Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
I take long naps in conformance to diagnosis. He may be wrong. My naps can be dreamy. I
also doubt his skepticism on complete recovery. Physician, cover your ass. Isn't that what they
teach you in med school?
Many agree that the puzzle parts may soon fit together. They chat like I'm not there, and
when my wife does the wifely thing—not
the
wifely thing; come on—of bending from the op-
posite side of the bed to murmur lovely thoughts on improvement and eternal love, the doctor
cops a tit shot, like I can't see what he's doing. Why would she come to the hospital in a loose
blouse with no bra? Oh, you don't have to be dead to be forgotten.
But I can't complain for lack of visitors. They're comforting, even if a nuisance otherwise.
The trouble is, I can't tell coma from coherence. Self-tests help, but I'm clever enough to cheat
and pass. That is, how could Betty Boop know of my accident and condition? How low are the
odds that she called or found out? Why would she come see me? Well, I knew why, after all. It
was the love all around us, maybe just the love in and out of us, but that counts.
Betty was living in Utah but not as a Mormon, and not with a Mormon, at least not with
a practicing Mormon. Not by a long shot. Her new man saw the light on that situation years
ago. Besides, what was she supposed to do, share him with a few wives? If anything, she'd need
a few husbands to soak up all the love she had to spare.
Ha! I think maybe I should be a Mormon. You know what I mean? I think you do.
I did.
Betty apologized for visiting Hawaii a few years back and not calling. She wanted to call.
What harm in old friends saying hello? But her date was so insanely jealous that she couldn't
call.
I honestly think he'd never had what I showed him, and that made him insanely jealous, be-
cause he inferred that every one of my men had got the same treatment. he last thing he wanted
was for me to call you. You know what I mean? Next thing you know I'd be telling him we were
going to grab some lunch, just you and me.
Jealous? Just you and me? We got it on forty years ago. Besides, all your men did get the
same treatment.
I know. It was a long time ago, but it sure feels like yesterday. Okay, like last week. Ha! And
no, bubby, they didn't all get the same treatment. Give yourself some credit. Okay? Gee, it's good
to hear your voice
.
Can you hear my voice?
Why shouldn't I hear your voice? They say you have a great chance to recover. I'll come back
and see you then. Okay?
I'm married. Didn't you meet Rachel on the way in? Where did she go?
No, I didn't meet her. But I got an eyeful of her. How do I know where she went? Maybe she
couldn't stand up to the competition. Maybe she's copping a quickie with the doctor. He's a hunk.
Now I could show him a treatment or two. You know what I mean? Hey, I'm joking. I don't mean
