Three-Legged Race

didn't remember the doctor hooking him up to it.

'The only nice thing about eating through your arm is you don't have to taste the s... they serve here,' the boy in the next bed smiled. 'I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other. Heard the doctor tell your folks that you were going to be here about a month. I've got seventy years to go.'

'I'm Brent McAllister,' Brent said.

'Yeah. I know. I read your clipboard last night after you got here. You've got a broken back, you know.'

'I know.'

'Well, that's tough. My name's Benjamin Kirkus Hughes. Call me Kirk. All my friends do, but I haven't seen him for awhile.' His laughter matched his mocking smile.

'They treat you all right here as long as you don't give the day nurse any crap. Mrs.Pegeen Rush is her name. Get on her wrong side and she'll sneak in while you're asleep, unplug your arm and let you starve to death. She's a mean old bitch. I just thought I'd fill you in on the good news.'

'Yeah? Thanks for the tip.'

'No sweat. We can handle her. You look a little white around the edges. You got much pain?'

'Some.' Brent wasn't feeling much like long answers. The pain was worse and he tried not to show it.

'Look, I won't bother you any more now. We've got all the time in the world, it looks like. Push that button there and get something from the nurse.'

Brent reached for the push button dangling from the cord over his head. The intravenous tube pulled taut and his forearm hurt. He could see the hole where the plastic needle went into the vein. Down the hall came the sound of a hoarse buzzing. He felt funny about asking for pain relievers with Kirk there. He didn't want to seem weak or anything. Maybe he should just lie there and try to stand the pain.

'Don't hold your breath, though,' Kirk said. 'You could be beating off an attack of huge hairy spiders and they wouldn't hurry. There was a guy here last month that rang for the nurse and she had to scrape the cobwebs off him when she finally arrived. Just hang on.'

The pain was sure getting worse. You got to hang on, he told himself. You can't yell or cry or anything. Brent clenched his fist under the covers.

After a few minutes, he heard the sound of sharp hard heels against the tile floor in the hallway. A nurse swung into the room. She was short and her white nurse's cap was perched on tightly curled dark hair.

'Who rang?' she asked.

'He did,' Kirk said. 'He wants a little juice for the pain.'

The nurse came over to the side of Brent's bed. He could read her name tag. She was Nurse Rush, all right.

'Is that what you want?'

'Yes, please,' Brent said. 'The pain's pretty bad.'

'Well,' she said, looking at the clipboard at the end of his bed. 'It says here that the night nurse administered a pain reliever through your I.V. tubing at five this morning.'

'Oh, yeah?' Brent said. He figured that he must sound pretty dumb. 'Could I have something anyway now? It really hurts pretty bad.'

'Well,' she said, 'I don't think you should hurry your pain relievers too much. Suppose I check back later and see how you're feeling.'

'What's the matter?' Kirk asked. 'You afraid you're going to turn him into a junkie? I wouldn't worry about it. And I wouldn't sweat spoiling his breakfast seeing as how his three square meals all seem to be dripping into his arm.'

'Now you keep out of this, young Doctor Hughes. This is a matter between this young patient and myself.'

'I really would like something now, please,' Brent said. He hoped that his voice didn't sound too desperate. He shifted his legs, but the pain was still there. 'Dr.Matthias said all I had to do was ask.'

'All right. Although there are certain minimum times between dosages of any pain reliever that Dr.Matthias should make you aware of. I'll be right back.'

She left the room in a cascade of heel clicking.

'She'll probably take an hour to bring it back anyway,' Kirk said. 'And I'll bet she gives Dr.Matthias an earful when he gets here today. Her philosophy of life seems to be dedicated to increasing the suffering of the youth of America. She probably thinks it makes you a stronger person. There's a rumor that the sadistic old bitch steals babies from the pediatrics ward and uses them as dart boards for hypodermics. It's just a rumor though. I started it.'

Brent laughed and it hurt. He winced with the pain.

'Sorry about that. No more funnies until you feel a little better. But anyway, you can see how well I get along with her. You couldn't find a greater example of mutual devotion. Just be polite and friendly like I am and she'll walk all over your body if you die. Maybe she'll walk all over it if you don't.'

'Thanks for the help,' Brent said.

'That's all right. It's what roommates are for.'

Brent closed his eyes. He remembered the doctor saying that he couldn't sit up. How am I going to stand lying here for a month without even sitting up? he thought. I'll just have to. What a way to spend the summer! He guessed the family trip to Maine would be off. One day out of school and he had to go and fall through a stupid trapdoor. How dumb can you get.

Brent was conscious of a rustling at his bedside and he thought that maybe Nurse Rush might be back with the pain-killer. He hadn't heard her footsteps. He could sure use something for the pain. He was having trouble lying still.

Brent opened his eyes. It wasn't Nurse Rush. A girl stood beside his bed gazing at him. She wore a blue bathrobe and he could see that her feet were bare.

'Who's your friend, Kirk? A new arrival?' she asked.

Brent liked the sound of her soft voice.

'Name's Brent McAllister. He came in last night with a broken back. He's very graceful. His mother said he fell through a trapdoor in a barn. Brent, meet Amy, the only bit of sunshine in this godforsaken place.'

'Hello,' Brent said.

'Hi,' Amy said. 'It's nice to have you around. Whatever Kirk's been telling you, it's not that bad around here.'

'Bullshit,' Kirk said.

'And the nice thing about Kirk is his refinement. He reminds me of my grandmother, who was always such a gentle soul.' Amy gave Kirk a smile.

'Anyway,' she continued, 'everybody's friends here. We have a good time. As good as we can, anyway. Except Kirk's last roommate. What was his name, Kirk?'

'I don't remember. Call him Toad.'

'Well, anyway, this kid did nothing for a week and a half but watch daytime television.'

'He was heavy on General Hospital,' Kirk said. 'He said it was so realistic. That shows you how far his head was wedged. He's the only person I've ever met around here who actually liked Nurse Rush. I think he was suffering from terminal ingrown toe-nail.'

'So we're glad you're here,' Amy said. 'Maybe when you feel a little better in a few days, we'll see more of each other.'

Brent decided that he would look forward to that. It would be nice to have a few friends here.

Amy reached down and grabbed Brent's big toe. She gave it a twist.

'Ow!' he yelled. 'What are you doing?'

'Just checking. Glad you're still all there. You just can't tell about broken backs, you know.' She smiled at him and turned in a whirl of blue bathrobe, and left the room humming a nameless tune.

'You'll like her,' Kirk said. 'She's all right.'

'What's the matter with her? I mean, why's she here?'

'I don't know for sure. I don't think she does either. Her parents told her that it's a bad case of mono, but I think she figures it's a little more complicated than that. Some days she seems better and other days worse. She doesn't look real good today, although she never tries to show it. This is her third week in.'