Well, Shar¡ has been the center of my attention lately. I've tried to spend as much time as possible with her at the hospital. Christina and I decided to go back over to see Shar¡ on Tuesday after I got off of work I was supposed to call her when I got off so she could meet me there. I went in to work half an hour early because I knew that Ron Jones was there and I ended up telling him all that had happened. We talked about the accidents and deaths that have happened in our families and lives for quite a while. I figured he'd be a really cool one to talk to, and I was right. Laura was being a worthless cunt and wouldn't trade Mamba for the bumper cars. Ron quickly trained me and I went into it with a good attitude. I ended up getting screwed out of my second person all day long and had to do everything by myself.
Time flew by pretty fast since I had never ran the ride before. I got a phone call from Lewanda at about four and she told me that I was supposed to go to room 544 in the University Community Hospital after work. That was good news because I knew it meant Shar¡ had been transferred out of intensive care and was doing better. When 5:30 came, Steve called me and asked if I could stay until six. I said no, and told him why. He asked if five minutes would hurt and I said no. He ended up leaving me at the fucking bumper cars until 5:55 and I really thought that the visiting hour was over at six. I tried to call him but he took forever to call me back. Fucking asshole!!! When Laura came to relieve me I ran to my car and left.
It turned out, very fortunately, that she has open visiting hours until the hospital closes at eight. I just walk in and never have to check in with any desk or nurse. I walked into the room and she was asleep. She was being watched at the time by this young black guy. I told him not wake her up yet. He told me that Christina had been there about forty-five minutes earlier. We started talking about me being pre med and about him planning on going back to school to be an architect. He said that he's going to college through the Air Force. We talked about the good places to live to work in the medical field and about a lot of other stuff. He went to Mardi gras last year and we talked about that and how it will be horrible if New Orleans gets washed out by the Mississippi flood.
I already felt bad for not getting Shar¡ any flowers. While we were talking, a man from downstairs delivered two huge bouquets each with a big foil balloon. I told him that I'd be back and I went downstairs. I found a very pretty arrangement that I really liked. It didn't have any of those tiny flowers that I hate. I like things bigger and simpler. The woman at the cash register said that it was very pretty and that it must have just been put in there because she hadn't seen it before. I wrote down on the card that I just wanted her to know that I'm always thinking about her. There was a woman buying M&Ms behind me and we were all talking for a minute. I was still wearing my Busch Gardens uniform and they got all excited because University Community Hospital just had a night function at Busch and they had gone. I had hoped to talk to some of the nurses about that.
I went back to the fifth floor and she was awake when I walked in. She seemed glad to see me. She told me that the man told her that a guy was here to see her and she asked him to describe me. When he said that I was from Busch Gardens she knew instantly who it was. I gave her my flowers and she thought the note was really sweet. The woman who was just downstairs buying M&Ms came in and took over Shar¡'s watch., She was all happy that out of the entire hospital, we ended up in the same room. It was funny. Shar¡ and I talked for quite a while and were holding hands the entire time. She felt funny because she was in the thin cotton nightgown with no underwear on. I told her that there was nothing wrong with that. She quickly found out that I knew exactly what had happened. She told me she has a knot on her chest where they pumped her stomach out. She also still had the IV needle plugged into her hand for easy medication delivery.
Her uncle, John, and his girlfriend Melanie showed up for a little while. They were the other two from that night at Tally Hos. We all shook hands and said that it was good to see each other again. they were looking at the flowers and saw the ones I had brought for her. John brought her a Whitman's sampler and she was really glad to have food besides that nasty hospital stuff. A cousin of hers named Rachel showed up with her husband, Bubba, and her two year old son. Rachel is pretty cute, not sexy cute like Shar¡, though. We all talked for a long time but I was being kind of quiet. I said that it was because I had just met everybody. Melanie made a list of things to bring Shar¡ like shampoo and other essentials. She started preaching for a few minutes about how God was with Shar¡ and how she's starting out all over again with a clean slate. I could tell that Shar¡ was thinking that Melanie was just spitting out shit, because she was. When they left, we all said goodbye and Melanie and john said that they'll be seeing me.
I kept measuring the amount of time I had stayed by the number of times she had peed. She kept getting thirsty so I'd run right outside and get her these little cups of juice or a can of soda. I always opened them for her and poured them into a cup for her. She shared a lot though and was hand feeding me chocolate every once in a while. It got later and later but she really wanted me to stay. Ed, the Air Force guy said that as long as a visitor isn't causing any problems, they won't ever come and kick you out of the room when the hospital closes. That was really cool. I ended up staying until ten, for a total of four hours. I had a really good time and tried to make it clear that I really wanted to be there with her. We kissed good night slipping a little tongue in. I had an extremely weird feeling that I was kissing a girl that shouldn't be alive right then. It made me really think for a while what I would have done and thought if she had died. I turned out her lights and shut the door. I talked to the nurses outside of her door for a second before leaving. Shar¡'s had gone outside for most of the time we were in there which was really cool.
Wednesday was Chrissy's birthday. Shar¡ called me in the morning about nine and we talked for a little while. I told her that I was going to make Chrissy a cake and then I'd come over to see her. I took her a pair of Gator boxing shorts but they ended up being too big around her waist. I teased her with her cigarettes that I still have in my bookbag because she isn't allowed to smoke in the hospital. We talked for a long time and then I watched her eat lunch. We kept joking about the food and all. It was funny. She thought that she would be transferred to Baylife sometime that day, but it never happened. They were still waiting for blood test results before they'd release her.
She really wanted to take a walk, and had for quite some time. We asked the nurse and she said that she could because they wanted to see if she could walk well enough before they transferred her. She said that she had some errands to run first, but she came back pretty soon. She brought Shar¡ a pair of non-slip booties that were really cute. We all walked once around the entire South wing. I ran into a clipboard on the wall once and the nurse jokingly made fun of me until she ran into a giant food cart. After she had seen that Shar¡ was well enough to walk, she said we could continue as long as she wanted to. We walked together and talked three more times around the wing by ourselves. We held hands parts of the time. I was really glad to be the one there with her on her first walk. We talked about the fact that I was there when she first woke up, and now this.
The nurse from Tuesday night stopped by just to say hello and remembered me as well. There was a cuter ethnic girl talking to Shar¡'s current black nurse about Busch Gardens. I wasn't in uniform and ended up breaking into their conversation and they were all happy and were asking me stuff about Busch. It was funny. This happened while Shar¡ was taking a potty break.
She decided Tuesday night, and again on Wednesday that she wanted to wear my class ring. She put it on her middle finger and said that Christina would shit if she saw it on her finger. I only let her wear it until I left, though. She's been worried about losing her tan and breaking out. We each were pointing out each other's zits. I told her that it's because she keeps touching her face, and she took her hand and held my lower jaw, thus touching my face. She asked me if she shouldn't touch her face, and I said no, she shouldn't touch her face while she was squeezing my cheeks. It came out really funny and she thought it was really cute and kept wanting to do it. She kept teasing me and I joked that I don't know how to swim. It came out as `schwim,' and we started laughing. It was funny and I was really glad to see her laughing so sensuously and truly.
Her father walked in after one and we shook hands but he seemed not to want to. I offered him my chair but he didn't want it. He ended up standing looking out the window and at the two of us for about twenty minutes without saying barely a word. Shar¡ and I continued to joke around and talk, though. Rachel showed up not long before Shar¡'s mom brought Cord in. I gave her my seat. Shar¡ was really happy to see Cord and was playing with him on the bed. She brought her sister, Pat with her who instantly seemed to like me. I impressed her and Rachel by helping them turn on the air conditioner.
Shar¡'s parents told her that she'd been Baker acted and will be at Charter for at least 72 hours up to 28 days!!! Her mom told her that she hopes they do keep her the entire time. I wanted to tell the fucking bitch that she needs to be in there right along with her, but I kept quiet. I counseled Shar¡ later telling her to spill her guts right from the start to get out of there as quick as possible. I told her that there is no worse way to piss them off that not to answer their questions, because they'll get their answers no matter how long it takes. She understood and seems to have a pretty positive attitude about the whole thing.
Pat and Rachel were getting ready to walk down to the gift shop and then Shar¡'s mom told me that the family wants to spend time alone, thus kicking me out. I said a quick goodbye to Shar¡ and parted gracefully, saying goodbye to Cord. I caught up with Pat and Rachel and Rachel said that Ann told her that she was going to kick me out of there really soon. Fucking cunt. I then told Pat that her sister really hates me and quickly filled her in. Pat thinks her sister is amazingly stupid and said that she bitched her out for causing Shar¡ to attempt suicide that night. She told me she doesn't see why in the world Ann could possibly hate me and then told me not to worry about Ann, just as long as I make Shar¡ happy! that was very reassuring advice to me. We also talked about how fraudulent Shar¡'s suicide note sounded because she left Cord with Ann. We all know how much Shar¡ was dead set against her mother having Cord and I was damn surprised that her own sister and good friend would have such suspicions about her. We said goodbye and I was really glad to have made their friendships.
Well I ended up being with Shar¡ for three and a half hours this time. I then went to work and had lunch before starting in the Kumba. When I got home last night, she called me and told me that she is still there and hadn't been transferred yet. She said that she wished I would have called her from Busch Gardens so that I could have stopped in. So did I. We talked for a little while, though. She told me that if I hadn't already been there for a while today, she would have been really pissed at her mother for kicking me out.
I kind of hoped that Shar¡ would still be at the hospital today when I got off of work at 4:15. I was very optimistic turning down extra hours just for the chance to see her. Alan really needed me to stay, to, because he had three call ins and one previously open shift. After work, I called the hospital and was relieved when the nurse said she was still there and transferred my call to her room. Shar¡ was glad to hear that I was still at work when I called and asked if I was coming over to see her. I said yes and took off.
I walked in to find her eating dinner. Her IV needle was finally out and she was glad about that. She's been craving Checker's for quite a while and I debated long and hard on the way over whether or not to get her any. She kept trying to make me eat a big bit of her salad and I finally obliged. We took turns feeding each other grapes in the ancient style. That was cool. We joked that since she treated me to diner this time, it'll be my turn now. The nurse asked how long I'd be there and Shar¡ said probably until they came to take her away. The nurse then said she'd leave us to ourselves and left. That was nice. Shar¡ told me that her father asked her today why her mother kicked me out yesterday!!! She told me that he likes me but just doesn't show it. That's really great!!!
She was only halfway through eating when these two huge security guards came into the room with a wheelchair and said that it was time to go. They shut us in the room together to get her stuff together and say goodbye. We hugged long and hard and then kissed.
The entire trip downstairs, we were both pretty quiet. I could tel that she was scared but wasn't sure if she'd admit to it. On the first floor, they started to head off in the other direction and I stopped them, asking if I could quickly say goodbye. I told her that it was nice knowing her, but then took her hand. She told me once again that she'll call me, and then we parted. The black guard told me to take care which was the first time he had really talked. then they wheeled her away...
She and Christina called me later that night on three way. Shar¡ was still in the waiting room and I asked her if that waiting time counted on her 72 hours. She said it did. She had to hang up five minutes later when they came to take them all to the dining room. I talked to Christina for a few minutes about Shar¡. She told me that Shar¡ asked her if she thought I would have gone to her funeral if she had died... I'm not quite sure what she was implying. I also talked a little bit about Scott with her. It turns out that Shar¡ talked to him at one in the morning the night she took the pills!!! It turns out that she took them right after they talked and they had only been in her system for about twenty minutes when they found her and they had already packed that big of a punch! She's damn lucky to be alive!!!
Christina could tell that I was a little jealous of Scott. I mean, his telephone number had been sitting on a piece of paper by Shar¡'s telephone every time I went over. Christina told me that I have nothing to worry about because Shar¡ talks about me far more than she does about Scott, for they're just friends. I guess. Christina also told me that she called him from the hospital and he knew her room number and all, but never visited her once!!! Good!!! I always feared he might walk in on us. Actually, that would have been funny. So it's looking like my little hospital trips have paid off like I had hoped hey would!
Shar¡ called me collect from the payphone a little while later because she had no change. She said that's why she had Christina call me earlier so I wouldn't have to pay for it. She gave me the phone number there and I called her back about twenty minutes later. We talked almost half an hour. She said that there are a lot of nuts in there and she really feels that she doesn't belong. They told her that she'll probably get out of there pretty quick since it was her first action of the sort. She admitted to being scared when they were taking her away and said that I sounded like I thought she'd never call me again when we were parting. She also told the guys in the car as they drove by the Kumba that I work there. I laughed and asked her if they cared, and she said no. It was cute.
I still like the fact that I alone have been with her through every major change in her situation. I was there when she first woke up, through her first walk, and through her transfer off to the looney bin. She told me that she really wishes that I could be there to pick her up when she gets out of Charter. I reminded her that I'll probably be in Georgia when she gets out and she jokingly told me that she'd stay in until I get back if she had to.
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