Unforgettable
conform, more
comfortable.”
    “ You are incredibly clever.
Talented. I have to get you in the movies. My name is David. I’m so
fun and…well, I’ll have to show you the rest.” He wrote his number
in my hand. “Day or night. Night or day. Call me.” He kissed my
hand and bowed. His eyes were dancing.
    I worked on Jack's leg and he
introduced me to people as they wandered in and out. He held my
hand the entire time. I didn't want to leave.
    But time was my enemy.
    I raced back to the apartment just as
the skies darkened, the safety of the light gone again.

    Sunday
    When I woke up I heard kids laughing
and looked out my small, dingy window.
    It was the little boy with the frog and
two other kids in the pool. A voice in my head kept telling me to
go play, go swimming, have some fun.
    I made it to the pool, hid my keys
under my towel, and got in. The water was sublime. At first I
floated but I kept getting hit with a beach ball so I threw it
back. The kids laughed. I was a player. I was in. Me and my
possie.
    I went back to my apartment and
showered.
    Traffic was light, I sang the whole
way.
    All the cars from the night before were
gone from Jack's driveway.
    It was silent.
    I knocked.
    No answer.
    Knocked again.
    Again.
    “ Coming!”
    I heard Jack thumping
around.
    “ Take your time!”
    Finally he opened the door. He was
wearing a striped oxford shirt and jeans. For once his shirt was
buttoned.
    His hair was dripping.
    “ Just got out of the tub.
Sorry. We’re just about the only ones here.”
    I followed him down the hall to the
den. He sat in his wheelchair playing with the wheels.
    "Now, in bed, let’s do some exercises.
And no wisecracks.”
    I helped him get on his stomach, which
meant I had to get in bed next to him to work.
    Suddenly I lost my balance on the soft
mattress, falling.
    He leaned over and looked at me only
inches from my face.
    He smiled. “Well, well, well. Look what
I found. How did Santa know I’d been wanting this in my
bed?”
    He slowly bent and kissed me. Warmth
spread up and down like lightning. I wanted to hold onto that kiss
and never let it slip away. The world disappeared around us and I
had never wanted any man as much in my entire hungry
life.
    I touched his lips, he kissed my
fingertips.
    I whispered, “Jack, I
can’t…you’re…”
    “ Your patient, I know.” He
kissed me again, deeper, hotter and I tried not to moan but failed
miserably. The kiss went on for hours, maybe days. I rose up to
him.
    “ Why won’t you tell me
what’s going on with you?”
    He lay on his side and looked into my
eyes. Stroking my cheek he let me feel what I could have. At any
second. If only …
    “ Something’s wrong. That’s
clear. I can help you, Sam.”
    “ Thanks, but no one can
help." A single tear escaped. He touched it, looking sad, kissing
me again. My hand slipped around his neck.
    I rolled away and stood up.
    "See you tomorrow.”
    I had forgotten the terror, the
problems, for just those blast oven hot moments. I apologized,
leaving before any more emotions could talk me out of going out
that door.
     
     
    Monday
    I was at Harold’s house when my phone
rang. It was Stella. “New referral. Can you take it? It’s close to
where you are now. Seventeen year old male, partial spinal cord
tear, C5-6.”
    “ Oh, wow.”
    “ I know you’ve had
experience in rehab so I’d really like you to take him. He’s a
pill. ‘Wouldn’t do anything in the hospital. Ten visits authorized.
We can probably get a lot more. There’s a lawsuit .” I knew she was
drooling.
    “ Yeah. I’ll take
it.”
    I finished with Harold, a stroke
patient who had lost his speech. Harold hated his wife and he
frequently pointed at her with his hand in the shape of a gun,
pulled the trigger, then pointed it at his open mouth and
pulled.
    Then he laughed. I couldn’t wait to
leave.
    I went to my new patient’s
home.
    It was modest. Once beautiful rose
bushes lined the walk. Dead flowers were hanging
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