A line ran down the middle of the hallway in the DePaul Behavioral Health Center in New Orleans. You didn’t cross it. When entering this part of the facility, this was the only guideline the nurse gave. Across from me, Mom stood next to her room with the bolted-down bed. She’d threatened to kill herself and ended up here. If Mom wanted, she could’ve reached across and held me, but there were consequences to breaking the rules. She told me it was okay, but it wasn’t. Every line before had brought her here, and I couldn’t cross those either.
Frederick Charles Melancon lives in Mississippi with his wife and daughter. At all times, he tries to be on his best behavior. Find Frederick on Twitter and Instagram at @fcmwrite.