Shelter Kid
By: Jon Stewart
(© 2021 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

jstewart@tickiestories.us

Chapter 17

For Josh Tuesday had finally come, Hopefully, Doc Brown would have something good to say. He took his morning Advil with breakfast instead of the pain pills so he would stay awake. The appointment was for 10:00 so for sure they would be home in time when Jesse came with the assignments.

Doc Brown ever so gently removed the bandage which was getting kind of scroungy and smelly by now. First the ace bandage then the protective hard plastic and finally the supportive tape. His hands were so gentle and soft; Josh was actually enjoying the experience. His boy parts were beginning to show.

"Don't worry about it, Josh, I have that effect on many of my patients."

Josh played dumb ," What, Doc?"

Doc laughed, "You have a spear growing between your legs."

"Ohh that, yeah it happens all the time" Josh said as nonchalantly as possible.

"Well, my super star basketball player with the genius IQ. How does it feel?  Still pretty sore?"

"I guess you want the truth Doc."

"Yeah, it usually helps."

"It still hurts Doc, sometimes real bad. And Pops has been helping me lots even flushing the toilet and stuff so I don't bend any more than is absolutely necessary."

"Thanks for telling the truth. It makes it easier for me to help you heal."

"Yeah well, Pops had a talk with me about that. I don't want anyone thinking I'm a baby, but if it hurts, I can't hide it and I have to tell the truth."

"Your Pops is absolutely right. He is a very smart man; even a genius like you should listen to him."

"Ohh, I do. Sometimes I listen to him the second time and wished I had listened the first time but I'm learning to listen a lot better. He told me he would help me get up out of the tub. I said I could do it. I fell down from the pain and asked him why didn't I listen to him. He said because teenage boys want to think they are indestructible."

Doc laughed, "Well you are learning slowly I guess, but learning. Now, Here's what I think; you are still too sore to go back to school. I want you to go to physical therapy every day for the next week

I'll write a prescription. There are treatments that they can do that will accelerate your healing. The main idea is to get as much healing blood to the damaged area as possible. They'll use ice to numb it; heat to bring the blood as well as electrical and infrared therapy to stimulate the healing. Let's see how that works. Maybe by next Tuesday I'll be able to clear you to go back to school. You know Josh, you are very lucky. Broken ribs as bad as you have often lead to a punctured lung. So, we have to get you right and make sure when you go back to school that something doesn't happen to cause that."

"OK Doc, at least I'll be doing something. If I can go to therapy in the morning and my friend, Jesse comes in the afternoon with my school assignments. I'll be a little busy."

"Good thinking buddy. Just so you know I sent a report to your coach at your grandfather's request. I told them the biggest, meanest, toughest, NFL lineman wouldn't play with the damage you had and the referees who allowed it and the coach who instructed his team to do this should be barred from school boy athletics in this and every other state."

"Thanks Doc."

Doc bandaged Josh up again and sent him home. Pops had the task of finding a PT place close by. Josh asked if he could do morning treatments. Pops found a place, actually it was run by Bobbie Edwards’s dad, who was more than happy to help Josh in any way he could and promised Pops that Josh would receive the best care he knew how to give.

Jesse came over with the assignments and told Josh that there was a rally and assembly scheduled for Friday last period. Coach was to give each player the basketballs that said team MVP and state champs.

Josh said "That nice, that's really cool, maybe take some pictures for me. The Doc hasn't cleared me to return to school."

 "Ohh, I thought, he was to clear you today."

"I thought so too. He said my ribs were still too sore and unstable. If I got bumped the wrong way, I could puncture my lung."

Jesse got all quiet. "Well, either we figure a way for you to be there or I'm not going and I gonna ask the rest of the team not to go too."

"Come on, Jesse, don't be silly. Go enjoy the rally. Hey you earned it."

"Nope. no F'in way. You are not there, they reschedule it or something. That's not right. You got your ribs busted getting that championship and you deserve to get your ball with the team. That's it, no Josh, no Rally. I'll see to it."

"I think you are being silly. You'll change your mind. Talk to your dad and the coach before you make a big stink."

Jesse's mom had been waiting. She beeped the horn.

Pops said "Jesse, your mom is waiting."

"Ok, Pops, I'll be right there. Well, I'll bring your work tomorrow and I'll ask my mom if I can stay."

"OK see ya."

Pops walked Jesse out to his mom's car. He got in. Pops introduced himself to Jesse's mom, Karen Harvey. Jesse kept saying "it's not fair, I'm not going to allow it."

Finally, Karen had to say "What's not fair?"

"They are having a rally and an assembly for the team on Friday."

"That's nice dear, what's so unfair about that."

"Josh can't go, he is still out of school till next Wednesday at best and that's another maybe. I don't care, I won't go and I'll get a bunch of the team not to go with me. It's not right."

Pops said "Jesse, you know Josh's injury is pretty serious. If he gets bumped the wrong way, one of his broken ribs could puncture his lung and that could be life threatening. But I'll talk to his Doctor and Bobby Edwards’ dad to see if something can be done. The school is not going to look favorably on a revolt by you and the team. I'll also talk to coach. I'm sure they didn't know Josh would not be allowed back to school when they scheduled the assembly. Just relax, but if he can't go and it can't be re-scheduled remember, it's way better for him to heal than risk another injury."

"OK, but I'm still gonna talk to coach and the team. We won as a team and we should celebrate as a team and the kid that did the most for us to win, who got busted ribs, has to be allowed to be there. That's what I'm saying. I don't want Josh to risk being hurt any worse, but then we celebrate when he can be there."

Pops said again "Take it slow and calm down. Give the school a chance to make this right. I know you are upset but no one planed this to cut Josh out of anything. They just didn't know. Talk to the coach if you want but don't issue ultimatums. If you feel you the need to say anything, say you'll talk to the team to see what can be done; nothing more about a protest."

"OK Pops you are right; it's just, like every time something happens it's Josh who's getting screwed."

"I know but remember you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. No one did this on purpose. I know, you can be very charming. All 15-year-old boys know how to butter up their parents. So be charming when you talk. "

"Thanks Pops, I will."

Karen said, "Thanks, Pops, now I know why I hear so many good things about you."

"Bah, I'm just a grumpy old man." Pops said with a wink.

Pops went inside.

"Jesse is not gonna take no regarding you not being at the assembly, Josh."

"Yeah, he's pretty wound up about it. I mean, I would like to be there but not if it means puncturing a lung. I want to get this healed and get back to school."

"I'm gonna call Doc Brown and see what he has to say."

Pops went right the phone and got the Doc. Explained the situation and asked if he had any suggestions so it would be alright for Josh to go.

"Hmm, high school can be a pretty rough place for a person in Josh's condition, that's why I don't want him to go. I'm sure you know, I've taking a liking to Josh and it would be a shame for him to miss the assembly. Do you think he would accept being in a wheel chair?"

"Maybe, if it was the only way he could go."

"Here's, what I'll tell you. He goes to just the assembly. Maybe the team can be his escort, body guards if you will. No one slaps him on his back; no one hugs the life out of him; no one punches him in the arm. No racing the wheel chair. I would like to go myself and I know Kevin Edwards will be there for Bobby. It is after all, my alma mater. You know I played ball there and we went to the state final but lost to Madville and the same mean SOB of a coach. I would love to give these boys a cheer and especially Josh for an amazing accomplishment. What time is it on Friday?"

"I think about 2:00, I'll make sure for you; Thanks a bunch, Doc."

"OK, I'll see if Kevin has a wheelchair he can loan us for the occasion. I expect the press will be there; ask Coach if I can have a few minutes of their time while I'm there."

"Will do Doc; Thanks again."

Pops hung up the phone "Hey Josh, Doc said you can go on one condition."

"Really, what's that?"

Pops smirked "You have to be in a wheel chair and the team has to guard you."

"Aww, Pops they'll think I am a crippled or something, maybe even dying."

"These are his words No one slaps you on your back, no one hugs the life out of you, no one punches you in the arm. No racing the wheel chair. He said his Hopewell team went to final against Madville and lost against the same mean coach. He wants to go to cheer you guys. Should I tell him to forget it; you won't go in the wheel chair."

Resigned, Josh said "No Pops, I'll go in the chair. Can I at least stand up to get my ball?"

"Well, I didn't ask him that"

"Don't Pops!! Don't ask him.!! Maybe I'll surprise him."

"OK son, but don't get head strong and overdo and make a scene and have Doc have to do an emergency something on you."

To be continued...

Posted: 12/17/2021