TIME-TO-SEE-21
Hugo and I pressed the button on the elevator in the hospital lobby just before eight Saturday morning. Its doors shuddered open five minutes later on the 7th floor, and we looked down to the end of the hall toward the ward.
The doors to the ward were partially open and a head of black hair on a very short body bobbed in and out giving the impression that someone was very nearly ready to leave the ward... OMG... JILDER!!!
When he heard the elevator door close he peeped out and seeing us shouted, "Kevin, Hugo, we're here... we're ready..."
Oh, I'm sure they were. I just wondered whether that Everready charge was going to be available in the future for tasks like going to school or doing homework??
Then the door opened ever more widely and a curly, red-headed mop flying everywhere appeared with Jilder's. There was no doubt we'd come to the right place.
"Can we go get something to eat," Nicky said. "We didn't eat when they came with breakfast, because we wanted to be ready."
"Sure, guys, we didn't have much at home. I think we could probably all eat..."
"Stand still for a minute. Let us take a look at you," I said.
Hugo stared at the boys for a moment, with his hands on his hips, watching them popping in and out of the front doors of the ward. He gave a thumbs up sign to compliment them on how they looked in their new clothes.
By the time Hugo and I were inside of the ward ourselves, the nurses were working on breakfast, but when they saw us, one of them came over to the nurses station. They were all prepared to discharge these two guys.
"Good morning, gentlemen. I see you're ready to take our two tornados away with you."
"Uh? Yeah, I'm sorry they became a bit of a burden when they were getting well," I said.
"Oh, not at all. It's nice when we can see the children improving so dramatically. Makes our job easier," the nurse was saying as she shuffled through her file cabinet.
"Let's see. Dr. Gilmer has already signed the discharge papers. We'll need you to sign here and then again down here," she said pointing out where we needed to sign.
Both Hugo and I signed in the blanks.
Then the nurse handed us two brown medication bottles, one with Jilder's name on it, the other labeled with Nicky's name. "The bottles should keep you going for the weekend, but you'll need to get these prescriptions filled. The prescriptions are for a two week's supply of pain medication. Dr. Gilmer was thinking that would probably do, but you'll be bringing them in to his office once a week; so all that will be updated then. Just telephone his office and set up your appointments." she explained.
"I was expecting Dr. Gilmer to be here when we took the boys. I had wanted to speak with him," I said.
"He was going to be here, I know. I have no idea why he hasn't arrived yet, but it's early. I think he expected you to get the boys more like 8:30," she said.
Just at that moment the nurse pointed to Dr. Gilmer approaching from across the ward as we were speaking.
"Good Morning," Dr. Gilmer said looking around for the boys. "Don't tell me that I've missed my patients?" he said jokingly.
"Not hardly, but predicting just where they might be at this moment could be a little challenging...One thing for sure, they aren't feeling poorly. I'd say they're definitely ready to leave-- as much for the nurses' sake as for their own," I answered.
I went on, "I wanted to see you to deal with a little unfinished business that I know could be dealt with at some other time, but I wanted you to understand that we take the conditions these boys are living with very seriously."
I reached into the inside pocket of my jacket and brought out a small white envelope... Inside were two cashier's checks: one for $2,500 for Nicky, the other was in the same amount for Jilder. I handed it to Dr. Gilmer.
"This ought to catch up our obligations for this round of the boys' treatment. Of course we'll be keeping accounts for each of them separately to cover the costs of their office visits and other treatments that will be needed."
Dr. Gilmer had been opening the envelope as I was speaking. "Oh, Mr. Kramer, Mr. Ramirez, you are very generous with this prompt payment. I cannot expect this kind of response from the parents of most sick children; it just isn't possible. But I assure you that I do appreciate your helping me to help your boys," Dr. Gilmer said
"I'll telephone your office on Monday. Do you prefer to see them on any particular day? I think I recall your saying that you'd see each of them weekly for a month or so after they get out."
"Now, unless something unusual develops-- like one of the boys becoming extraordinarily fatigued, or developing pain or fever, or-- God forbid-- one of them falls and injures himself, I think Friday of next week would be good, depending on your schedule and my calendar. The office can help you when you call. And do call if a questionable situation develops."
At that moment two heads popped up, one on either side of Dr. Gilmer. Both boys rubbed up against him like two cats who've come to get attention. He put a hand on each of them, right behind their necks, and asked, "Okay, boys. How are you feeling... No stretching the truth... okay?"
"Yeah. I'm good," Nicky said. "I took my pain pill this morning; so I'm good."
"Me too," Jilder answered. "I feel very good except I'm hungry." Jilder usually volunteered more than the doctor needed to know.
"Well, okay, guys... I guess there's no reason to keep you here any longer, and you can go out and get some breakfast with your family now..," the doctor said.
"You boys look very nice this morning, hair all combed and could it be some nice new things to wear too?... It looks like," he said.
"Where did you put your boxes of things, boys?" I asked.
"Out by the elevator," Jilder said. "Yeah! We'd better go out there and guard them too."
"Yeah! Thanks for everything, Dr. Gilmer," Nicky said. "We'll be coming to see you next week."
"I'll hold you to that, Nicky," the doctor said.
"Me too, I'll be there too," Jilder said.
"Well, of course, Jilder. I'll need some time to check you out too, to be sure. We want to be sure that your retainer is doing the job we need it to do...," Dr. Gilmer replied.
Hugo, who had been standing by just observing events, leaned over and extended his hand to Dr. Gilmer. He gave the doctor something he'd prepared that I hadn't seen earlier. He passed a small pad over to Dr. Gilmer to read.
On the pad Hugo had written: "You have saved my world and my brother and my new son Nicky too, and you gave Kevin and me the most important gift in the world-- the good health of our children. You will be in my prayers, and I will help you whenever I can. Thank You. Hugo Ramirez"
When Dr. Gilmer finished reading Hugo's pad, he was visibly touched by Hugo's sincerity, and he leaned over and gave Hugo an embrace that conveyed his understanding of Hugo's gratitude. Thank You, Hugo, Dr. Gilmer said in words...
Both boys returned from their guard posts by the elevators, "When are we gonna leave?" they both asked somewhat pointedly.
"Uh! Okay." I smiled at Dr. Gilmer... "Life goes on," I said...rolling my eyes.
He shook Hugo's hand looking him squarely in the eye and mouthing another "thank you." He turned and offered his hand to me and said, "We'll talk next week." Then he shook Jilder's hand and Nicky's hand. "It's been nice having you as patients... You are both very, very good patients!" he said with a smile.
"Ooooookay, guys..." and I put my arm around Hugo's shoulder and together we headed down behind the boys, past the long row of beds, and out into the hallway. Good grief I was glad that episode was history.
Out in the parking lot, each boy carried his box of his life's possessions: magazines, courtesy tube of toothpaste, toothbrush, little soaps-- maybe 6 or 8 tiny bars-- Jilder had his PSP paraphernalia; Nicky had a curious stuffed teddy bear, not very large, maybe only 6 inches, somewhat shabby and worn, but retained with the same seriousness as Jilder regarded his PSP.
"Where's the car?" Jilder asked.
"What color is it?" Nicky wanted to know.
"It's a sliver Lexus SUV, 4-doors. You guys put your stuff behind the back seat then pile in-- I mean CAREFULLY climb in and use the back seats," I said. "Put on your seatbelts, and don't hurt yourselves, pleeeze!"
"There it is," Nicky found it first and headed off with some haste, as if we were trying to make a deadline... Why were we hurrying now? We'd done everything. We had Jilder and Nicky, and now we could just move around doing whatever occurred to us might be fun or necessary.
I turned to Hugo and pulled his pad from under his arm and wrote on it in large letters: "COCO'S???"
He smiled and nodded his head in the affirmative; so I knew how to navigate from there.
The boys were getting fastened behind their seatbelts, which turned out to be a somewhat more carefully executed task than I'd anticipated. Those steel retainers became awkward at odd times. But the boys were good natured about them, "Owie, Owie, Owie..." and two clicks later we were ready to go.
"We'll get breakfast at Coco's. I think you guys will be able to find something you want to eat there." And I went on... "Then if we aren't tired when we finish breakfast, we can go to a Best Buy's and pick up another PSP-3000 for Nicky," I suggested.
"Yeah!" Nicky agreed loudly.
"I'll help you find the games we saw in the magazines. And I'll pick out a carrying case. They are really nice, and make everything really cool," Jilder advised.
"O.K." Nicky agreed.
Finally seated in Coco's the waiter brought our menus, rather large affairs, plastic, with brightly colored pictures of the food, certainly calculated to make one salivate and order way too much.
"Cooool," Jilder commented. I don't think he was expecting table cloths and flowers on the tables. Looking at his own menu he said, "I think I'd like to have those pancakes. They look real good, mmmmmm, mmmmm."
"Yeah! I think I'll get them too." Nicky agreed.
"You boys want something to drink? Like hot tea or orange juice, or milk?" I questioned not having the slightest idea what their preferences might be.
"Tea?" Jilder asked, "Like old people drink?"
"I'll have you know that I'm not THAT old!" I answered somewhat defensively. "Besides, if we lived in England, everyone would be drinking hot tea, even the kids. It's the way they do things there..."
Nicky said, "Where's England?"
(Did this kid really ask that question? I thought.)
"Nicky, England is another country like the United States where we live, except it's a very long way away, across the Atlantic Ocean. I'll show you a picture when we get to a computer, " I said.
"How far away?" Nicky asked?
"Well, probably like six or seven thousand miles away... You know all the way across the United States from here is about 3,000 miles. Then another two or three thousand across the Atlantic Ocean to England. England is actually a big island, you know, where Harry Potter lived, " I offered.
"OOOOOoooh, THERE," Nicky registered. "NOW I remember."
"Then you want to try some hot green tea, Nicky?" I ventured.
"Hummm? Yeah!" he said, I'm sure he was without the foggiest notion of what he was going to try, but he deserved credit for being willing to try something new.
"You might like a little glass of orange juice too, Nicky. And how about the same for you, Jilder? A small glass of orange juice with your pancakes. And if the tea sounds too disgusting to you, Jilder, maybe you'd rather have a glass of milk?"
"Ummm? OK" Jilder said. "I'll try the tea too. If Harry Potter likes it, maybe I'll like it too," was the way his reasoning went. (Go figure??? I think it's called celebrity marketing...)
Somehow we managed to make a big production of giving our order to the waiter, who was so patient at the absurd verbiage of our breakfast partners that I had to be sure to remember to increase his tip, just for his polite answers and ability to avoid laughing in their faces! His winks to me and Hugo said volumes.
Nicky finished with, "I think this place is way better than the hospital, don't you, Jilder?"
"Yeah! Lot's better." Jilder confided nodding his head affirmatively. "And they don't make you go to the bathroom before they'll serve you either!" Seems Jilder's sense of appropriateness must have been violated somewhere along the way in the hospital.
Hugo wrote on his pad and showed me, "I hope we get faster with this ordering routine. Otherwise, we'll take two hours every time we want to eat," which he offered to me with a smile while shaking his head.
And I wrote back to Hugo, "But we still love em, don't we????"
"Yeah! For now...." he scribbled back. (Underlining "for now" twice :-)
Breakfast was finally done, the bill paid, and we all paraded out to the car. The boys knew their seats this time; so we actually got "airborne" much sooner than at the hospital. I think we just might make it as a unit-- eventually.
"I'm not sure whether Nicky ought to get a storage case exactly like mine or not. We don't want to get things confused. Maybe it would be easier if we got something different, or maybe a different color?" Jilder observed.
"I don't remember what choices we'll have," I confessed. "Hugo knows what to look for. I'm just going to follow him," I said.
"I think we'll be able to get another game too. I just read about a new one that's coming out like right now," Jilder babbled on being generous with his research information.
Nicky had become quiet not adding anything to the discussion where it was he who would be most materially affected by the choices that were about to be made. I looked back at him through the rear view mirror. He looked suddenly very tired and his earlier energy had evaporated. Taking a cue from that scene, I suggested, "Say, Nicky, we don't have to go to Best Buy's right now. We can save it for later today or tonight or any other time. If you're feeling a little tired, I hope you'll tell us so we can go home and get some rest before we continue on this shopping trip."
In a weak voice, one I had not heard from Nicky for a few days, "Yeah, I think I'd like to lie down. I'm feeling really tired."
"That's OK," Jilder picked up on the direction things were going. "They have plenty of PSPs I'm sure..."
Hugo spun around quickly, reached back and put his hand on Nicky's forehead.
"I looked squarely at Hugo at my next opportunity and asked, "FEVER?"
Hugo shook his head NO.
"Thank God," I thought.
Dr. Gilmer was very clear about getting the boys to bed when the need for rest developed, no matter how unexpectedly. So I was eager to abort our shopping and get Nicky home and in bed. The boy needed rest and now.
Not saying anything, Nicky slumped down in the backseat under his seatbelt and closed his eyes. The car went from buzzing conversation to complete silence in an instant.
Very shortly, like in 10 minutes, I was clicking the garage door opener and driving us inside of the garage.
Hugo got out quickly and opened Nicky's door, unbuckled his seatbelt and held on to him guiding him into the house and then upstairs into his new bedroom.
"Wow!" Nicky said as he ascended the stairs very slowly and entered his room. "This is really nice," he said in his very little voice that trailed off...
"Well it's your room now, for as long as you want it. But I think you ought to pull off those clothes, get comfortable, and climb into the sack. You look like you could use a little shut eye," I said.
"ok," Nicky said with no hint of volition to do more than fade away...
Hugo pulled off his shoes, and I turned down the covers and fluffed up his pillows. I pulled the draperies to make the room somewhat darker, and Nicky climbed in bed.
I leaned over and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Sleep as long as you like. We'll all be here when you wake up and are feeling better.
Hugo hugged Nicky and pulled the covers up.
Nicky was fast asleep in an instant. Goodness, Dr. Gilmer was sure right about their needing rest after the operations...
Hugo and I left the room closing the door quietly behind us as we did.
I was both happy and sad at that moment. Happy that Nicky was at home with us where we could take care of him, and sad that he was in need of our care too.
"We'll see," I thought to myself.
It was after three. Nicky had been sleeping about four hours, and I was beginning to be a little uneasy. I worried that something had gone wrong and we'd over done it getting him home..
Hugo and I sat down in the family room downstairs while Jilder explored his room and God knows where all around the house. I think he found out how to connect to the wifi on his own and put his PSP show on the internet... Who knows, by now he could have been playing with some kid in Australia.
Hugo lay with his head in my lap with his eyes closed too. Let's face it. Hugo worked like a dog, and he was likely due a little extra sleep himself. I was more than happy just to be with him, whatever he might need to do.
I looked out of the plate glass windows in the family room and noted that a huge accumulation of billowy grayish clouds had blown in and stopped at the ridge of hills in the distance. They didn't look like rain clouds, but they foretold of an evening of temperatures in the 50's when blankets would feel good and cuddling would be especially nice. Maybe we could start a fire in the fireplace here in the family room?
At that moment I noticed a reflection in the glass of the window and realized that someone had just entered the family room from behind me, though there had been no sound at all.
I twisted my upper body and looked over my shoulder to see Nicky standing there in stocking feet with his shirt-tail hanging out. His usually wild red hair was levitating as usual above his head, and he was looking lost.
"Ho, ho... Nicky! How' ya feelin?" I said quietly.
Nicky lifted one hand to his face and rubbed his eyes and spoke as he did, "A lot better."
"That's really good to hear. I was getting worried about cha. You've been asleep a little over four hours. I wonder whether you'll be ready to sleep again tonight. Wha'cha think?," I asked.
"Yeah, probably,..." he ventured. "I think my body just gets these ideas that it needs to do some repairs, and it makes me tired whatever I'm doing. That happened all the time in the hospital."
"You are no doubt right," I agreed. "Are you hungry again? The three of us ate a little over an hour ago here at the house."
"Yeaaah... but, no not really. I'd rather wait for supper. That won't be too long, will it," he asked.
"You're right, Nicky. Whatever you say. But if you change your mind, just ask. Until you learn your way around this place and where to go to get something to eat when you get hungry, just ask me or Hugo. We'll be glad to get you something... You sure you won't have something to drink even? Like some lemonade?" I asked.
"Hummm?" he muttered rather having awakened a bit more by now, "Maybe a small glass would be good. Where's Jilder?" Nicky said.
"I really don't know. Maybe in his room playing with his PSP? Why don't you go upstairs and look for him. Can you climb the stairs okay," I asked?
"Yeah! If I go slow..." Nicky said. "I'll go look for him."
"Okay, I'll find you with the lemonade in a minute."
I carefully replaced my lap under Hugo's head with a pillow, upon which, Hugo turned on to his side and settled in all the more intent on getting a thoroughly satisfying nap. And I went off to the kitchen.
I had poured Nicky's lemonade and just closed the refrigerator door when a herd of elephants descended the stairs and thundered down the hall, rounding the bend into the kitchen, Jilder in the lead.
"I've been talking to a guy in Alaska. It's sooo cool, Kevin. This PSP will talk to the internet, and I found a website that I could connect with partners to play these games... This is sooooooo cool, Kevin," Jilder repeated to make his point.
(I think he liked his wifi PSP gaming!)
"Do you think we can go out today and get me a PSP?" Nicky asked carefully, as if he didn't want to diminish his chances of going by taking an incorrect approach.
"Oh, sure! I said," handing Nick the small glass of lemonade and patting him warmly on the back to reassure him. "If you're sure you feel okay to go out on a shopping trip-- we might be gone an hour-- think you feel up to it?" I asked Nicky.
"Yeah! I really do. I mean we don't have to do a lot of walking, do we?" he asked.
"Well, we'd have to walk from the parking lot into the store. The store is kinda big; so we'd be walking around in there, but that's pretty much it. Think you can handle that today or this evening," I asked him again.
He thought for a minute and then answered, "Yeah! I'll rest up before we go; so I don't get worn out too fast while we're out," he said.
"Keep in mind we'll have to wait until Hugo wakes up before we can go," I said. "Hugo knows where to go and what to get; whereas I don't know that kind of thing at all; so we really do need Hugo. And of course Jilder will be helpful too." Looking up at the clock I said, "I'd guess Hugo won't sleep too much longer. He's been asleep almost as long as you were, Nicky," I told them.
"Good," Nicky answered and sat down in the breakfast nook along with Jilder carrying the PSP. They both looked at the screen while Jilder punched buttons with such amazing dexterity and rapidity. I simply marveled at the ability of the human central nervous system-- especially at their ages.
The boys had been playing for only about fifteen minutes when a groggy Hugo came wandering into the kitchen, scratching his ample mop of jet black hair like some hound dog chasing flees.
I walked over to him, grabbed him around the chest and kissed him on the lips, when his head stopped bobbing enough for me to catch them.
He gave up on his head and wrapped his arms around me instead, and we stood there kissing and rocking a little on our feet.
Jilder turned to Nicky, let his PSP drop down toward the table, and spoke to Nicky in a low, very private, somewhat conspiratorial voice, "They're boyfriends, Nicky. That's why all the kissing and stuff. But they don't do that stuff in other places like stores-- well, not usually! You don't have to worry."
Nicky looked at Jilder with some degree of surprise in his eyes, not expecting the explanation, "I KNOW!..." Nicky responded. "I'm glad. I'm glad they love each other. I think it's good. I've only lived with people who DIDN'T get along, and that's NOT good," Nicky answered from his perspective.
Being only vaguely aware that the boys were talking, I turned around still being held in Hugo's arms while I spoke, "I think you guys can get your shoes back on now, put on your clothes and grab those windbreakers. I know it's not the Arctic, but I don't want ANYBODY catching a chill outside. Hugo will probably be ready to go to Best Buy's in just a few minutes... OH YEAH! and EVERYBODY to the bathroom too. Can't hurt... Sorry I might sound like the hospital, Jilder.."
"Ohhhh KAAAAY!" The boys both chorused and ran off to take care of business.
I went over to the breakfast nook and picked up a pad and told Hugo that the shopping trip to Best Buy's was back on, if he didn't mind going with us... (Shit! I'd forgotten to ASK him BEFORE I volunteered his participation...)"
"I explained that I needed to apologize for volunteering his joining us, but I told him that I had no idea what we would be getting into and wanted him there to approve what these boys cooked up.."
Hugo smiled, kissed me on the nose, squeezed my penis (here we go again...) and headed toward the bathroom.
Two black snowmen-- well, that's what they looked like in their new jackets-- bobbed past the metal detectors in Best Buy's, five steps ahead of Hugo and me. Jilder stopped abruptly and turned back toward us, "Where's the PSPs?"
Hugo pointed to the left and both boys took off, not running, but just slightly under that motion descriptor. Hugo hurried along right after them leaving me to bring up the rear, dreading what I may be getting into...
After ample running to the left, again Jilder stopped and looked at Hugo for more directions. This time Hugo pointed right, and that's just where they went... hard, screeching right up a tight aisle of DVDs and assorted, non-descript gizmos. Finally the merchandise began to look familiar, and I realized we were in the video gaming section.
In an instant Jilder and Nicky both zeroed in on the PSP display and that was the end of communication with them... "Earth to Jilder! Earth to Nicky!" They were so engrossed in the endless variety of things, even a description of which I am at a loss to make, selecting PSP and chargers and carrying case and old games and new games and God knows what...
"Hugo!" I wrote on my pad feeling some minor desperation. "Do these guys know what they're doing?"
Hugo calmed me by writing, "Sure, sure... just let em keep shopping for a while, then we'll tell them what they can have. They're not doing bad at all, really," Hugo wrote back to me.
Well, that was some help, but not much. I was still at a loss to estimate what was happening.
After about 15 minutes of their running to this display and then back to that one, then returning to the first one again, both boys, their arms loaded with THINGS crowded up to Hugo showing him what they had collected.
Hugo looked at each item and nodded his approval of every single one of them, then he turned to me with a kind of sick smile and gave me a thumbs up signal.
I went to Hugo with my pad and sought reassurance again, "Do you think that this stuff will all work together? Will they be able to go on the wifi together," I asked.
"Yes, no problem...." Hugo wrote back.
Well, now let's see how much all of this stuff was going to cost, I thought. I ran a quick tally in my head much surprised and relieved that it cost just $120 more than the first time we'd come here.
Seems both boys got two NEW GAMES each that weren't for sale the first time we shopped for Jilder's PSP. Okay... It was looking like I'd get out for well under $400 this time! (OMG! Boys are expensive, but thank god this shit will last a while and give Hugo and me endless hours of freedom from these two tornados-- the ONLY word that approximates their actual effects on other sentient beings.)
"OKAY!" I announced loud enough to be heard over the distracting store noise. "Let's go to the registers! This way!!!" I shouted attempting to assert some degree of control over this motley army.
The check out didn't go too badly, and both boys went through the inspection station with their huge packages and register receipts without a hitch.
Nicky was still displaying a normal energy level, which made me considerably more relaxed than I had been at the outset of this excursion.
Back in the car, both boys began assembling Nicky's PSP. Batteries, wrappers, cords, game cartridges... aarrrg! "Don't drop anything if you can avoid it, boys," I shouted pretty stupidly. There was NEVER any prophylactic available to treat a pre-adolescent disaster that was destined to happen. I just hadn't caught on to all the rules of this de facto fatherhood into which I'd blundered.
But somehow, they didn't drop a thing. (How could that possibly happen?)
Back at home, both boys assembled all of their personal video gaming equipment in the family room in the middle of the floor. They sat on their butts, but I wondered whether they would need to lean back eventually given the intrusions those retainer bars MUST be making... But somehow, both boys were on full energy setting, jabbering and demonstrating this and that like technicians at the Kennedy Space Center preparing for liftoff!
I had cajoled all three of the guys into stopping at a Thai Restaurant for an assortment of Thai dishes --take-out-- that would become supper for the whole mob of us. The boys were willing once again to be good sports about consenting to SMELL (and maybe even EAT) things whose names they could not pronounce.
So, in short order, Hugo and I had everything displayed on the kitchen table for all of us to come in and check out for a possible supper. (Back-up was left over shredded chicken and veggies for tacos, but I hoped--maybe not in vain--that I'd cultivate a bit of metropolitan appreciation in these two, shall I say politely, "works-in-progress".)
"EVERYBODY WASH HANDS AND INTO THE KITCHEN. SUPPER'S READY!" I shouted into the family room loud enough for deaf Hugo to have heard! (Unfortunately, the fact was, Hugo was still waiting his turn for the good fortune to be delivered from his disability.) I gently lead Hugo by the hand to the table and kissed him as he seated himself. Goodness I love that man.
The elephants were on their way back through. Nicky and Jilder both in a hurry once again... (Do boys EVER do things at a "normal" rate? Are they ALWAYS in a rush? That was something I'd never thought about before...) Each one wiggled into the breakfast nook, one on each side of Hugo. I plugged up one end of the u-shaped bench, and said, "Okay. Now don't SMELL the food in the dishes. Serve a little of each one onto your plates. Then, with your fork, you can pick the food up and smell it and maybe taste it. And you can decide what you're going to eat.... (I held my breath!)
"Mmmm!?" from Jilder. "Mmmm!?" from Nicky. Hugo simply piled his plate high with a variety of the wonderfully aromatic food and prepared to share a major feast with me. I was right behind him, not particularly worried about our two PSP-technicians.
"This is gooooood!" came from Jilder. "Yeah! I LIKE these wide noodle things," Nicky said. "And the chicken's good too," Jilder added. "Ummm, Ummm..." from Nicky. And that was the last of the intellectual contributions from either of them for 10 minutes, until the scrapeing and negotiation for the last bit of each dish was finished.
We all sat there in bloated sublimity, smiling happily at one another.
"That was gooooood," Jilder announced. "I like Thai food," Nicky said. "Maybe we can go there again sometime," Nicky observed as if the saying might make it so...
And with that they both wanted out to return to their PSP world. But I made them both wait until we'd ALL finished before ANY of us got up from the table. We're going to be a family if it killed me!
Neither boy complained or even squirmed or looked impatient. "Do you think you're ready to try to use the wifi mode yet?" Jilder inquired of Nicky. "Not really, but I'd like for you to show me how," Nicky asked. "Oh, yeah!" Jilder replied. "It's really not hard. You can just watch me do it once or twice and then I bet you'll understand," Jilder suggested.
"Would you guys mind if I came in and watched you?" I asked. "Oh, yeah!" Jilder said, "Come on in. That would be cool." "Yeah!" Nicky said. "Maybe you'll like it so much you'll want to play with a PSP too... I'll let you borrow mine. (But after a moment of reconsideration of his impulsive generosity) When I'm not using it," he added.
"Great," I said. "I'm going to wash these dishes and get the kitchen cleaned up, then I'll come in and find you."
I wrote to Hugo, "Do you feel like watching the boys play with their PSPs?"
"Yeah!" Hugo answered back... "Maybe they'll let me play for a little while?"
"Don't be too disappointed if you aren't welcomed to schedule a play session any time soon. I tried and was politely referred to "when I'm not using it...:-) :-)"
Hugo laughed and wrote, "I'd still like to watch them. You know, I think that it's possible to plug those PSP's into some kind of converter and then into a television set that we could all watch..."
"I had no idea that THAT might be possible. I think I'll call Best Buy's and see what they can tell me... Terrific idea, Hugo."
And thus the evening swung into motion. We all watched and the boys were a joy to see so happily involved in their games, their pain and suffering gone for the moment.
You can be sure that there will be a long section of my prayers tonight devoted to my gratitude for these boys' beginning their exit from their distress. Such miracles were given to these boys. I can hardly contemplate the magnitude. Only decades ago these two wonderful boys would be dead or suffering the saddest of deaths. And today, they're gratefully playing video games and anticipating only a normal life.
Hugo lay on his belly looking into Jilder's lap where Jilder held his PSP.
I sat just behind Nicky on the floor, having pulled Nicky onto me where he leaned back and operated his PSP with no stress on the trunk of his body at all.
And the hours passed wonderfully until both of our technicians began to tire-- though it couldn't have been much later than eight thirty. Finally, they gathered up all of their paraphernalia and began the trek up the stairs to their room. Hugo and I followed them up the stairs and into both rooms, one at a time. We watched as they each stowed their treasures, got pajama-ed, and climbed into bed-- Nicky went to his box of worldly treasures and pulled out this scruffy teddy bear and took it with him into the bed.
I asked Nicky, "What's that little guy's name?"
"That's Homer," Nicky replied softly. "Homer has always been with me when I was sick. He helps me to get better," Nicky said rather matter of fact.
"Well, aren't you fortunate to have Homer," I observed.
"We ALL need someone who makes life's difficulties a little better." I said, confirming his conviction.
Hugo, who had been watching the whole teddybear routine, leaned down and gave Homer a kiss on the nose and turned and gave Nicky a long hug, then released him into the pillows. I tucked Nicky in carefully and added my kiss on the forehead and told Nicky, "We love you very much, Nicky, and are so happy that you would live with us in our house. It was much too big and empty before you came to share it. Thank You, Nicky."
Nicky smiled and rather unceremoniously drifted off to sleep. On reflection, I think we had pushed him to the last drop of his wonderful consciousness. "Good night, Nicky."
Jilder had been listening to Hugo and me with Nicky across the hall.
"Homer's really important to Nicky," Jilder observed.
"Yes, he is," I agreed.
"When Nicky was crying in the hospital he would get Homer and hold him because he didn't have nobody else to hold him," Nicky told us.
"But now he has all of us to hold him if he's sad or scared," I offered.
"Yeah." Jilder said and thought for a moment. "But I still wouldn't take Homer away from Nicky."
"No. No. You are quite right, Jilder. Nicky wasn't lucky enough to have someone like you've had Hugo, to hold him and love him when he was sad or sick. Nicky needed a substitute that would help him get through it. And Homer was able to help Nicky."
"Yeah...." Jilder replied again. "I can love Nicky now. I really like him..... even if he does have that funny hair."
"Yeah, me too," I agreed
"Good night," Jilder told us.
"Good night, Jilder "We love you more than you can possibly know.
"Thank you for coming to live with us here at the new house."
"Sure," Jilder said. "No problem..."
And he didn't wait to be invited to fall asleep either.
It was time.
"Good night, boys." I said quietly.
And Hugo and I left them, and we walked downstairs together, holding hands.