I pondered the rest of the night how I should injure myself. Being a Marine had toughened me up to a certain extent, but they had never taught me how to take the kind of pain that I was going to have to inflict on myself this time. It would have to be something worthy of hospital attention, but not something that would impair me for any extended amount of time. After many minutes of debating the idea, I settled on the fact that some skin would have to be broken. I walked in to the bathroom and apologized to the mirror as I slammed both fists in to it.
“Arrrgghhh!” Damn, I had no idea it was going to hurt this much. I went running out of the bathroom and almost tripped over Jerry.
“Kevin, what’d you do?” Jerry said, his eyes opening wide as he looked at my hands.
“I tripped going into the bathroom. I guess the mirror broke my fall,” I said, laughing, trying to forget the pain that was shooting through my hands.
“Damn, we’re going to have to walk you over to the hospital. You’re probably going to need some stitches,” Jerry mused as he walked out of my room and motioned for me to follow. He grabbed a receiver off the night desk and spoke in to it so softly that I couldn’t hear. As he got off the phone he turned toward me.
“We’re going to have to wait for the attendants to get here,” he said.
“Attendants?” I asked, not believing what he was saying.
“Yeah, St. Mary's takes good care of its patients. A couple of orderlies are going to come get you in a few minutes. Until then, let’s get those cuts cleaned up,” Jerry said as he motioned me toward a communal sink. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Here’s hoping the damn orderlies don’t moonlight as track stars. My brain raced as I tried to take in the changes that had occurred. I was definitely going to have to go to the hospital because my hands were cut up really bad. However, my plan didn’t include actually *getting* to the hospital. I should be loping out of the parking lot by now, leaving Jerry in my dust. As I shook my head in frustration, the two orderlies came in.
Don’t kill anybody this time.
“Arrrgghhh!” Damn, I had no idea it was going to hurt this much. I went running out of the bathroom and almost tripped over Jerry.
“Kevin, what’d you do?” Jerry said, his eyes opening wide as he looked at my hands.
“I tripped going into the bathroom. I guess the mirror broke my fall,” I said, laughing, trying to forget the pain that was shooting through my hands.
“Damn, we’re going to have to walk you over to the hospital. You’re probably going to need some stitches,” Jerry mused as he walked out of my room and motioned for me to follow. He grabbed a receiver off the night desk and spoke in to it so softly that I couldn’t hear. As he got off the phone he turned toward me.
“We’re going to have to wait for the attendants to get here,” he said.
“Attendants?” I asked, not believing what he was saying.
“Yeah, St. Mary's takes good care of its patients. A couple of orderlies are going to come get you in a few minutes. Until then, let’s get those cuts cleaned up,” Jerry said as he motioned me toward a communal sink. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Here’s hoping the damn orderlies don’t moonlight as track stars. My brain raced as I tried to take in the changes that had occurred. I was definitely going to have to go to the hospital because my hands were cut up really bad. However, my plan didn’t include actually *getting* to the hospital. I should be loping out of the parking lot by now, leaving Jerry in my dust. As I shook my head in frustration, the two orderlies came in.
Don’t kill anybody this time.