CAMP MATIGUA: THE LOST AND FORGOTTEN

"Mrs. Widon the nurse on duty went in to check your mother's IV and overheard her inviting her--or whomever she was talking to--to go across the street with her and get some bar-b-que sandwiches. It's good. It indicates she's still with us mentally on some level. She's still reacting on a social level and, even, correct...there is a drive-in restaurant across the street and they do serve bar-b-que sandwiches. It's their speciality. It's good. Not to get our hopes up too much. But, it's good. It's the first time since the accident she's spoken at all. We can be grateful. Maybe she's getting tired of our liquid diet."

"Help me! Help me! Help me!

Maggie heard a young man's voice coming from down the hall. And, then, he was thrust into a terrible spasm of coughing. Over and over and over, the young man coughed. It sounded to Meggie like he was at his end. Like he was strangling or being choked, or something.

"What could be wrong with him?"

She heard someone pass her door on the way down the hallway. But, why was a man on an all-woman's floor? It didn't make sense to Meggie, but...

"At least someone's going down."

And, then...he stopped.

"Thank goodness...somebody's checking on him. I'd go, if I could. If I could just get my legs and arms loose. They're so heavy...weighted down. I'd go down there. If I could just get out of bed, I'd go...wheel this IV pole along. I could do it. Sounds like he's dying. He's greatly terrified. I could help him; let him know he'll be ok. Hold him in my arms. If I could just open my eyes."

Maggie lapsed into deeper slumber. She winced as her body jerked, and, then, all was still, quiet. The only noise was the gentle, languid whirring of the ceiling fan. Since the windows could no longer be opened, the city's Women's Club sponsored the purchase of fans in all the rooms for circulation. Maggie had never been invited to join, but she forgave them the oversight; she had more than enough things to do deserving her time and energy. And, besides, Virgie'd never been asked, either...and Virgie was a very smart, kind lady.

"Oh, well. It's just one of those things one learns to live with. And, they do do a lot of good stuff for people."

Clarence said there was really only one main difference between teenagers and adults: "Adults have already tested life. They already know their limits, made some kind of peace with them and settled down to living within them. That's what makes the teen years so tumultuous: they're still testing. Testing and trying, getting their feelings hurt, pushing the envelope without the tough skin, rationale, justification necessary to barge on through life...and trying to find things that will make the whole ordeal bearable."

And, Maggie could barge when she felt it worthy of her time and energy. And, if she were pretty certain she'd come away with all her body parts. But, for now, she'd just have to be content with mending. Mending and healing. And, that would take some time. So, she gave herself permission to sleep and hope they were taking care of that young man.