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The rest of the trip is about what you’d expect Snow in the higher elevations and fog as we co Back Mountain Captain Wolfe doesn’t say a word except to swear under his breath e slide in thehas this man been ill?" Dr Fisher asks me as the hospital nurse and Boodean assist Drake Trustler to back up against the cold glass plate mounted on the X-ray machine It’s a shock to see hoeak Drake is His once muscular body is skin and bones and his forehead is beaded with sweat
The doctor’s assistant is dressed in a white surgical goith a white puffy hat, and I’lad I wore my army nurse’s dress and white shoes so I look somewhat professional Boodean is also dressed for the part in his crisp CCC uniform with therooton paper
"He’s been sick about a er" I hand my report to Dr Fisher, a tall reased down and coht back He tosses the file on a desk without looking at it and stuffs the earpieces of his stethoscope into his ears
"Lungs sound like shit!" he announces in a voice too loud
My face turns red, but I ree at Walter Reed I wouldn’t be surprised if Dr Fisher is an ex-military man He has that way about him
"Yes, rales and rhonchi when he inspires and exhales," I respond, but the man cuts me short andX-ray h, a steel fralass in front The nurse positions Drake behind the glass, and I must admit, the fearsome medical equipment looks like a th black leather gloves, turns a knob next to a red blinking light and sits down With a whir, a ainst Drake’s chest, pinning hiht intoMy ain
38
Break in the Weather
"There’s a nakedness to the land when the snow melts off," Patience muses "Have you ever noticed? The yard is littered and muddy, a tin can here, a pile of tomato stakes there, chips of firewood and blon branches, but already the grass is greening; the green of Ireland, Mrs Kelly would say"
We sit with Danny on the front porch, drinking cold rees by the thermometer but feels like suarden clearing tall weeds
"I always listen for the bird sounds To ," I answer
A few ain "So, hoas your trip to Torrington with Captain Wolfe? Did you talk to hi you?"
"Tense The road was bad on the way there, so we didn’t talk at all Even Boodean, my medic, was silent"
"So? Is it TB?"
"I don’t know The physician wasn’t sure There’s sos, he said, and so the plates to a specialist in Pittsburgh and wanted to keep Drake at the hospital until he gets the results
"I felt so bad Drake really didn’t want to be admitted, but the report should be back in another three days and we’ll go get hi"