not looking up.
“I have a set at home. My pieces aren’t nearly as nice as those.”
“My dad made these.” The words came out thick with the boy's tears.
“He did a really good job. Can I see one?”
Mario held out the knight and swiped at his cheek with the back of his other hand. A quick attempt to save face, Jason noted, scrutinizing the piece while the kid collected himself. The work was beautiful.
“Do you know how your dad made this?” Jason nudged a tissue box with his elbow to the side of Mario’s chair.
“He had left over pieces of wood, from projects, all different woods.” He sniffled a little and held out the other piece in his hand. “The white pieces have more of the lighter wood and he made the black pieces with more of the darker. He, like…makes the woods fit perfect together…” his palms pressed together. “Then he cuts the blocks for the pieces and carves them and sands them.”
The craftsmanship was incredible. There were no visible seams between the colors. Not even a rough patch. The layering was quality, the angle of color striations almost mathematically technical and the finish alone must have taken hours for each piece. Jason held the knight between his thumb and forefinger. “Do you have the whole set here?”
Mario finally looked at him, his eyes red but wide and alert, sadness gone for a second. “Yeah.”
“Would you mind if we played a game while we talked.” Jason waved a hand at the door. “Not the stuff Ms. Fry was asking, just stuff like if you’ve met the other kids here? Things you’d like to show your friends.”
One side of Mario’s mouth lifted.
Jason handed back the piece. “I know your mom and dad are going to like seeing you on tape. Did you know they receive a copy? I bet your dad would get a kick out of watching you play.” Mario’s smile widened.
There was no need to explain to the boy that the artistry of Mr. Sanchez’s work would make a good marketing tool for his skills. Or Jason’s intent to release a clip of the video to the local news station for a human-interest piece. The kid only wanted to connect with home.
A quick tap at the glass signaled Ed was back. The door opened and Sandy Rasmerson slid in. “How about we have Nurse Sandy get your set and we’ll try again?”
Sandy gave them a smile and thumbs-up. Briet Hyden’s expression through the large treatment window looked less than pleased. How long had she been standing there? That woman must have an alert for when her patients were having a hard time. Lucky for Mario. Not so much for him.
She left them alone for the interview. Mario beat Jason, and not because he let the kid win. Mario lost himself in the intensity of the game. He spoke of his treatment, his eagerness to see his family, about the other kids he’d met, and his nice lady doctor.
“I’m going to have to get Briet a pedestal,” Jason thought wryly. He leaned back against the doorframe as Sandy got Annie Bremar situated for the last interview of the day. Ed downloaded the footage to his laptop, made a second copy of Mario’s interview, and prepped for Annie’s.
The eight-year-old settled into the big padded chair. Jason watched as she chatted merrily to Sandy while they organized Annie’s artwork in the sequence the child wanted to display them.
The shimmering outline of Annie’s body became a haze before Jason’s eyes.
He blinked and focused again on the girl. The intensity of his stare made him feel as light and transcendent as the image of Annie’s body shimmering before him. He blinked faster and the shimmer disappeared. So did Annie. At least to Jason’s view. What remained was an odd composite of colors and moving parts.
Man, he’d had too much caffeine or not enough.
He didn’t move, concerned the lightness in his body might make him pass out. He couldn’t look away from the image that should be Annie. The colors and shapes diffused, streams of flowing dark scarlet and white and hues
“I have a set at home. My pieces aren’t nearly as nice as those.”
“My dad made these.” The words came out thick with the boy's tears.
“He did a really good job. Can I see one?”
Mario held out the knight and swiped at his cheek with the back of his other hand. A quick attempt to save face, Jason noted, scrutinizing the piece while the kid collected himself. The work was beautiful.
“Do you know how your dad made this?” Jason nudged a tissue box with his elbow to the side of Mario’s chair.
“He had left over pieces of wood, from projects, all different woods.” He sniffled a little and held out the other piece in his hand. “The white pieces have more of the lighter wood and he made the black pieces with more of the darker. He, like…makes the woods fit perfect together…” his palms pressed together. “Then he cuts the blocks for the pieces and carves them and sands them.”
The craftsmanship was incredible. There were no visible seams between the colors. Not even a rough patch. The layering was quality, the angle of color striations almost mathematically technical and the finish alone must have taken hours for each piece. Jason held the knight between his thumb and forefinger. “Do you have the whole set here?”
Mario finally looked at him, his eyes red but wide and alert, sadness gone for a second. “Yeah.”
“Would you mind if we played a game while we talked.” Jason waved a hand at the door. “Not the stuff Ms. Fry was asking, just stuff like if you’ve met the other kids here? Things you’d like to show your friends.”
One side of Mario’s mouth lifted.
Jason handed back the piece. “I know your mom and dad are going to like seeing you on tape. Did you know they receive a copy? I bet your dad would get a kick out of watching you play.” Mario’s smile widened.
There was no need to explain to the boy that the artistry of Mr. Sanchez’s work would make a good marketing tool for his skills. Or Jason’s intent to release a clip of the video to the local news station for a human-interest piece. The kid only wanted to connect with home.
A quick tap at the glass signaled Ed was back. The door opened and Sandy Rasmerson slid in. “How about we have Nurse Sandy get your set and we’ll try again?”
Sandy gave them a smile and thumbs-up. Briet Hyden’s expression through the large treatment window looked less than pleased. How long had she been standing there? That woman must have an alert for when her patients were having a hard time. Lucky for Mario. Not so much for him.
She left them alone for the interview. Mario beat Jason, and not because he let the kid win. Mario lost himself in the intensity of the game. He spoke of his treatment, his eagerness to see his family, about the other kids he’d met, and his nice lady doctor.
“I’m going to have to get Briet a pedestal,” Jason thought wryly. He leaned back against the doorframe as Sandy got Annie Bremar situated for the last interview of the day. Ed downloaded the footage to his laptop, made a second copy of Mario’s interview, and prepped for Annie’s.
The eight-year-old settled into the big padded chair. Jason watched as she chatted merrily to Sandy while they organized Annie’s artwork in the sequence the child wanted to display them.
The shimmering outline of Annie’s body became a haze before Jason’s eyes.
He blinked and focused again on the girl. The intensity of his stare made him feel as light and transcendent as the image of Annie’s body shimmering before him. He blinked faster and the shimmer disappeared. So did Annie. At least to Jason’s view. What remained was an odd composite of colors and moving parts.
Man, he’d had too much caffeine or not enough.
He didn’t move, concerned the lightness in his body might make him pass out. He couldn’t look away from the image that should be Annie. The colors and shapes diffused, streams of flowing dark scarlet and white and hues
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