Shirley knew she was not in her own bedroom because the bed was definitely not hers; it was softer, and the covers were completely different. It is this fear of the unknown that is now forcing her to keep her eyes closed. And lying in this foreign bed, she is now racking her brain for why she is here, where here is, and why she is feeling so many aches and pains all over her body. Am I dreaming? Am I dying?
It seemed like a dream, but now, for some reason, she is thinking about her mother’s homemade chocolate cookies. This scene moves on immediately to her fight with her brother about what kind of dog they should look for now that their beloved cocker spaniel, Samuel, has suddenly passed away, sleeping at their father’s feet. Moving from this thought to visualizing Christmas day, opening presents snatched quickly from beneath the beautifully lit, ornamented tree. It was during this final thought that she heard a voice that was not from Christmas past.
“Nurse Taylor, how long has she been sleeping?”
“Doctor, it has been at least twelve hours. All her life signs are okay.”
“Thank you, nurse. Let me see if I can wake her. Believe it or not, I know this young lady.”
Shirley is desperate now. This must be a dream. How could her former neighborhood desperado, Billy Westwood, be in the same room, and what and where is this room? Now she tries to open her eyes, but they feel glued shut.
With a squeaky and weak voice, “Hello, where am I. I can’t open my eyes.”
“Shirley, this is Billy Westwood. This is Warner Hospital. You were in a vehicle accident and brought into the emergency room late last night. Please relax. We will help you get your eyes open.”
“But are you the Billy Westwood who used to live on my street in Rogers Park?”
“Yes indeed, I am. I was pleasantly surprised to see you, but very sorry to see you injured. I’ve been here at this Hospital for the past two years.”
Shirley sounded the same, “But I don’t remember anything.”
“This is quite normal in trauma incidents. For now, relax and let me wipe your eyes with this warm water solution. It should help you to open your eyes.” “Am I dreaming?”
