Location: Balcony of the condo.
Time: July 7, 2007 at 6:30 a.m. C.D.T.
Lazlo had joined Nate out on the balcony to watch the sunrise. This was the final morning of the groups' week-long trip and Nate was glad that Lazlo had joined him to observe the final sunrise of the trip with him. He had realized that he hadn't really talked with Lazlo all that much on this trip, at least not in any long, drawn-out conversations. No with Lazlo there was hardly anytime for such conversations as the spider monkey was a constant ball of energy that like staying active and using his imagination to dream up fun stuff to do. It was becoming clear, however, that there was a side to Lazlo well-suited for deep conversations.
Lazlo: I know you've said that you feel no limitations from you're paralysis Nate but have you ever had moments where you just start to think what if?
Nate: (sighs) Of course I've had those moments. I guess there's really no escaping them when it gets right down to it. The question of what if has crossed my mind a lot this week when I watched ya'll kite-surfing and water-skiing…all the things I use to be able to do.
Lazlo: I don't see how it doesn't drive you crazy. I remember once when I had a broken leg and had to stay off my feet for awhile, it really got me down. I know that might seem like nothing to you though. After all I eventually regained use of my leg. Never having use of both legs like in your case would be a tragedy for me. I don't know if I could handle it as well as you have.
Nate: Well it was a great struggle for me to begin with. I have to say that you and Clam, Raj, and all the other campers last summer really helped. Ya'll gave me that final push I needed to help pick myself up and go on living life to the fullest. Besides I also hold out hope that soon I might be able to use my legs yet again.
Lazlo: Really!? It might actually be possible to reverse the paralysis? I thought your case was irreversible.
Nate: Well it still is considered that but all I've seen in the advances in the field of medicine have been encouraging. Personally I don't know how I'd take it if I got word that a surgery could be done tomorrow to restore me pretty much back to normal. It would be great and all but…well I'd have to adjust to something new once again. I just wander if I could handle that psychologically.
Lazlo: I see your point but I would have to think you would be capable of adjusting back to having working legs just as easily as you had to adjust to not having working legs. Hey! You know what would be cool. They could maybe give you bionic legs. Then you'd be the ultimate Bean Scout, half coyote and half robot and all super fast and with the ability to kick a pine cone for hundreds of miles. (displays big grin and wide eyes) That would be soooo awesome.
Nate: (rolls eyes at Lazlo's active imagination) Yea that would be something else bud. Still I don't think we've reached that level of bio-mechanical expertise yet. Maybe it would be possible in another 10 years or maybe 2 years for Japan (chuckles). We'll have to wait and see.
They continued on a little while in conversation until they heard the sliding glass door behind them open. It was Randy and he wanted to know if they were ready to have some breakfast. Both of course were more than ready and Randy with some help from Nate helped to whip up a nice breakfast of waffles, bacon, eggs, and sausage. Randy it turns out was very handy in the kitchen as was Nate. Nate learned a lot of his culinary skills from Jake, who also liked to cook. They all got a kick out of Randy's apron that read simply "Real Man Can Cook". Clam turned out to be a big help as well in the kitchen. This was no surprise to the others as they figured Clam's artistic abilities would probably show up in the kitchen as well. As much fun as the five had in preparing the meal, it was equally if not more enjoyable to feast on what they had prepared.
Once everyone was through with breakfast, they began to pack. Randy had already had his watercrafts taken off the previous day. They were to drive all the way up to Atlanta where Jake and Crystal had invited them to spend the rest of the day with them there. After that it would be back to Camp Kidney for Randy, Lazlo, Clam, and Raj. Jake would personally take Nate to his baseball camp come the following Sunday. After one final glance out over the ocean from their balcony, they left the room, headed down to the parking lot, and piled into Randy's sports car. Nate had already said goodbye to Angela yesterday morning. By now they were probably almost to their home in White Plains, NY. He had made sure he had her number so that he could speak to her again. She was a friend he wanted to be sure and keep. At about 8:15 a.m. C.D.T. they were on their way, away from Florida's Gulf Coast toward Georgia. It would be around 4:45 p.m. E.D.T. when they got to Atlanta and the hotel that Jake and Crystal were staying at. The remainder of the day was perfect and just before Nate lay down to sleep that night, he reflected on the good times they had shared this week. He knew he was gonna have a time saying goodbye to those guys in the morning but he was determined to keep in touch. He smiled as he began to drift off to sleep knowing that he would definitely be returning to Camp Kidney in the future.
The End