five minutes for Fernando to calm down and forgive them (Frank was assumed to be party to this prank). The “spider” was revealed to be a cleverly tied bundle of black thread that Fernando threw harmlessly in Eli’s face when he left.
It seemed Eli would do anything to shake things up and change the routine so when Frank learned that he was able to take patients outside on brief trips around the neighborhood, he immediately thought of Eli. Predictably, Eli jumped at the chance — even when Frank explained that he would be required to remain in a wheelchair at all times, that Frank would need to sign him in and out, and that this was only allowed once a month and for a maximum of 30 minutes.
Frank and Eli decided that the following Thursday would be a good day and Frank made the arrangements with the staff. Eli was delighted and literally counted off the days on his wall calendar. When Thursday came, Frank met Eli in his room at the appointed time with the wheelchair and they rolled off for the lobby.
Eli was all grins — one might have thought he’d just won the lottery. He’d followed the staff instructions and worn several layers of warm clothing; mostly checkered flannel, and looked bulky and rather less stylish than in his usual attire. He even had the hospital-issue blanket splayed across his lap.
The one thing he didn’t like (but knew would show that he was serious about the rules) was wearing a knit cap someone had given him. He said knit caps were for skiers or punks and confided to Frank that he would take it off the second they were out of sight. Frank knew that they didn’t mandate all the gear for Eli’s benefit, they did it to protect themselves from lawsuits and to appear to be the “caring home of the elderly”.
Frank paused at the front desk, signed out with the desk nurse and wheeled Eli through the big front doors out into the bright sunny and windy day.
He pushed Eli slowly along the sidewalk, doing his best to avoid large cracks and divots. Eli’s cap quickly went into his pocket and his thick grey hair blew back in the wind. He tipped his head on his thin neck this way and that, relishing his temporary freedom. He reached over his shoulder and patted Frank’s hand.
“Been a long time since I been free of that place — even for a few minutes…Thank you, Franklin…” He said.
They rolled on in silence for a time, Eli turning and trying to absorb as much as he could of a world he wouldn’t see again for a while. He reached a hand towards a shriveled lemon at the end of a long branch that hung over the sidewalk but wasn’t tall enough to touch it and let it pass with a smile. He tilted his head up towards Frank.
“Used to be surrounded by living things. Helped my folks run a farm in Nebraska. Wheat, corn, chickens, cows — If it mooed, barked, chirped, snorted, or farted, we had it.” He said.
Frank laughed. “Did you just say farted?”
Eli grinned at him. “Yep. Shock you?”
“A bit. Though I’m starting to get used to your trickery.”
Frank knew it was a good time for more “research” but didn’t relish the thought. He didn’t want to encroach on this special outing with Eli… And yet…
He would broach it carefully… If it didn’t go well, he could always abort and try again another time…
“That how you made your living — as a farmer?” He asked.
“No, I was a mechanic after age 16.” Eli replied. “Least that’s when I took it on professional. Learned offa my daddy’s tractor. Always takin’ it apart, puttin’ it back together. Damn good thing, too. Was almost never outta work. Always a place fer a mechanic, even in wartime.”
Frank rolled Eli on in silence for a few minutes and tilted his head towards the sky, let the sun shine full on his face. It was time to try to bring up the Big Subject — The whole reason he’d really taken this job in the first place. But it wasn’t easy…He’d love to postpone it for another week or two
It seemed Eli would do anything to shake things up and change the routine so when Frank learned that he was able to take patients outside on brief trips around the neighborhood, he immediately thought of Eli. Predictably, Eli jumped at the chance — even when Frank explained that he would be required to remain in a wheelchair at all times, that Frank would need to sign him in and out, and that this was only allowed once a month and for a maximum of 30 minutes.
Frank and Eli decided that the following Thursday would be a good day and Frank made the arrangements with the staff. Eli was delighted and literally counted off the days on his wall calendar. When Thursday came, Frank met Eli in his room at the appointed time with the wheelchair and they rolled off for the lobby.
Eli was all grins — one might have thought he’d just won the lottery. He’d followed the staff instructions and worn several layers of warm clothing; mostly checkered flannel, and looked bulky and rather less stylish than in his usual attire. He even had the hospital-issue blanket splayed across his lap.
The one thing he didn’t like (but knew would show that he was serious about the rules) was wearing a knit cap someone had given him. He said knit caps were for skiers or punks and confided to Frank that he would take it off the second they were out of sight. Frank knew that they didn’t mandate all the gear for Eli’s benefit, they did it to protect themselves from lawsuits and to appear to be the “caring home of the elderly”.
Frank paused at the front desk, signed out with the desk nurse and wheeled Eli through the big front doors out into the bright sunny and windy day.
He pushed Eli slowly along the sidewalk, doing his best to avoid large cracks and divots. Eli’s cap quickly went into his pocket and his thick grey hair blew back in the wind. He tipped his head on his thin neck this way and that, relishing his temporary freedom. He reached over his shoulder and patted Frank’s hand.
“Been a long time since I been free of that place — even for a few minutes…Thank you, Franklin…” He said.
They rolled on in silence for a time, Eli turning and trying to absorb as much as he could of a world he wouldn’t see again for a while. He reached a hand towards a shriveled lemon at the end of a long branch that hung over the sidewalk but wasn’t tall enough to touch it and let it pass with a smile. He tilted his head up towards Frank.
“Used to be surrounded by living things. Helped my folks run a farm in Nebraska. Wheat, corn, chickens, cows — If it mooed, barked, chirped, snorted, or farted, we had it.” He said.
Frank laughed. “Did you just say farted?”
Eli grinned at him. “Yep. Shock you?”
“A bit. Though I’m starting to get used to your trickery.”
Frank knew it was a good time for more “research” but didn’t relish the thought. He didn’t want to encroach on this special outing with Eli… And yet…
He would broach it carefully… If it didn’t go well, he could always abort and try again another time…
“That how you made your living — as a farmer?” He asked.
“No, I was a mechanic after age 16.” Eli replied. “Least that’s when I took it on professional. Learned offa my daddy’s tractor. Always takin’ it apart, puttin’ it back together. Damn good thing, too. Was almost never outta work. Always a place fer a mechanic, even in wartime.”
Frank rolled Eli on in silence for a few minutes and tilted his head towards the sky, let the sun shine full on his face. It was time to try to bring up the Big Subject — The whole reason he’d really taken this job in the first place. But it wasn’t easy…He’d love to postpone it for another week or two
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