Chapter 5: I scream, You scream

In the clinic, he was a young man eating amongst many slim young women. You would think Dan would be more cheerful. Truthfully, some of the healthier girls were curious about him. But when they approached, he was polite, but distant. He had decided the girls would instantly lose interest once normal guys were back in their view.

The high point of every day was when the ice cream appeared. At first, ice cream tasted weird to him. It was so full of fat and sugar. But soon his taste for it returned in full force. With his now-reasonable diet and dessert intake, Dan was slowly recovering his digestive health.

Clark Rand had a brainstorm: “Dan, every morning you are going to be tutoring algebra. Among other misconceptions, these girls think math is unfeminine.” “Aawww, do I have to?” “No, but we don’t have to feed you ice cream, either.” So Dan was induced to teach some of the young women.

To his surprise, the class was OK. Dan was skillful in explaining the work and patient with those girls slow to catch on. He tried to be respectful of the young women and expected the same in return. Some of the students soon realized algebra wasn’t all that hard, and might even be useful.

One morning when Dan was at the board there was a crash. Dan whirled around to see that Grace had fallen and was unconscious. He pointed: “Kendra, go get help.” He knelt beside her and checked her breathing. There was an odor in her breath: nail polish?” Like the others, she was impossibly thin. Her hair was thin and lifeless. Dan picked up Grace easily and held her across his chest. “Carla, support her head for me, and put her arm over my shoulder. Frances, check Grace’s purse.” Frances held up a couple of packets of honey, and a tube of glucose tablets.

Just then some staff rushed in. Dan seemed to take charge. “Has 9-1-1 been called? No? Call them now. She’s hypoglycemic. Help me wake her!” Dan shook her and then slapped her hand. Grace: “Wha... ?” Dan placed her on the desk, grabbed scissors, and cut open the honey packets. “Here, this will help. Swallow now.” Frances offered a water bottle. “Good, thanks. Here you go, a little drink. That’s right. Now for some big pills. Chew ‘em up. Good. Have some more water. Another one, chew please. And just one more. OK. Another slug of water. Rest now.”

The sound of sirens approaching. “Thank you, Frances, and Carla. Can all of you please leave us so the EMTs can work on her?” The class filed out through the back door of the room. Two firefighter-EMTs arrived rolling a gurney. Dan explained the situation as he understood it.

“Thanks, kid, we got her now.” “Can I ride with her? There’s no family for her here.” “Sure kid, we’re on our way.” The rig left with lights flashing.

At emergency, Grace was feeling better. With a nurse, a resident was taking her history. “Height and weight?” “Five-two, 96, uh, 92.” “How long have you been diabetic.” “I don’t know.” “We have contacted your parents. Who is this?”, indicating Dan. “He must have helped me, Dan’s my math tutor.”