(The Hospital room. Mindy is primping her hair while looking in a mirror. She puts down the mirror and glances over at Beth. After a moment’s pause, she decides to start a conversation).
Mindy:
Where’d your parents go?
Beth:
They had to get to work.
Mindy: (Nods)
I noticed your mom was wearing a white uniform. Is she a nurse?
Beth: (Smiles)
Yes, on this floor.
Mindy:
Oh how lucky! What does your dad do?
Beth:
He works for Spaulding Enterprises.
Mindy:
Oh! Does he know Alan Spaulding?
Beth:
Probably not personally. He works in security.
Mindy: (Fussing with her brush again)
Well, my Daddy’s a big oilman. That’s why he had to leave. He’s out now, probably closing some big deal.
Beth:
Oh, are you from Texas?
Mindy:
Oklahoma.
Beth:
I could tell you weren’t from around here.
Mindy:
I’m just visiting. Then it’s off to Europe in a few days.
Beth:
Oh, I’ve always wanted to go to Europe.
Mindy:
Oh, honey, if I could put you on that plane instead of me, you’d be seeing it real soon.
(Bert Bauer is in the hallway pushing a cart of books. She pauses by room 428—her good friend Professor Martin Bruner was in that room during his terminal illness, and this is Bert’s first trip back to the hospital since his death. She touches the number on the door and then proceeds to room 430—Mindy and Beth’s).
Bert: (Entering with her cart)
Why, good morning!
Mindy:
Oh, who are you?
Bert:
I’m a volunteer here.
Mindy: (Laughing)
I’d think they’d have to drag people to work in this god-forsaken place.
Bert: (Dismissing Mindy and moving closer to Beth)
Well, would either one of you like some books or a magazine? I’d be happy to go get them for you, whatever you want.
Mindy:
Not unless you can lay your hands on a copy of the “Rolling Stone.”
Rick: (Walking by and entering the room)
Grandma?
Bert:
Sweetheart!
Rick:
How are you doing? I didn’t know you were back.
Bert: (Giving him a hug and a kiss)
Hi there, Rick. Yeah, I got back this morning.
Mindy:
This is your grandma?
Rick:
It sure is. Grandma, this is Mindy Lewis.
Bert:
Ah, yes. We’ve met.
Mindy:
Oh, Rick, had I known this was your grandma, I would have gotten out of my bed of pain to give her a big Oklahoma hello!
Bert: (Condescending smile)
I’ll bet you would. I was just asking these girls if they’d like anything from the library.
Beth:
I’d love to have a copy of “Washington Square” by Henry James. I was reading it at home.
Bert:
Well, that shouldn’t be any problem.
(Rick looks at Beth and recognition crosses over his face).
Beth:
Thank you.
Rick:
Don’t we have an English class together?
Beth:
Yes, I’m Beth Raines.
Rick:
That’s right. I’m Rick Bauer. How are you doing?
Beth:
I know. (Giving him a shy wave). Hi.
Bert:
Is your mother Lillian Raines?
Beth:
Yes. She’s a nurse on this floor now.
Bert:
I know, and one of the best too. I’ve known her for years, since way back when she was with pediatrics.
Rick:
What happened to you, Beth?
Beth:
I fell down the stairs at home. A real klutz, huh?
Bert:
Oh, are you in any pain dear?
Beth:
A little. But they’re taking good care of me here.
Mindy: (Interrupting)
Oh Rick, don’t tell your grandma what happened to me.
Rick:
Well, Mindy here decided to take a ride on Vanessa Chamberlain’s horse last night, but I think the horse had different ideas.
Mindy:
I was almost killed by that thing, too. And I haven’t seen anything but nurses around this hospital. What? Don’t they have doctors?
Bert:
Well, the nurses do give excellent care, and of course they follow the doctors’ orders.
Mindy:
Well, I’d still like to see a doctor anyway. Especially that cute one, Dr. Nelson.
Bert:
Well, there’s something you should remember, Mindy. The doctors have a lot of patients here and some of them are really ill. And some of them really need their help.
(She walks back to her cart. Rick grabs her by the shoulder).
Rick:
Gram?
Bert:
What?
Rick:
Is it hard for you to come back here? To the hospital?
Bert:
Well, dear, yes. Well, at least it wasn’t easy. (Looking at Beth and Mindy). But it’s good to see that life goes on around here.
Rick:
Well, Grandma, I am glad you’re back again.
Bert:
Well, I’m glad to be back. Now I’ve got to go to the library and find “Washington Square” for Beth here.
Beth:
Oh, please, don’t go to any trouble.
Bert:
Oh honey, it’s no trouble. It was a pleasure to meet both of you ladies.
Rick:
Okay Grandma.
Bert: (pushing the cart out)
And I’ll see you later.
Mindy:
You come back any time, Mrs. Bauer.
Bert: (Leaving)
Thank you.
Rick: (turning his back on Mindy and talking to Beth)
So, you read those books even when they’re not assigned to you?
Beth:
Yeah, I enjoy them.
Rick:
You know, I almost never got through Henry James myself.
(Beth laughs)
Mindy:
Rick? Why don’t you come over here and pull the curtain. I’m sure Beth needs a rest.
(Beth shrugs).
Rick:
Okay. I hope you feel better.
Beth:
Thanks.
(Rick pulls the curtain and lounges on the end of Mindy’s bed).
Rick:
So, have you had many people come here to visit you?
Mindy:
Well, Daddy was here most of the morning.
Rick:
Mm-hmm.
Mindy:
And that Vanessa came by to make sure nobody was going to sue her. And I haven’t seen Phillip at all. I haven’t seen a single doctor.
Rick:
That’s because the doctors are married, Mindy. Ha ha ha.
Mindy: (Grabbing her stomach)
You shouldn’t kid around when I’m in so much pain.
Rick:
Well, you should not have taken that horse for a ride last night, Mindy.
Mindy:
Nobody seemed to give a hoot what I did.
Rick: (Irritated sigh)
Oh.
Mindy:
So I thought I’d give Boss a try.
Rick:
Mindy, are you really in that much pain?
Mindy:
Rick, I’ve got a pain in my stomach, and it’s like a knife going straight through me. Look. (Rick stand up to examine her). I think with all this stress I’ve gotten an ulcer.
Rick:
Really, that sounds pretty serious. Wait, move your hand. (Taps her stomach with his pointer finger). Oh yeah. Feel right there?
Mindy: (Nodding in agreement)
Yeah.
Rick: (Straightening up to leave)
I better talk to one of those doctors about getting an upper GI series.
Mindy: (Dragging Rick back to her bed by his hand)
I knew I can count on you. What’s an upper GI series?
Rick:
Oh, it’s just this set of x-rays that the doctor takes if he thinks you’re having an ulcer. It’s really nothing. And while they’re taking the x-rays, you swallow this stuff…(Dramatic pause for Mindy’s benefit) Uh, it’s called…It’s called barium.
(He starts to get up and she drags him back again).
Mindy:
What’s that?
Rick:
It’s just this thick white stuff. Tastes like chalk. It’s really not that bad, though. And you only have to swallow about a quart of it. It’s really not that bad when it’s going through you…if you can swallow it.
Mindy:
Well, you know, um, just having you beside me has made my tummy feel a whole lot better. So, you don’t have to bother those doctors with that upper GI series.
Rick:
Okay, Mindy. You’re sure you’re going to be okay?
(Mindy nods; Rick chuckles).
