Chapter 205: Let's Blow This Apothicary Stand

Since I had no idea what Lucy was about, I stayed quiet until she got the idea and left. The truth was that I had no idea whether she was a pure machine, or had a human component like robocop. To be perfectly honest, I just didn't care. I was just baby sitting her until I could go home again.

After Lucy left I took a nap. When I awoke, my leg ached terribly. When I tried to stand, I wanted to cry the pain was that bad. It was more than just the muscle ache. It was something else as well, but I didn't have any idea what.

I needed something for the pain. I had tried Vicodin, when I first returned home from the hospital. I didn't like how it made me feel at all. I did better taking Tylenol with a dose or two of Aleve thrown in for good measure. I doubt any doctor would tell you to mix the two, but I knew that as a short term pain reliever it was almost as good as Codeine, without the mind numbing side effects.

I somehow managed the shower and even the walk down the stairs to the lobby. I found the old Gentleman working behind his desk. "Sir, I need some Tylenol, could you point me to a pharmacy?" I asked.

"Ah the Chemist is a block north on this same street. It's a short walk, but you don't seem to be up to it," he suggested.

"I'll manage, thank you for the information," I left with a pretty severe limp, but under my own power. I knew that it might take me a while, but I was determined to make it on my own. The others would be down for dinner soon, so if they asked the desk man, he would surely tell them where to find me.

Before I got to the pharmacy, I heard someone come up behind me. I realized that the only weapon I had was a lightweight PVC water pipe cane. If the person closing on me was intent on evil, it would probably be the end of me.

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving?" Lucy asked. "I would have loved to walk with you. You can even lean on me."

"I figure you need your sleep," I said smiling.

"You know I don't sleep." she said. Then the light bulb seemed to light up. "Ah that is humor. I understand now. Nonetheless you should have asked for help."

"I'm fine," I replied.

"I only read a short paper on body language, but anyone can tell you are in pain." she informed me.

"Thanks for the information, I wondered what it was that I was feeling," I said sarcastically.

"Oh my that was sarcasm. I have experienced that before. So where are we headed?" she asked.

"The drugstore," I said pointing down the street.

"At least you chose something close." she said.

"How do you know that? Do you have some kind of built in GPS?" I asked.

"Actually I do, but I don't have the GPS coordinates. What I do have is excellent vision and I can see the sign." She it it pointing the very large sign which read Chemist.

"With a sight change of tone, that would be more robohumor." I said. When we finally arrived at the shop, I was thrilled to see a small coffee bar in the rear. First I bought the largest bottle of Tylenol and the largest bottle of Aleve available to me. I paid for them first, then I dry swallowed the maximum does of each. Probably not the most healthy thing to do, but at that moment I just wanted the pain to stop.

I went to the coffee bar to order coffee and water. I needed the water to dilute the pills, so that they didn't burn my stomach. The coffee wouldn't do anything but give me some feeling of normalcy, which at that moment I needed. I made Lucy sit beside me, so that I could put my leg up in the chair across from me.

"It is going to take roughly thirty minutes for the drugs to enter your blood stream. Can we sit here drinking coffee that long?" she asked.

"I can sit drinking coffee for hours," I said with a smile.

"I like when you smile Maxine. Even when I know you are in pain, you smile. I think that speaks well for you."

"Sweetie when the pain stops, you are dead," I repeated the exact words Gunny used when describing the pain of his heart attack.

"Either that or you have some damn good dope." I added both to him then again to Lucy.

"I'm not sure how comforting that is to most humans, but it seems to have made an impression on you," she said.

"It wasn't just the words, it was the man who said them as well." I replied. "Speaking of Gunny, he would be very upset that I still don't have a weapon to even the odds."

"You are expecting trouble again?" she asked.

"I am always expecting trouble," I replied. "Bad habit I know. It takes the fun out of sightseeing."

"Tonight we are going to a play at the globe," Lucy said.

"I'm glad to see Lamar is talking to someone," I replied.

"Yes, but I didn't injure his male ego." Luce admitted.

"Did you read an article on that as well," I asked.

"Part of a text book on elementary psychology. It wouldn't hurt you to read it as well." she suggested.

"Why I knew that he would be crushed, when he found out that I didn't think he was God." I said it smiling. "No man is God you know, but all men think they are. Something else you can add to your growing pile of useless information."

I had finished my coffee and traded cups with her. I did it more to avoid standing than to save the two bucks that coffee cost.

"Would it surprise you to know that I have read your files and watched your TV show," Lucy asked.

"I hadn't thought about it, but it does makes sense that you would have. If I were you, I would want to know all there was to know about my new best friend," I said.