Short Stories

By Bob Avis

This is a book of short stories all originally written by Bob Avis

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 19, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499071870

Bob Avis

I received a BA degree in chemistry from the American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts, and an MS degree in chemistry from the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. I worked in chemical research for thirty-eight years before retiring in 1994. I have several U.S. patents and have traveled extensively throughout the United States as well as to Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, Japan, Malaysia, and Australia, implementing the essence of my inventions. Other books by the author are the following: The Coalition, Gone, and Stringer 969.

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Copyright © 2014 by Bob Avis.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2014916305

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-4990-7188-7

                Softcover         978-1-4990-7189-4

                eBook              978-1-4990-7187-0

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 09/19/2014

Xlibris LLC

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

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Contents

1. The Plug

2. Why Are You Here?

3. Do Good

4. Destiny

5. Something Is Wrong

6. The Things We Remember

7. What Happens in Old Age?

8. Genetic Experiment

9. The Unexpected Politician

10. Universal Preservation

11. Corrections

12. Silent Exchange

13. Your Choice

14. The Customer

1

The Plug

1.jpg

H ow come this damn machine doesn’t know I’m alive? I can’t intentionally move any part of my body, but I can hear and understand what everyone else is talking about. Dr. Carney (family doctor) just told my husband that it has been six weeks since the accident. Six weeks! That’s impossible. I know I’m in a hospital but I just got here. Right. Shit, I’d better li sten.

Tom, I’ve got to tell you the situation again, insisted Dr. Ganes, the neurologist. I promise I won’t do this again unless requested. I want to make sure you completely understand Fran’s case so that you and your children can make a decision that would be best for your family.

Tom Oates nodded acceptance and sat down in the only comfortable chair in a small anteroom just a few feet from his wife, Fran. Tom’s daughter Melissa Downey and his son Bill sat in hardback chairs just to his right. His children were in their early- to mid-forties and married with their own families.

Mel put her hand on her dad’s hand when Dr. Ganes started to talk.

"It’s been six weeks since Fran’s accident, and we have done numerous tests. She doesn’t respond to any command. She has no voluntary movement. On occasions she will respond to painful stimuli. On occasions she will involuntarily open her eyes for up to thirty seconds with no signs of focusing or purpose.

"Doctors Klein, Coleman, and Hartfield have all independently evaluated Fran and we have come to the same conclusion. In our opinions she vacillates from a coma to a vegetative state. There have been no signs of improvement. At best she can be classed as a vegetative state. After one year in this condition she will be classified as permanent vegetative state. There is essentially no chance for any significant improvement, therefore, even less chance to return to a near-normal life.

"We are not sure how she will respond if taken off the ventilator. In a coma state she could live for a few days and perhaps up to a few weeks. However in the vegetative state she could live for years.

As you know, most of the insurance coverage has already expired. You must consider the financial costs versus the expected gain.

Dr. Ganes reminded everybody, She does have a living will. Any questions?

The kids shook their head no and after a few seconds Tom Oates responded, No questions. Thank you for your help.

Dr. Ganes left the room, and Dr. Carney said, "Sorry, Tom, but there is nothing medically that can be done except prolong her life. The living will is a legal document and must eventually be carried out. I can extend the time for another week or two but you can have the plug pulled any time prior.

I’ve got to move on, and so don’t you.

Dr. Carney shook hands with Tom, Melissa, and Bill and then somberly left the room.

Fran phased in and out during the conversation but heard enough to think, Pull the plug. She couldn’t open her eyes and never felt her family kiss her on the cheek.

During the past few weeks Tom gave the hospital permission to have medical students, interns, staff doctors, and technicians to study his wife when the family was not present.

That night Fran involuntarily opened her eyes twice. The second time, she came face-to-face with the murderer of the twenty-year-old girl whose murder Fran had witnessed at a shopping center parking lot six years ago.

The murderer watched the unfocused eyes of the patient stare at him for nearly a minute before her eyes suddenly sharpened to focus directly on his face. He immediately moved out of sight, and Fran strained but couldn’t move her head or body to follow him.

The frustration of the situation created a sharp rise in Fran’s blood pressure. However, this went undetected because there were no machines other than the ventilator hooked up to her. There was no record of the time when this event took place.

Rob Alexander, a technical specialist, had taken an interest in Fran’s case and was the first to report a change in her condition. He noted that Fran was flushed and checked her blood pressure at 6:30 a.m. It was 160/90. Much higher than her normal pressure. He hooked up the EEG machine and was astonished to find that her brain activity had increased significantly. He alerted the staff doctors who confirmed the change and called Dr. Carney, Dr. Ganes, and Tom Oates.

Tom walked into her crowded room at 8:15 a.m. and asked the obvious question to Dr. Carney, What happened?

I don’t know the cause, but her respiration is such that a ventilator is no longer needed and more importantly, she has increased brain activity. Not normal but she has made a significant improvement. At times when her eyes pop open she seems to be able to momentarily focus. Dr. Ganes is examining her now. Let’s wait and see what he has to say, but this looks encouraging.

Ganes looked bewildered when he approached Tom and Dr. Carney. I don’t know what happened, but here is the situation as I see it now. She seems to be able to hear most of the time and she is able to see and focus her eyes about half the time. She can’t move her eyes side to side or up and down and she only looks straight ahead. However, when focused she can open and close her eyes on command. Therefore, she can blink once for yes and twice for no in response to questions asked to her. She can’t voluntarily move any other part of her body. However, it doesn’t take as much pain stimulus to cause an involuntary reaction as it did before.

Ganes paused, looked at Carney and then back to Tom before continuing, She has increased brain activity, especially beta and theta waves during periods of eye focus.

Noticing the confused look on Tom’s face, Ganes explained, Beta waves indicate awareness or arousal while theta waves indicate a thinking process.

Then she’s going to be all right, Tom said in a hopeful voice.

Putting both hands on Tom’s shoulders, Ganes replied, I don’t think so. However, I never expected this change. We have to wait and see what happens next. She could decline, remain the same, or continue to improve. I’ve got to go. Then looking at Carney, he added, Can I see you for a moment?

Tom watched the doctors leave the room and briefly talk before Carney returned.

This is good, encouraged Carney. We have a better chance today than we did yesterday. You can go to your wife. I’ve got to go,

See ya, muttered Tom on his way to Fran’s bed.

Melissa and Bill came in the room just before Tom reached his wife. Tom brought them up to date on the surprising improvement. He never told them that last night after much thought he had decided to take her off the ventilator and to let her go.

Fran’s eyes were closed when they approached. Mel was the first to kiss her mother on the forehead and then after a few seconds, Bill did the same thing. Finally Tom was directly in front of his wife and at the sound of his first word, Fran, her eyes popped open and startled him into a wide-eyed, openmouthed expression. Mel poked her father in the ribs, and he finished the sentence. I love you.

Fran was clearly focusing on his face when he asked, Can you see and understand me?

One blink.

Feeling awkward about the situation and not knowing what to say, Tom blurted out, You look much better today. How do you feel?

No response.

Dad, reminded Bill, She can only answer yes or no.

Tom added, Melissa and Bill are here. No eye response but Fran’s face reddened.

Rob Alexander came into the room and commented, She’s getting frustrated. I think she wants to tell you something. Her BP is going up.

Mel suggested, Why not try going through the alphabet until you say a letter that she blinks yes to. In that way she can spell out what she wants to tell us.

Tom agreed and Mel took out a legal pad and pen from her briefcase. Fran blinked her way to B-R-I-G-G-S. It took some time to realize that when she shut her eyes for a few seconds that was the end of the word.

Briggs, stated Tom.

One blink.

Briggs, repeated Tom. What the hell does that mean?

Dad, that’s the last name of the girl that Mom saw killed, reminded Mel.

Bethany Briggs, remarked Tom in disbelief.

One blink.

Bill suggested, Continue with the alphabet.

Fran blinked out, I saw her killer last night.

A shocked Tom recovered and said, You must have dreamt that!

Two rapid blinks followed by two more blinks.

Rob observed, Her BP is up again. She obviously disagrees with you.

Back to the alphabet. He came into the room dressed as a doctor and looked at me. Tell Atkins.

It took a few seconds to put in the proper punctuation and repeat the sentence to Fran.

One blink was managed before she phased into a deep sleep or coma.

What’s this all about? asked Rob.

Her father seemed reluctant to respond; therefore, Mel replied, About six years ago at the Come and Go Shopping Center my mother was getting into her car when she heard a girl scream. The girl was on the other side of the car next to my mother. The man stood up when my mother yelled for help. They looked directly at each other separated only by the hood of the car before my mom started blowing her horn and he fled. They never found the man.

Bill asked, Are you going to contact Detective Atkins?

Tom had time to think through the situation and replied, I don’t think so. It must have been a dream.

I’ve got to get back to school, disclosed Mel, an elementary school teacher. I only have coverage for my first two classes.

Okay, said Tom.

I’ll stay, Dad, remarked Bill.

That’s not necessary, insisted Tom. She probably will forget this Briggs thing.

Tom kept watch over his wife until 2:00 p.m. She never opened her eyes. He was tired and moved to the comfortable chair and closed his eyes. He was awakened at 4:45 p.m. by a nurse who told him that Fran was awake and alert.

He went to her bed and looked directly into her eyes. She started to focus on him but he moved to kiss her on the cheek. A gesture that they both knew she never felt.

Tom asked, Do you feel better?

Two blinks.

He continued, Do you feel worse?

Two blinks.

He could see from the continuous blood pressure monitor that her pressure was rising and immediately switched to, Do you want to tell me something?

One blink.

Using the alphabet process, Fran spelled out, Have you contacted Atkins?

Tom squeamishly replied, Not yet.

Tom took down the reply he expected. You blockhead, call Atkins now.

The continued rise in blood pressure brought the nurse in from the monitoring station to check out the problem.

Mr. Oates, you’re upsetting your wife, informed the nurse.

No shit, muttered Tom. I’ll call him tomorrow.

She blinked, Now, you blockhead, what part of now don’t you understand.

Tom reluctantly checked his watch and commented, It’s 5:30 p.m. I’ll go to the police station. It will be easier to explain this in person rather than on the telephone.

She blinked once and closed her eyes.

Tom was on his way home when he thought about how Fran’s blood pressure rose when frustrated. He decided not to add a stroke to the already-complicated situation and made a couple of turns to head back toward the police station.

At the station, the desk sergeant informed Tom that Detective Drew Atkins was not in the building and would not be back until tomorrow morning.

Tom didn’t immediately respond, so the sergeant asked, Can someone else help you?

I don’t think so, stated Tom. This is about the Briggs murder case.

He now had the desk sergeant’s full attention as he recalled, That happened quite a while ago?

Yeah, about six years ago, informed Tom.

I’ll call Drew, said the sergeant. What’s your name?

My name is Tom Oates.

Drew! said the sergeant in a loud voice. I can hardly hear you. Where the hell are you? It’s Gabe. A Mr. Tom Oates wants to talk to you about the Briggs murder case. Yeah, that’s right.

Tom interrupted and asked, Is he at Art’s?

A slight smirk came across the officer’s face as he nodded yes.

Tell him that I’ll be there in ten minutes, asserted Tom. I need a drink.

Art’s was a popular sports bar in town and usually quite noisy; however, when Tom walked in the place it was relatively quiet. There was no live sports event on TV to get the crowded patrons excited.

Drew Atkins raised his hand as soon as he spotted Tom. He was sitting in a booth near the back of the room away from most people. Tom and Drew shook hands and then Tom sat opposite Drew as Drew waved over a waitress.

What will you have? asked Drew.

Double Chivas on the rocks, ordered Tom.

Atkins gestured to the waitress to indicate that he didn’t want another drink.

It’s been a long time, Mr. Oates, said Drew. How are you and your family doing?

Not so good, replied Tom, but I think I have some new information on the Briggs case.

You think? questioned Atkins.

Tom laid out the whole story of what Fran had allegedly seen.

Atkins listened intently throughout Tom’s discourse making various facial expressions without saying a word until it became obvious that Tom completed the story.

Drew asked, Can you believe anything she says while she is in this condition?

That’s a good question, agreed Tom, but she insisted I contact you.

Atkins just stared at Tom wondering how Fran insisted.

Tom correctly read the detective’s expression and added, Her blood pressure goes through the roof when she is upset or pissed off.

Tom asked the waitress for a single Chivas on the rocks, and Drew indicated he wanted another bourbon and water.

After several silent seconds, Drew summed up the situation: The murderer of Bethany Briggs visited your wife as, or disguised as, a doctor. The presence of an ID badge indicates the killer may be an employee of St. Mark’s Hospital. He is obviously not part of her regular medical team. Why did he go see her?

Fran was essentially nonresponsive for six weeks, therefore, he felt safe in taking a close look at the only person that could possibly identify him, speculated Tom. I really don’t understand why he would come.

I’ll be in the hospital to see her tomorrow morning, stated Atkins. What time will be best?

I don’t know, declared Tom. She phases in and out at no specific times.

That reply did little to raise Atkins’s expectations of this investigation.

Tom gulped down the remainder of his drink, shook Drew’s hand, and left the bar.

The following morning Detective Andrew Atkins showed up at the hospital in Fran’s room just after 8:15 a.m. and shook hands with Tom who had been sitting in the comfortable chair.

Fran woke up around 3:00 a.m. and asked for me, informed Tom. When the nurse told her the time, she shut down and has not been awake since. Sometimes when she hears my voice she wakes up.

Moving to the bed, Tom repeatedly said his wife’s name to no avail.

I’ll hang around for a while, said Atkins while pulling out from a large envelope an artist sketch made with the help of Fran Oates six years ago. "I want to see if first she recognizes the sketch and secondly whether she wants to make any changes in the drawing. I’ve