The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1934-09-13

day morning; didn't want any
breakfast, drank lots of water,
said he guessed it was that old
complaint of his-nothing serious.
By 10 o'clock his boy Jim wanted
to take him to the Health Center"
"You don't look well, Dad" Jim
insisted, "and at your age it don't
pay to take chances"
"At my age! I'll remind you I'm
only 58." The Old Man carefully
wiped a cold sweat from his face.
His hand shook a little.
Jim tried to argue, but the Old
Man got sore. Cali 1 needs a mus
tard plaster On my stummick. It's
what l used last time l had one of
these spells" He shivered and sat
down in the easy chair. "Only we
amt got any mustard plasters.
Bring me some blankets. son."
By noon he was real bad. He
was garrulous, hardly realized
what he was saying:
81 amt goin' to that damned free
clinic!" His voice went shrill. l
went there six months ago, and
they kept me waitin' from nine in
the morning till four in the after
noon. And then one of them smart
social workers told me to come
back next day to see the doctor.
amt goin'!"
At 1 o'clock he asked to be put
to bed.
"I'm real sick, Jim. Get me a
mustard plaster for my stummick."
Jim went to the grocer and
asked if he could have two-bits out
of his grocery order. The grocer
pursed his face alphabetically
when he was told about the Old
: Man.
'Tck, tex, it's too bad" and he
! wagged his head.
But when pressed for the two
bits the grocer was even more
, sorry. "I can't give you money
JIM" he explained. eff I did and
the Charities found it out I'd get
! into trouble. I'd like to give it tc
, you, but" he turned his palms
up expressively.
Jim laid his two hands flat on
the counter. "Give me the two
bits. And be quick about it."
The grocer squeaked a nervous
word or two and gave Jim the
quarter. Then he marked it on
the grocery order: "Bears, 3Oc."
The mustard plaster didn't do
any good. About 8 o'clock tina
night Jim got nickel from the
e neighbors and called the HIGHLAND
D Hospital.
"Your fathers been sick all day
f the hospital demanded.
q eyes, ma'am. He's getting yer,
bad. Could you send a county doc
tor out right away"
t The hospital interrupted. "Wh,
v do you wait till this time of nigh
to call us? I'll try to get you
doctor tonight, but there may nc
be anyone out there till tomorrow
Jim sat up all night. Every
time car passed he ran to tn
window to see if it was the doc
e tor.
) The Old Man rested a little bi
1 easier all day Thursday and Thur
e day night. But Friday morning
he went out of his head. Once c
: twice Jim thought he'd have to ii
- him down. He got another nickt
Is from the neighbors and called tn
't Charities. He begged them, for
k Gods sake, to help him get doc
Is tor. They advised him to call tn
It Highland Hospit al, and hung up.
During the fourth night Jim fe
n asleep over a letter to his brotht
! Dan in Sacramento. When
Weakened he destroyed the letter
/ Dan couldn't come anyhow. He
S, and his family had been on tn
Charities for two years.
g Sunday morning Jim left the Of
l. Man alone and hiked to the no.
pital. He demanded that they sen
II an ambulance after his father.
! eve can't send you an ambl
- lance" they explained. eff he Ell
4 tiers the hospital at all, you'll hay
to get him down here yourself.
l. it's an emergency the police ambl
" lance will bring him."
eft is an emergency" Jim W;
- desperate. "You promised four {
- five days ago to send count
a doctor"
~ "You go back home," they urge
him, "and We'll send you a doctC
lie this afternoon, without fail"
g. "I'm stayin' right here. Jim We
ready to fight. SIM not leavi
N here till you send a doctor wit
II me-"
- They threw him out.
The Old Man had mussed Il
= bed while Jim was gone. Soaks
the mattress, everything. All Il
e. becdlothes had to be thrown on
~ Jim made him as comfortable ;
/ he could on a mattress of o
lp clothes and newspapers.
n Monday Jim wanted to call Il
hospital again, but the neighbo
next door were out, and he WI
- afraid to leave the Old Man aloi
long enough to beg a nickel and I
the phoning.