Dear FehrDiary:
This is what happened last night to Frank:
Frank broke into a run when he heard the woman's scream.
He ran full tilt around the corner, relying on instinct that no one was rounding the corner at the same time. Running on the flat sidewalk, Frank saw the woman about 40 yards ahead of him.
Her hands were raised to her mouth as if trying to contain her screams. She was turning in small circles, going forward and backing up: a highly agitated woman.
Frank ran faster, his breath coming easily since he practiced Krav Maga regularly. The woman heard him running and she stopped screaming.
"Help me! You've got to help her!" she yelled, pointing with her right hand at the darkness before her.
Coming up on the woman, Frank slowed his steps. He came to a stop beside her and looked to where she was pointing.
There was a small patch of grass, dimly illuminated from the curtained window a few feet above the grass. There, sprawled out, was lying the object of the woman's distress.
Frank used a soothing voice to help calm the woman, "How far did she fall?" he asked as he crouched beside the sprawled female figure.
"Uhm, six floors," the woman said, snuffling now.
Frank glanced up at her. "Six?"
The woman said, "Yes, she was on the balcony and she fell off."
"Can you go find me a small board and a box?" Frank asked her in a soothing voice.
"Yes. Yes, I can do that," she said and went to find the materials Frank requested.
Frank bent himself over his patient. Stroking her back gently, he talked to her in a gentle voice, telling her everything would be all right. She wasn't moving, but Frank could feel her heartbeat: strong, so she wasn't in too much distress.
Frank moved his hands gently over his patient. Her hind legs seemed all right and she was breathing fine. But her front left leg was a bit crooked and Frank thought it was broken. Frank continued to stroke her gently, and he felt her relax under his gentle, knowing hands.
The woman came back. "Here. I found these. Will these be okay? Is she okay?"
Frank looked at the materials. "Yes, they're fine and yes, she'll be all right. I think she has a broken leg."
"Thank god! I was so scared," the woman said. She hovered over Frank as he moved his patient onto the small board and then put the board into the box. Picking up the box, Frank stood up, the woman peering into the box, soothing her friend:
"He's going to take care of you, Cindy." Frank started walking, and the woman matched his steps.
"Do you have a car?" he asked.
She looked up at him. His eyes were full of concern. "Uh, no. I never learned to drive," she said, a bit embarrassed.
"There's nothing wrong with not knowing how to drive. I'll take you to the hospital."
Frank indicated with his head where he'd parked his car--a new BMW Z20--and the two of them walked towards the car, the woman peering into the box and making soothing sounds.
Reaching Frank's car, he set the box gently down onto the roof, took out his keys and unlocked his car. The woman got in the passenger side. Frank picked up the box and put the box gently on the woman's lap. She hugged the box to her, continuing to murmur to Cindy. As Frank started the engine, he glanced over at the woman.
Driving along the highway, Frank took note of the landmarks and soon he pulled into the hospital.
As soon as he rolled the car to a stop the woman was trying to open the door.
"Let me get that for you," Frank said, his voice going a few tones deeper. She couldn't help but respond.
Frank got out of the car and went around to the passenger side. He opened the door and took the box from the woman. She got out of the car and held out her hands for the box containing Cindy.
Frank gave it to her and walked with her into the hospital. The receptionist looked up. "My! A patient! What happened?" she asked, pushing a button.
"She fell off the sixth floor balcony," Frank said. The receptionist gasped. "Oh!" She came around her desk and peered into the box. She and the woman made soft cooing sounds.
A blue clad doctor came out of the treatment area. "Who's the patient?" he asked.
"Cindy is. She fell off a sixth floor balcony," the receptionist answered.
"Let's take her back to the treatment room and see how she is," he said as he motioned for the woman to follow him to the treatment center.
"You can have a seat here. Cindy will be fine," the receptionist said. Frank looked her in the eyes, and smiled.
"Thank you. I will have a seat," Frank said. The receptionist blushed slightly and she went back to gather the paperwork. Finding it, she took it in her hand and went back around the desk and came over to Frank.
"If you'll fill this out," she started, trying not to blush. His scent was warm, and his eyes were so deep.
"I'm not the father. I only assisted her," Frank said, "But I'll fill out how Cindy fell off the balcony," he finished as he reached for the paperwork Marla--as her name badge stated--held out to him.
Marla blushed again and decided now would be a good time to go back to her desk.
The intercom beeped. Marla pushed a button. "Marla? Cindy has a broken leg, but other than that, she's in fine shape for someone who fell six stories. She's obviously using one of her nine lives," the doctor's voice came out of the speakerphone.
Frank smiled. He finished filling in what he knew of Cindy's fall, then placed the paperwork beside him and sat back to wait for Cindy and her mother to come out of the treatment room.
An hour later, Cindy's mother came out of the treatment room. Looking around for Frank, she spied him and said, "she's going to be kept here overnight."
"I'll swing round and pick you up tomorrow so you can pick up Cindy," Frank said.
"Thank you!" Cindy's mother smiled. Frank picked up the paperwork. "You need to fill this out." The woman took it and filled it out. Paying Marla for the vet's services, she turned and found Frank ready to leave.
The two walked out into the sweet night air and got back into Frank's beamer. Starting the engine, Frank turned, and said, "By the way, I didn't get your name."
"Maria. Maria Santa Rosa," she said, turning her head to look at him.
Frank smiled at her as he took the car out of park and drove the few short miles back to the lady's apartment building. Frank had been going on a surprise visit to see an ill friend so he knew the building well.
Parking his car in the building's parking lot, Frank and Maria got out. "Thank you again for helping Cindy."
"It's never a problem, Maria," Frank said.
"You speak Spanish! You roll your r's!" Maria said as the two walked towards the building.
"Si, hablo Espanol," Frank said.
"Vives alrededor de aqui?"
"No. Vivo cerca del Lago Michigan."
Frank held the door open for her, and Maria stepped in. Crossing the small lobby, Frank reached the elevators and pushed the button. The door dinged obediently open and Frank allowed Maria to enter first.
She pushed her floor and Frank was not surprised to see it was the same floor as his friend.
"Tienes un amigo aqui?" she asked.
"Si," Frank said as the doors dinged open on the sixth floor. Once again allowing Maria to exit first, Frank walked her to her door, a few doors down from his friend.
"I'll be around in the morning to pick you up and bring back Cindy," he said in English.
"I can't thank you enough, Frank. Gracias," Maria told him, opening her door and taking a single step inside.
"Es nada," Frank said as he waited until Maria was safely in her apartment. He then walked down to the doorway of his friend...and took out his key.
Opening the door, Frank heard a female voice calling out, "Baby! I'm glad you came around." Frank smiled.
This is what happened last night to Frank:
Frank broke into a run when he heard the woman's scream.
He ran full tilt around the corner, relying on instinct that no one was rounding the corner at the same time. Running on the flat sidewalk, Frank saw the woman about 40 yards ahead of him.
Her hands were raised to her mouth as if trying to contain her screams. She was turning in small circles, going forward and backing up: a highly agitated woman.
Frank ran faster, his breath coming easily since he practiced Krav Maga regularly. The woman heard him running and she stopped screaming.
"Help me! You've got to help her!" she yelled, pointing with her right hand at the darkness before her.
Coming up on the woman, Frank slowed his steps. He came to a stop beside her and looked to where she was pointing.
There was a small patch of grass, dimly illuminated from the curtained window a few feet above the grass. There, sprawled out, was lying the object of the woman's distress.
Frank used a soothing voice to help calm the woman, "How far did she fall?" he asked as he crouched beside the sprawled female figure.
"Uhm, six floors," the woman said, snuffling now.
Frank glanced up at her. "Six?"
The woman said, "Yes, she was on the balcony and she fell off."
"Can you go find me a small board and a box?" Frank asked her in a soothing voice.
"Yes. Yes, I can do that," she said and went to find the materials Frank requested.
Frank bent himself over his patient. Stroking her back gently, he talked to her in a gentle voice, telling her everything would be all right. She wasn't moving, but Frank could feel her heartbeat: strong, so she wasn't in too much distress.
Frank moved his hands gently over his patient. Her hind legs seemed all right and she was breathing fine. But her front left leg was a bit crooked and Frank thought it was broken. Frank continued to stroke her gently, and he felt her relax under his gentle, knowing hands.
The woman came back. "Here. I found these. Will these be okay? Is she okay?"
Frank looked at the materials. "Yes, they're fine and yes, she'll be all right. I think she has a broken leg."
"Thank god! I was so scared," the woman said. She hovered over Frank as he moved his patient onto the small board and then put the board into the box. Picking up the box, Frank stood up, the woman peering into the box, soothing her friend:
"He's going to take care of you, Cindy." Frank started walking, and the woman matched his steps.
"Do you have a car?" he asked.
She looked up at him. His eyes were full of concern. "Uh, no. I never learned to drive," she said, a bit embarrassed.
"There's nothing wrong with not knowing how to drive. I'll take you to the hospital."
Frank indicated with his head where he'd parked his car--a new BMW Z20--and the two of them walked towards the car, the woman peering into the box and making soothing sounds.
Reaching Frank's car, he set the box gently down onto the roof, took out his keys and unlocked his car. The woman got in the passenger side. Frank picked up the box and put the box gently on the woman's lap. She hugged the box to her, continuing to murmur to Cindy. As Frank started the engine, he glanced over at the woman.
Driving along the highway, Frank took note of the landmarks and soon he pulled into the hospital.
As soon as he rolled the car to a stop the woman was trying to open the door.
"Let me get that for you," Frank said, his voice going a few tones deeper. She couldn't help but respond.
Frank got out of the car and went around to the passenger side. He opened the door and took the box from the woman. She got out of the car and held out her hands for the box containing Cindy.
Frank gave it to her and walked with her into the hospital. The receptionist looked up. "My! A patient! What happened?" she asked, pushing a button.
"She fell off the sixth floor balcony," Frank said. The receptionist gasped. "Oh!" She came around her desk and peered into the box. She and the woman made soft cooing sounds.
A blue clad doctor came out of the treatment area. "Who's the patient?" he asked.
"Cindy is. She fell off a sixth floor balcony," the receptionist answered.
"Let's take her back to the treatment room and see how she is," he said as he motioned for the woman to follow him to the treatment center.
"You can have a seat here. Cindy will be fine," the receptionist said. Frank looked her in the eyes, and smiled.
"Thank you. I will have a seat," Frank said. The receptionist blushed slightly and she went back to gather the paperwork. Finding it, she took it in her hand and went back around the desk and came over to Frank.
"If you'll fill this out," she started, trying not to blush. His scent was warm, and his eyes were so deep.
"I'm not the father. I only assisted her," Frank said, "But I'll fill out how Cindy fell off the balcony," he finished as he reached for the paperwork Marla--as her name badge stated--held out to him.
Marla blushed again and decided now would be a good time to go back to her desk.
The intercom beeped. Marla pushed a button. "Marla? Cindy has a broken leg, but other than that, she's in fine shape for someone who fell six stories. She's obviously using one of her nine lives," the doctor's voice came out of the speakerphone.
Frank smiled. He finished filling in what he knew of Cindy's fall, then placed the paperwork beside him and sat back to wait for Cindy and her mother to come out of the treatment room.
An hour later, Cindy's mother came out of the treatment room. Looking around for Frank, she spied him and said, "she's going to be kept here overnight."
"I'll swing round and pick you up tomorrow so you can pick up Cindy," Frank said.
"Thank you!" Cindy's mother smiled. Frank picked up the paperwork. "You need to fill this out." The woman took it and filled it out. Paying Marla for the vet's services, she turned and found Frank ready to leave.
The two walked out into the sweet night air and got back into Frank's beamer. Starting the engine, Frank turned, and said, "By the way, I didn't get your name."
"Maria. Maria Santa Rosa," she said, turning her head to look at him.
Frank smiled at her as he took the car out of park and drove the few short miles back to the lady's apartment building. Frank had been going on a surprise visit to see an ill friend so he knew the building well.
Parking his car in the building's parking lot, Frank and Maria got out. "Thank you again for helping Cindy."
"It's never a problem, Maria," Frank said.
"You speak Spanish! You roll your r's!" Maria said as the two walked towards the building.
"Si, hablo Espanol," Frank said.
"Vives alrededor de aqui?"
"No. Vivo cerca del Lago Michigan."
Frank held the door open for her, and Maria stepped in. Crossing the small lobby, Frank reached the elevators and pushed the button. The door dinged obediently open and Frank allowed Maria to enter first.
She pushed her floor and Frank was not surprised to see it was the same floor as his friend.
"Tienes un amigo aqui?" she asked.
"Si," Frank said as the doors dinged open on the sixth floor. Once again allowing Maria to exit first, Frank walked her to her door, a few doors down from his friend.
"I'll be around in the morning to pick you up and bring back Cindy," he said in English.
"I can't thank you enough, Frank. Gracias," Maria told him, opening her door and taking a single step inside.
"Es nada," Frank said as he waited until Maria was safely in her apartment. He then walked down to the doorway of his friend...and took out his key.
Opening the door, Frank heard a female voice calling out, "Baby! I'm glad you came around." Frank smiled.