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When Sam woke up his left arm hurt and he thought he must have slept in a draught. He got up and went to work. By the time he sat down at his desk he was perspiring and had pains in his chest. He must be getting flu or something.
He started on Sheraton but couldn’t really concentrate on it. He thought about working on the Social Security speech instead. He could do with getting a head start on that.
The file was in Josh’s office and he went round to see Donna. She was getting herself a coffee. She looked alarmed when she saw him. “You look terrible, are you all right?”
“I think so. Do you have the Social Security file?”
“Josh took it with him.”
“Really, are you sure?”
“I put it in his bag myself. Sorry Sam.”
“He went straight to the airport from home didn’t he? Couldn’t he have left it at his apartment?”
“I don’t think so. He said he had to work on policy before you guys started on the speech.” She put her hand on his forehead. “Sam, shouldn’t you go home?”
“The files not there.”
“The file is 30 000 feet in the air on its way to Vancouver. Give up on it. But go home, because you look like you’re about to die of something from the Middle Ages.”
“I could go to Josh’s place and just check whether it’s there or not.”
“Is this an emergency? Because I’ve got some briefing notes and summaries on disk…”
“No, I really need the whole…”
“Shall I get Josh to messenger it from his hotel?”
Sam remembered that he really did need Josh to work on policy angles and that he had at least 140 other things to do before he could even think of starting that speech. “No, its okay. Thanks Donna.”
He turned and nearly passed out. Donna grabbed his arm and steadied him “Sam.”
“I’m all right. Head rush, that’s all.” He started off down the corridor.
“Wait, I think your lips are turning blue.”
“I’m just going to sit down in my office, I’ll be fine.”
“I’m calling Ginger.”
His chest was tightening now and affecting his breathing but he ignored it and went back to his office to work on Sheraton. On the way he had a fight with Ginger until he agreed to let her make an appointment for him to see his doctor.
He stared at his notes for a minute or two and then threw down his pen. He made up his mind to go to Josh’s to see if the Social Security file was there. Josh had left the office early last night so he might have finished the work on it and not needed to take it away with him. It was a possibility anyway.
He put on his jacket and went next door to Toby’s office where he and Leo were talking. They stopped and stared at him.
“Jesus Sam,” said Toby. “What’s the matter with you?”
“I’m okay, listen I’m going over to Josh’s to get the Social Security file. I won’t be…”
“You look horrible.”
“Seriously I’m fine, maybe it’s a cold or…”
“Why are you holding your arm?” Leo demanded.
“I don’t know, its…I think I slept in a draught.”
“Are you having chest pains?”
“Chest pains? No…well…why?”
“Are you stupid?” Quickly standing, Leo caught hold of Sam and sat him on the couch. Which was just as well as his legs were giving way on him.
Toby stood too. “Bonnie!” He yelled.
“I’m fine,” Sam gasped. “I slept in a draught, caught a cold.”
“What draught Sam? It was 130 degrees last night? Bonnie!” Bonnie came in. “Will you call an ambulance for Sam, he’s having some kind of heart attack from sleeping in a draught.”
She took one look at Sam and hurried away.
“A…no…no I feel fine. I have to go to Josh’s that’s all.”
***********
He was sitting on the edge of an emergency room bed having been detached from several monitors. Bonnie was standing on one side of him, she was holding his jacket and looking at him suspiciously. The doctor was on the other side of him writing up her notes.
“You’re perfectly healthy,” said the doctor. “You’re the healthiest person in this hospital. You’re the healthiest person on the planet. You should take less exercise and eat more cholesterol. You might be catching a cold from sleeping in a draught but don’t take any vitamins because you’re way too healthy.”
Sam got this a lot.
He put his shirt back on. He was feeling quite a bit better but Bonnie had decided he was deliberately concealing a life threatening condition.
“Doctor, when you listened to his heart and lungs…?”
“There was nothing unusual.”
“Any murmur? Any sign of fluid in the lungs?”
The doctor and Sam looked at her. “None,” said the doctor.
“How about the EKG? Any sign of enlargement or inflammation?”
“None. Heart rate and rhythm normal, blood supply normal.”
“Any sign of aeortic aneurisym?”
“None, nor aeortic dissection.”
“Did you test for CPK, CPK-MB, Myoglobin, Troponin?”
“Yes, all bloods normal.”
“And the echocardiogram?”
“Shows no abnormal connections, wall motion abnormalities or any aneurysm, clot, tumor or bacterial growth.”
“Then how come…?”
“I’ve no idea, it’s sort of freakish.”
Sam, who had been momentarily transfixed by this exchange, edged out from between them. “Sorry. Is it okay if I go? I just need to…”
“You’ve got to go home,” said Bonnie, helping him on with his jacket. “Leo’s cancelled your security clearance.”
“Yeah, I’m going home. I’m going right home.”
“Shall I come with you?”
“No, I can manage. I’m catching a cab.”
The doctor gave him a bottle of aspirin. “If your symptoms come back call 911 and take one of these immediately. But I shouldn’t worry, it was probably indigestion. You are so healthy, you should be in an exhibition.”
“Thanks. I’m going now.”
If he was going to have to go home he might as well get some work done while he was there. He decided to get the cab to stop at Josh’s. He would pick up the file he needed and go home and work on it.
The Super knew Sam and let him into the apartment. He saw the file on the table, Josh’s backpack on the couch, Josh’s coat next to it, Josh’s overnight bag on the floor.
“Josh.” No reply. He checked the bedroom, the kitchen, the bathroom. “Oh God.”
Josh was lying on the bathroom floor, deathly pale, his eyes closed.
He was fully dressed as if he had been just about to leave before he collapsed. Sam knelt down beside him, pulled him up into his arms and his eyes flickered open. “Sam?” His face was damp with perspiration, he felt cold to Sam’s touch, he was having trouble breathing. His head dropped against Sam’s chest. Sam pulled his phone from his pocket and dialled 911, called an ambulance. “Sam. I can’t…”
“I know. You’re going to be fine. I’m right here. I’m getting help for you.” He took an aspirin from the bottle the doctor had given him and put it into Josh’s mouth. “Chew that now and swallow it.” Josh obeyed.
He loosened Josh’s tie and unbuttoned his shirt. He smoothed back his damp hair, settled him more comfortably in his arms.
“How did you know?” Josh asked.
“I heard you calling me.”
end
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