Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-04-05
Jack Pickering
Here
and
Now
CALLING ON NICK :

CALLING ON NICK:
Today is Nick Kobane's birth
day
Nick is the boy who. at the age
OF 10. was rummaging in a shop
where he was employed, looking
for some gasoline. A nervous pa
trolman mistook him in the dark
for a burglar and shot him in the
neck.
Since then. Nick has been in
Receiving Hospital paralyzed from
the waist down. To-day he Is %
years old.
Being helpless from the waist
down i a lot better than being
paralyzed from the neck up-aS
some people are. Nick Is called
the best-lked patient IN the hos
pital
4 year and a half ago a read
er sent me $40 and asked that
] give II TO Nick 10 spend in
making other patients happy
So far az know. Nick and
are the only people who know
this readers identity
Every month since then. 40
fha
same man. At first Nick bought
Cigarets hut n he said the other
day, People smoke such an aw-
ful lot that the money didn't
go far enough"
Then the kiwaniS Club gave
Nick l6-riim. movie protector.
Since then Nick has rented
movie films and given shows
every week i'm the wards
"The only thing il. said Nick,
"thA+'pe- used iHst about
the films they have for rent at
Crowley'S. You rent them al ~
much a day. ! always get them
on Saturday. because they don't
count sunday. for one days
.rent,L / have lime In give about
three shows. But do YOU know
where can get some different
films -
tSkippcr Sci WIm mor. Don
VILE and a couple Of others can
take this as far warning mat !
vii be around 10 SEQ them on
this matter
Nick> mother must boo q Won
deru' woman They say that she
has been 10 see Nick every day
since hes been n tho hospital
Nick was having ms supper when
] was there The other day and ne
Showed me his tray
"lou can get tired ~ insti-
tuition food" ne SAID but my
meals sre home-cooked. Mother
cooks IL for me and brings II
down every daN, and they warm
1t up here"
Right now Nick is worrying be-
cause he cant get hold of which
ever doctor u is who viii have 20
sign MS ration card application
I've got 10 get my card" he
SAID. because they shouldn't
have 10 share their food az home
with me.
Nick was In the papers
week or 80 ago. The city. feel
ing itself morally responsible for
NiCk'S in Jury. has been employ
ing three registered nurses To
care for him. Now the common
council has voted 10 substitute
practical nurses, because Of the
shortage Of trained ones.
don't want Ia butt into the
city's affairs hut would Ike 10
put down on the record what
Dr. 10. VI. Morrill, said in 1888:
The only reason kobane ~
alive today - the excellent
nursing care he has been re-
ceiying."
Nick likes 70 read 10 listen
O. classical music on his radio
monograph, We have a date II
play chess next time ! am IN the
hospital and he likes 20 talk bat
aviation IS his real love
He is building a model plano
q Howard DGA-s. a racing plane
with a 50-inch Widespread, anc
he's built others He likes mathe.
mates. and he wishes he coulc
20 ~ colleGe-"The Wayne L en-.
gineering school is AZ Warren anc
Second, isn't ~? he said.
He lust about breathoS aviation
He told me All about how "A frlenr
Of his was wounded flying P-3S
but landed n even with one mo
TOR and ruddcr gone and the land
ing gear wrecked. lie has an RAJ
fhcr'S autograph. and he is figur
ing out what aviation viii be like
after the war.
When II was time for me 10 20
! said. / wish they had 2 Clocl
around here Nick said. Its JUS
after quarter 10 SIN | heard m,
airlincr 90 over. That's the 5:45.
I wondered IL Nick had ever
seen the policeman who shot
him. "Only the night he shot
me-" said Nick.
What would YOU do IL he
came 10 see YOU"
81 don't knnM." Snid Nick.