The coastland times with which is combined the pilot and herald of Belhaven and Swan Quarter. [volume] (Manteo, N.C.) 1959-1973, 1960-10-21
Let's Hear Him Answer That!

concluded they might as we'll be
taken down, for insofar as l
could learn, the visitors deemed
hospitals places for field days and
family reunions. Thank God at
least, they do not allow small
children to come in. The old hens,
and younger people rival football
cheer leaders and bridge parties
and, in their righteousness are
sufficiently distracting.
The nurses and others were
most attentive, and their courtesy
and service was splendid. But /
became extremely unhappy Mon
day morning, when I, who usual
ly breakfast at six to seven
didn't get a bite until 1870. l
was told this was because they
wanted to take samples of my
blood. They could have had a
quart of my blood in exchange
for bread, and begged them to
take it quickly, but nobody SEEM
ed in a hurry to come and get it.
Meantime l had been stuck with
needles through every part of my
most literally upholstered portions
until l couldn't sit, nor for that
matter be comfortable in any po-
sition. On Sunday afternoon l was
provided with n delightful quart
of glucose or dextrose, or some
other goo injected through my
veins, dripping slowly through the
back of my hand, and was kept
flat of my back for three hours
at a stretch, when never before
in my life have 1 been able to
sit immobile through 80 minute
sermon. This happened thrice.
About five times a day l got
these needles shot into my pos
terror, and doctors and nurses
both, said l had the toughest hide
they'd ever seen. Some of them
including one doctor couldn't find
nv veins, and nurses broke about
a dozen needles and had to 60 for
requirements. By the end OF the
fourth night when the nurse came
with the big needle, l said there
isn't but one place in the usual
area | haven't been stuck, and I'll
be damned if that's going to be
violated So the charming young
doctor from the Island of Crete
came and gave me that needle in
the back of my hand.
l have concluded some nurses got
a special delight out of making one
pull down his pants and jabblng
him in the rump, occasionally
breaking a needle in the process.
I Escape For a Night
l could have overlooked the in
conveniences that followed my adj
mission had it not been for the
noise made by the many visiting
hens who chartered SO shrilly on
Monday night. l called to the maid
and asked her what the hell allied
those people. Within 80 seconds
after she departed my room, the
noise subsidized, and didn't resume
but the damage had been done;
1 was completely awake, and
couldn't sleep against my chronic
arthritis, the groaning from other
rooms, and the steady clopping OF
the hob-nails of the hired help ur
and down the hall.
Tuesday was a lovely day, anc
following one of my several visits
to the canteen downstairs, stroll.
ed out on the street, and found
some real orange juice and a pail
of sox. 1t was a typical autumn
day, shot to the core with sun
shine," and I hailed taxi and sci
forth across town, visiting my ole
friend Gus Goldback out on Bal.
lentine Boulevard, and he lent me
a handful of greenbacks, since
was short on spending money ant
I did love to patronize the can
teen. l was gone two hours, ane
apparently wasn't missed at the
hospital.
Tuesday night when the pro.
cession of the laundering hero
headed to visit the sick began,
swore I'd never stay another night
in the place. / got a taxi, went
to the Thomas Nelson Hotel anc
got room, a bowl of clam chow
der, a ham sandwich and coffee
plus a good nights rest. I called
the hospital to let my floor know
l had taken leave for the night
but the operator at the switchboard
said she couldn't connect anybody
but doctors with the floors. ]
called home to advise my people