Chapter 6

I saw Theresa twice the next day. Not a word was said, although I was sure she was looking at me in a slightly different way. I didn't know what it was, or what it meant. There was something, though. I might not have caught on to the subtle difference; but, as I had little to do, I had become more in tune to the people around me.

Of course, there were others on the staff that showed up. They had me fill out this form and that. I signed my name so many times, and frankly, I had no idea what it all meant. Well, other than the obvious; that I was soon going to be on my way, wherever that was to be.

"Jackie, I just clocked out for the day. I can take him downstairs," I heard Theresa say from outside my room.

"Are you sure? I was just about to call an attendant to come do that."

"No need. I'm going that way, anyway."

"Ok," was the last I heard from Jackie. The tone was one of slight amusement.

Theresa walked into the room, wheelchair in hand.

"Are you ready?" she asked.

"I guess," I said and then added; "I'm still not sure what's happening."

"What do you mean?" she said as she was helping me into the chair.

"Do you remember when I said I live on the second story? How am I going to get to my apartment? I'm not sure what's happening. I mean, I can't even drive there," I said. Then I asked the question that had been eating at me all morning. "Do you just set me outside, and that's it?"

Theresa laughed, covered her mouth, and then got a serious look.

"Do you think the hospital could do that? Seriously? John, did you read that paperwork you signed?"

I sure I looked a bit sheepish as I said, "No."

"If you had," she said as she pushed me out the door and started down the hall towards the elevator, "you would find that preparations have been made."

I sat in silence as I was pushed. When the elevator opened, she pushed me in. I was grateful that we were the only two in it.

"Do you know what's happening to me?" I asked as soon as she'd pushed the level 1 button.

"As a matter of fact, John, I do."

"Oh?" I got out.

I was about to say more, but I realized we'd stopped on the next floor down and that the door was opening. Three people stepped in. They were looking rather gloomy. Once again, the elevator started moving, as silence enveloped the atmosphere.

When we reached the first floor, the three others exited quickly. Theresa then pushed me out. The main doors were straight ahead, and I expected her to proceed that way. When we changed course, I mentally shrugged my shoulders, thinking I should have looked at all that paperwork.

"Are you going to tell me?" I asked, "Or is it some big surprise?"

"Tell you?" Theresa said innocently, as though she had no idea what I was talking about.

I rolled my eyes.

"Ok, be that way. Now I know where your daughter gets it."

Theresa laughed at that comment, but also said, "I should dump you out of your wheelchair for saying something nasty like that."

"Nasty?" I said, and then realized I'd just missed a sign that told me where we might be heading. "To say your daughter is like you?"

"Now, I don't think you said it quite like that," Theresa teased.

The hallway ended and we went out two sets of double doors. She didn't stop, but continued across a drive and into a parking garage.

"Ok," I said. "This is getting a bit strange."

"No questions, yet," Theresa said in a no nonsense manor.

"Fine," I replied, wondering just what the hell was going on.

Hospital parking garages are massive structures. I was in a contemplative mood. I thought about how many employees it took to run a place like this. They needed room to park, as well as all the visitors who showed up to see people in the hospital. We had gone what seemed like the entire length of the place, when she stopped.