I was wandering around the Calgary Zoo. I hoped that the visit would cheer me. I started my zoo day, as I usually did, with a visit to the tigers. They weren’t out today. So I wandered down to see the elephants1. I got lucky. Their keepers were putting the elephants through their paces. Kamala…
The Death Spiral It was a woodframe building capped with a green metal roof. A solar panel was mounted on the south facing section of the roof. The large windows at the front and sides of the building were framed with 6 inch wide pine boards. Below the windows the wall was studded with randomly…
Chuck was keen to treat the patient but the fire crew couldn’t get the patient out of the car because his legs were trapped under the front seat. The fire crew pryed open the driver’s door with the Jaws of Life and within minutes the driver was strapped to a spinal board and bundled into…
EMS to the Rescue The driver of the Ford F150 stared in disbelief1. The powder blue Olds she had been taiiling had just executed a lighting fast lane change. Into the empty bus lane. And, rocketed straight into the concrete sound barrier marking the end of the bus lane. The brake lights never came on….
Prologue Death was calling him. He remembers her most recent call. May 1, 2010. He had just moved into his apartment. Beginning a new life. Alone. Hopeful. Joyous. Then it all turned to shit. Somewhere around noon. The witching hour. His mood dropped. Crashed. Plummeted. Lower than a salamaner’s belly. Lower than a cockroach’s. Lower…
Bubbly Toes She had shockingly white, Nordic blond hair. It wrapped around a rounded face graced with protruding cheek bones, under glacial blue eyes, and set off with a ski jump nose. Her name as Ingrid and she was my new Recreation Therapist. Ingrid had a effervesent, nothing-got-her-down personality that immediately reminded me of the…
Looking For A Book “Act like your looking for a book but you’re not sure what to buy,” I said. Bonnie actually got up from her chair. Stood a few feet away. And, approached me like I was sitting in my chair at the cash desk in the bookstore. She said, “Can you help me?”…
Shrink Wrap, Too That first session with Bonnie consisted of the usual questions. How long have you been crazy? Seriously, though. Questions about my psychological history. My car ‘accident’. My relationships. The usual. After fifty five minutes Bonnie said, “We need to wrap this up. Let’s schedule the next session in two weeks. Same time?”…
Shrink Wrap I have a love/hate relationship with my memories of Bonnie. Bonnie was the Social Worker assigned to work with me by the C.A.R. Program. I first met with her [date]. A chunky, fortyish brunette she came into the reception area and called my name. She escorted me to her office. Sat down behind…
Adeline was my new physiotherapist. A rangy, dark-haired young woman. She did not vibrate to the same frequency Kenny had. No one could. She had a soft voice and a sweet nature. I thought I would spend months with her. I didn’t. I had just four sessions with her. That first session she did a…