Chapter 13 - Page 182 - Tunnel Vision

   “Yes. What’s going on?”

   “I don’t know. Let’s pull over and find out.”

   Rhasha eased toward the curb and pushed on the brake. Jim realized that all the people gathered in the hospital yard were strangers. The only person he recognized was the nurse. Jim couldn’t understand why they were all wearing hospital gowns.

   Jim and Rhasha got out of the jeep. They held hands as they walked toward the crowd. Everyone was laughing and dancing.

   A young boy saw Jim and Rhasha walking toward them. “There they are!” he yelled excitedly. “There’s Papa and Mama!”

   Everyone stopped singing and dancing and flocked around Jim and Rhasha. Some of the people tried to kiss Jim, others tried to kiss Rhasha. They were all telling Jim and Rhasha they loved them. Confusion reigned. People tried to jump over each other to talk to Jim and Rhasha. The nurse was trying to get to Jim to tell him what was going on. Several times, she tried to squeeze through the crowd, but kept getting pushed back. Finally she gave up and stepped back.

A high-pitched scream pierced the noise of the crowd. Everyone stopped yelling and turned to see what was wrong.

   A little girl stood by herself, no more than twenty feet away. Her hands wiped floods of tears away from her cheeks. “I want to tell Papa something,” the little girl cried.   

The crowd opened up just enough to allow Jim and Rhasha to walk to the little girl. They knelt down in front of her, and Jim kissed the little girl on the forehead. Rhasha held the little girl’s hand.”