air for a moment.
“They say I shouldn’t, and I say I should. Guess who wins?”
She took a big gulp and shook the flask in the air towards him.
“Sure you don’t want a snort?”
He declined as graciously as he could and made a bee-line for the door. He liked her and had learned to deal with her particular brand of flirtiness without too much discomfort by now. He knew she didn’t mean anything by it — it was probably just years of habit. Like many people, she probably still saw herself as she was in her wall photos…Young, beautiful, and irresistible to men. He only hurried away because he felt he could handle everything just fine—when she was sober. It was when she wasn’t that concerned him…
***
The next several days went on at the hospital without significant change. Frank understood now that the life of the patients was routine — and most clung to their patterns like a life raft in unknown waters. Any change caused major disruption — they floundered and didn’t know what to do, how to react — and most of them simply panicked. Routine to them was like a calm, floating peacefulness. Routine meant comfort .
All except for Eli. Eli was the one resident that seemed to look for new stimulus. He certainly wasn’t unhappy — His demeanor seemed consistently pleasant and at ease — but he seized every opportunity he could to elicit change, no matter how large or small.
Sometimes this was as simple as saying something surprising and watching for a reaction. He had done this to Frank on several occasions. Another time he pretended he couldn’t hear Frank until Frank showed concern and then he admitted to his game. One time he had hidden behind the door and peaked out and shouted “Boo!” as if he were once again ten years old. Frank got a real kick out of the guy — Of course, he liked him and his “humor” more when the practical jokes were played on someone else.
Most recently, there was the time when Frank was playing crosswords with Eli (or trying) when Fernando had dropped by. Eli chatted with Fernando for a few minutes and then another voice called out Fernando’s name from nearby. Fernando looked around but couldn’t find anyone. He even looked down the hall. When he asked Frank and Eli if they’d heard anything, they both said they hadn’t (Frank followed Eli’s lead here — Eli was very quick to say “no”). After a few more minutes of conversation, Fernando heard his name called again. This time Frank was watching Eli closely for signs of ventriloquism. Frank was amazed — the guy had quite a gift! Only when he really studied the details could he see Eli’s lips move a little and his throat jiggle.
Eli never told Fernando either. He just let him go back to the kitchen somewhat confused and he and Frank later laughed about it among themselves.
Then there was another time when Eli had said he had a gift for Fernando. He handed him an old worn shoebox and Frank could tell he was up to something by that mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
Fernando was such a nice guy, Frank almost warned him. But Eli seemed to read his intentions and gave him a quick look of reproach and then a wink.
The box was taped shut and Fernando had quite a time getting it open. He finally lifted the tattered lid and peered inside. The box seemed empty except for a small dark shape in the center. Fernando looked closer, then looked back at Eli.
“What is it, a dead spider?” He asked, confused.
As Fernando returned his attention to the dark shape in the box, Frank noticed a small strand of black thread, so thin as to be almost invisible, stretching from a tiny hole in the side of the box to one of Eli’s fingers. Eli twitched his hand and the “spider” in the box danced to life.
Fernando yelped and dropped the box and raced to the far corner of the room and Eli began to howl with laughter. Frank did his best to control himself but, in the end, he couldn’t help joining in.
It took a good
“They say I shouldn’t, and I say I should. Guess who wins?”
She took a big gulp and shook the flask in the air towards him.
“Sure you don’t want a snort?”
He declined as graciously as he could and made a bee-line for the door. He liked her and had learned to deal with her particular brand of flirtiness without too much discomfort by now. He knew she didn’t mean anything by it — it was probably just years of habit. Like many people, she probably still saw herself as she was in her wall photos…Young, beautiful, and irresistible to men. He only hurried away because he felt he could handle everything just fine—when she was sober. It was when she wasn’t that concerned him…
***
The next several days went on at the hospital without significant change. Frank understood now that the life of the patients was routine — and most clung to their patterns like a life raft in unknown waters. Any change caused major disruption — they floundered and didn’t know what to do, how to react — and most of them simply panicked. Routine to them was like a calm, floating peacefulness. Routine meant comfort .
All except for Eli. Eli was the one resident that seemed to look for new stimulus. He certainly wasn’t unhappy — His demeanor seemed consistently pleasant and at ease — but he seized every opportunity he could to elicit change, no matter how large or small.
Sometimes this was as simple as saying something surprising and watching for a reaction. He had done this to Frank on several occasions. Another time he pretended he couldn’t hear Frank until Frank showed concern and then he admitted to his game. One time he had hidden behind the door and peaked out and shouted “Boo!” as if he were once again ten years old. Frank got a real kick out of the guy — Of course, he liked him and his “humor” more when the practical jokes were played on someone else.
Most recently, there was the time when Frank was playing crosswords with Eli (or trying) when Fernando had dropped by. Eli chatted with Fernando for a few minutes and then another voice called out Fernando’s name from nearby. Fernando looked around but couldn’t find anyone. He even looked down the hall. When he asked Frank and Eli if they’d heard anything, they both said they hadn’t (Frank followed Eli’s lead here — Eli was very quick to say “no”). After a few more minutes of conversation, Fernando heard his name called again. This time Frank was watching Eli closely for signs of ventriloquism. Frank was amazed — the guy had quite a gift! Only when he really studied the details could he see Eli’s lips move a little and his throat jiggle.
Eli never told Fernando either. He just let him go back to the kitchen somewhat confused and he and Frank later laughed about it among themselves.
Then there was another time when Eli had said he had a gift for Fernando. He handed him an old worn shoebox and Frank could tell he was up to something by that mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
Fernando was such a nice guy, Frank almost warned him. But Eli seemed to read his intentions and gave him a quick look of reproach and then a wink.
The box was taped shut and Fernando had quite a time getting it open. He finally lifted the tattered lid and peered inside. The box seemed empty except for a small dark shape in the center. Fernando looked closer, then looked back at Eli.
“What is it, a dead spider?” He asked, confused.
As Fernando returned his attention to the dark shape in the box, Frank noticed a small strand of black thread, so thin as to be almost invisible, stretching from a tiny hole in the side of the box to one of Eli’s fingers. Eli twitched his hand and the “spider” in the box danced to life.
Fernando yelped and dropped the box and raced to the far corner of the room and Eli began to howl with laughter. Frank did his best to control himself but, in the end, he couldn’t help joining in.
It took a good
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