"I'm fine, Josh. I was just a little dehydrated. They gave
me a couple of bags of saline solution. Dripped it into my arm.
And then they let me sleep. Would you like something to drink?
Your mother put some food in my fridge. I think there's a coke for you."
"I was worried. The ambulance slipped away so
silently—I was afraid." Josh had called the hospital at noon and
discovered that Miss Ingersoll had been discharged. Dr. Levine had driven
her home.
"Two things, Josh. First, I'm a tough old bat. It's going
to take more than a little dehydration to knock me off. And
secondly, death's not a bad option, at my age. Oh, I don't plan to die
this week, or even this year. But I am eighty years old. That's plenty
old enough."
"I want you to live forever, Miss Ingersoll." How could
she be so calm?
"That's really not a very kind wish, you know. Let me
live while I'm healthy, and then a quick demise."
"But. . . ." Didn't anything last in this life? Why couldn't
he just grab hold of the things he loved and not let them change?
Make them live forever.
"No, Josh. It's not negotiable. But right now, I'm fine.
Jack, Dr. Levine was very kind. Said I was to take it easy today and
then back to normal. He thinks very highly of you. Did you know that?"
"He's a neighbor. I mow his lawn sometimes. He
doesn't know me." Josh twisted in his chair.
"Oh, he knows quite a bit. More, now that he and I
chatted yesterday." She gave a conspiratorial wink.
"Miss Ingersoll!"
"I only told him good things. I only know good things,
so don't worry. Oh, the best thing that he knows about you is that
you may have saved my life."
"What?" Levine had said the ambulance was no big deal!
"Oh, I told him I don't think so. That I was really fine, just
a little tired. But he thought if you hadn't found me then I might
have just gotten weaker and weaker until I just faded away. So I
owe you a favor."
"A favor! You don't owe me anything. I'm just glad
I stopped by when I did."
"Well, that's what Jack said. Thought it would be good
if someone stopped by every day. Would you do that for me? I
could pay you to be my guardian angel. What do you say?"
"Course I'll do that. I practically do it already. I'll just
tell Gus that I'll be a little late every day. Shouldn't be a problem.
Ha.
"Gus was boiling mad when I didn't show up until late yesterday.
I thought he was going to pop something." Josh laughed as
he remembered. "But you know what? When I told him that I
was taking care of you he cooled right down. How long have
you known him?"
"I think I started taking my car to him when its
factory warranty ran out. It just seemed convenient but I think I made
a good choice. He's helped me keep that car running."
"He's a good boss. He's gonna sell that station to me in
a few years. Imagine. Me, running a business in downtown
Exeter. Pretty sharp." Josh felt his chest swell a little bit as he talked.
"I can imagine that, Josh. I can imagine that. But
imagine this. Imagine an even older lady bringing her Thunderbird in
every now and then because she trusts the people who work there."
Her smile made Josh feel as if he was already the proud owner of
the service station that kept her car in tiptop shape.
"I'm fine, Josh. I was just a little dehydrated. They gave
me a couple of bags of saline solution. Dripped it into my arm.
And then they let me sleep. Would you like something to drink?
Your mother put some food in my fridge. I think there's a coke for you."
"I was worried. The ambulance slipped away so
silently—I was afraid." Josh had called the hospital at noon and
discovered that Miss Ingersoll had been discharged. Dr. Levine had driven
her home.
"Two things, Josh. First, I'm a tough old bat. It's going
to take more than a little dehydration to knock me off. And
secondly, death's not a bad option, at my age. Oh, I don't plan to die
this week, or even this year. But I am eighty years old. That's plenty
old enough."
"I want you to live forever, Miss Ingersoll." How could
she be so calm?
"That's really not a very kind wish, you know. Let me
live while I'm healthy, and then a quick demise."
"But. . . ." Didn't anything last in this life? Why couldn't
he just grab hold of the things he loved and not let them change?
Make them live forever.
"No, Josh. It's not negotiable. But right now, I'm fine.
Jack, Dr. Levine was very kind. Said I was to take it easy today and
then back to normal. He thinks very highly of you. Did you know that?"
"He's a neighbor. I mow his lawn sometimes. He
doesn't know me." Josh twisted in his chair.
"Oh, he knows quite a bit. More, now that he and I
chatted yesterday." She gave a conspiratorial wink.
"Miss Ingersoll!"
"I only told him good things. I only know good things,
so don't worry. Oh, the best thing that he knows about you is that
you may have saved my life."
"What?" Levine had said the ambulance was no big deal!
"Oh, I told him I don't think so. That I was really fine, just
a little tired. But he thought if you hadn't found me then I might
have just gotten weaker and weaker until I just faded away. So I
owe you a favor."
"A favor! You don't owe me anything. I'm just glad
I stopped by when I did."
"Well, that's what Jack said. Thought it would be good
if someone stopped by every day. Would you do that for me? I
could pay you to be my guardian angel. What do you say?"
"Course I'll do that. I practically do it already. I'll just
tell Gus that I'll be a little late every day. Shouldn't be a problem.
Ha.
"Gus was boiling mad when I didn't show up until late yesterday.
I thought he was going to pop something." Josh laughed as
he remembered. "But you know what? When I told him that I
was taking care of you he cooled right down. How long have
you known him?"
"I think I started taking my car to him when its
factory warranty ran out. It just seemed convenient but I think I made
a good choice. He's helped me keep that car running."
"He's a good boss. He's gonna sell that station to me in
a few years. Imagine. Me, running a business in downtown
Exeter. Pretty sharp." Josh felt his chest swell a little bit as he talked.
"I can imagine that, Josh. I can imagine that. But
imagine this. Imagine an even older lady bringing her Thunderbird in
every now and then because she trusts the people who work there."
Her smile made Josh feel as if he was already the proud owner of
the service station that kept her car in tiptop shape.
