09/16/2023
What really happened to Dr. Dolittle- John, Take Your Prozac
Patient Name: John Mark Dolittle
Age: 34
Diagnosis: Acute Schizophrenia with delusions (NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED)
Reason for entry: Claiming he can speak to animals
John Mark Dolittle, a rather esteemed doctor in the forensics field, was in the care of our psych ward for around one week before miraculously espacing. There’s very little information on his whereabouts now, but he’s rumored to be hidden somewhere out in the wild. His disappearance occurred mere days ago.
It all began, according to him, when Dr. Dolittle was taking a leisurely stroll through the park. With it being mid August, he took shelter beneath a tree off to the side of the trail he was walking. Then it started; faint, high pitched voices from above him. Slowly, Dr. Dolittle looked up.
“Did you hear about what happened to Debbie?” asked a shrill-voiced squirrel to another squirrel beside him. The second squirrel scratched at her nose in irritation.
“Of course I have! Entire tree tore down, yes it was, right along with Frank and Lillie’s trees, uh huh. Absolute devastation, fallen squirrels were everywhere!” responded the even shriller squirrel, this one speaking as if she were in a panic, or maybe she would have forgotten what she was saying unless she managed to get it out in five seconds flat. The first squirrel nodded in agreement.
“So, so sad. The birds are in hard times as well, fighting over homes, eggs cracked, a travesty it is!”
At this point in the animals’ conversation, Dr. Dolittle had gone from feeling some mild confusion to absolutely gobsmacked. There was no way he was eavesdropping on a conversation between two squirrels; quite rudely, if you were an outsider looking in.
The first squirrel, Georgie, glanced down from his branch at the doctor, then back to his companion.
“This one appears as if he can hear us, Marci. Funny, isn’t it?” he squeaked wistfully. Marci the squirrel laughed. If squirrel’s laugh, that is.
“Oh, laughable. If he could, maybe he’d be able to help us out. Help all of us.”
Now, Dr. Dolittle had two options set in front of him here: Walk away and pretend like he heard nothing, or help these poor animals out. Sadly, John had always been very fond of animals. Instead of heading home to prepare for his night at the hospital, he stood up and looked at the squirrels.
“Is this some sort of prank?” he whispered rather loudly, gripping the branches of the tree. Georgie screeched and fell off the tree, while Marci crawled closer to him. She stared at Dr. Dolittle with her beady little eyes. Dr Dolittle could see his own reflection in them.
“Far, far from it.”
After this run in with the squirrels, Dr. Dolittle learned much more of what the animals were going through. How deforestation was destroying their homes, the deer being hunted to scarce numbers, the pollution killing the fish, the domestic animal abuse, all of it. Worst of all was that now he could hear these animals suffering. Even simply finishing his walk through the park was terrifying; Pleads for help could faintly be heard from mother nature’s creations in almost every direction he looked in. He was beginning to feel like he was crazy.
Later, he’d find out that many people agreed with that notion.
Before that, he first approached his town’s mayor with a large bag thrown over his shoulder. The mayor sat Dr.Dolittle down and asked what his issue was, as well as why he found it appropriate to come to the mayor without so much as an appointment.
“It’s much too important to waste time on something as trivial as an appointment,” the doctor insisted. The mayor didn’t look convinced. He tapped the face of his watch.
“I don’t have all day, Dr. Get on with it,” he said, tone dull and uninterested. Dr. Dolittle nodded, then spared a look at his bag before beginning his argument.
“Mayor, do you realize that we’re killing nature? Destroying their homes, polluting their water, nearly killing them to extinction, I’m surprised they haven’t revolted against us yet!” He threw in a forced laugh, but he looked oddly nervous at his own joke. The mayor’s eyebrows shot up.
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far. Deforestation is part of our town expanding, and the waste from our factories has to go somewhere,” he reasoned. “I don’t see what the issue is. It’s just a few animals!” He looked almost angry now, like he couldn’t believe someone had the audacity to disagree with the way he ran things.
The bag Dr. Dolittle brought with him began to rustle, until it tipped over. Georgie and Marci the squirrels tumbled out of the bag, screeching in their squirrel language only John could understand.
Needless to say, one phone call was enough for him to be relocated to our psych ward branch. It ended up being ineffective, though, as he managed to get out within a week.
One night, there was a breach in our venting system. It turned out to be from the strange squirrels Dr.Dolittle befriended. They got in through the vents, and climbed into the ceiling panels to find John’s room. After that, all he had to do was climb up and shimmy out through our venting system.
It’s been three days since he’s escaped our facility, and there have been no signs from Dr. Dolittle. That is, except for one letter our institution received this morning.
“See you soon, doctors. The revolution waits for no one.”
