The song of the writing is; step by the Vampire Weekend from Modern Vampires of the City Album.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mDxcDjg9P4

PS; The story belongs to me. There is nothing related to the album name.