Re: Freddy
Wait, okay, where? I’m recording. I am the sole faculty member to have accompanied—I brought, actually, Freddy to the ER. Right now, there is no wi-fi in the waiting room, so I have all the way, I’m all the way back up outside for service, I don’t know front or back entrance. I’m voice reading this to everybody, so here’s what I know.
Freddy wanted to swing on the rings, but we know he definitely is not big enough. Wait, I’m getting a call. Okay, canceled. The teacher on duty, Miss Blackertree, she should have known that Freddy is too little. Again. Another call. I have to cancel, wait. Okay. So, when he missed a ring and fell face first? Miss Blackertree just poured bottled water on his head. That’s a siren. Going by. Going by. There, it’s gone down Broadway. No, this is two lanes. I don’t know what street this is. Anyway, the water didn’t wake him up, so she gave herself the go-ahead to move him. A spinal is major. Even an L5 is a life-changer. Bladder and bowel control a total loss.
Yes, I know. But it bears repeating. Someone should put a soft surface on the elementary playground. I did email all on March 18 about the playground surface. I flagged all for follow-up next week. That's two business days away. Forward email. Wait. I have it. No, wait. Here.
>why can’t we use the rubber mats
>which don’t cost as much as
>the cinder path we’re installing
>on the high school track that
>few students will ever use???
>??
There. I have been here long enough to see the playground go from dirt to asphalt, and I’m telling you, Miss Blackertree, your vote to do that wasn’t an improvement. Fewer dirty clothes but more hurt kids this way, but I’m old school, I guess, and one teacher, one vote. Oh, these telemarketers! Ringer is getting turned off.
Anyway, at first the doctor found bloody spots on Freddy’s chest right over his heart. I sat there watching with her as she cut off his shirt. Who, Freddy? Oh, he looked so peaceful. Another one. Siren. Two. Hang on a second. Well, the nurses wouldn’t let me take off Freddy’s air mask so I could kiss his forehead and remind him to think of his parents. I ordered that doctor to save the glass they took out from him. You bet I did. I will follow up on that, too. You know how after his mother’s sudden death, her sudden but accidental death, her passing, yes, I know how we say it to Freddy. When I left him, he was sleeping, and your boy is in good hands now, the Lord looks over the innocent like yours because He knows Fred is a good child and he always carries you near his heart, mom.
The school counselor, Mr. Bentam, told Freddy to carry something that reminds him of her. Yes, the nightlight that looks like an apple with a worm dressed like a traveling salesman coming out of it. That salesman worm was made of something. It broke close to his heart, but they won’t tell me exactly. Maybe not his heart. Maybe a valve. So many sirens tonight! How do people around here sleep, my gosh.
So, everyone, I'm headed back down. I don’t even know if this is such a great neighborhood. It’s very cold down there. I am not able to be right by his side because I’m an infectious risk. Anyone would be. It's not me. Let’s get some responses going about those rubber mats for the elementary playground and then I can have another report on Freddy! Let’s not miss our grab for that brass ring while the fund drive is still going on and make our playground safe! I'm going down to the waiting room now. No more service. If you want to come see Freddy, I’ll be here. But bring something to read, because the TV in the waiting room is