Amazing Stories

Dr. Wolfe. Dr. Alan Wolfe. Third floor ?

Excuse me, Dr. Templeton. What is it, Haller?

Mrs. Sandler in 9 16? I'm really running up against it.

What's the problem?

She's a 6 9 - year-old female...

with a seven-day history of increasing left lower quadrant pain.

There's never a nurse when you need one.

What's the room number there? It's 9 06.

It's the comatose patient.

Those damn machines. Come on. Walk with me.

The patient has no history of tenesmus. Ah, Nurse! Nice to see you!

Huh. Uh, her weight has been stabilized and her appetite is adequate.

Any history of G.I. D? No.

Look at this stuff. You know what it costs to keep this guy alive?

Don't ask. You need a degree in engineering just to work in a hospital these days.

Got a hammer?

1,000 dollars' worth of equipment, it still goes on the fritz.

Seems to be working okay. How can it be working okay, Haller, when it's registering normal brain activity?

It's always the little things ? Like the lighter on my Caddy.

$23,000 for a car.

Better call Repair.

$23,000 for a car?

What's it made out of, gold? He's awake.

Get Dr. Caruso. He's awake and he's talking.

Get Caruso. Stat!

Whoa! Where's the fire?

I sure could go for a Nehi cream soda right about now.

You don't look so good, fella. You better sit down.

They say if you put your head between your knees,

it gets the circulation to circulate.

Say, what are all these wires and tubes you got sticking in me?

You fellas don't mind if I unhook some of this stuff, do you?

- Now, no. Don't. - Wait, wait, wait.

Wait. We'll do that for you.

You just take it easy now.

Take it easy.

- Do you know your name? - Benjamin Dum fy ? With an "F."

- How do you feel? - Feel good. Great.

Very well rested.

I could settle for a glass of water.

Let's get Mr. Dum fy a glass of water.

Also, notify Fredericks that...

something unusual has happened.

- Where am I? - In a hospital.

- What day is it? - Sunday.

Damn!

I missed Fibber McGee and Molly last night.

Did Digger get the hearse back, or what?

I? I don't know.

Well, didn't any of you listen to the radio last night?

What are you all gawking at me like that for? You look like you've seen a ghost.

Mr. Dum fy .

I don't know exactly how to put this to you.

What? Put what to me?

You've been unconscious. Right.

For 40 years.

Forty years. J ust like Rip Van Winkle, eh, Doc?

That's a good gag. Forty?

Hey. What have you done? What's going on?

- Mr. Dum fy , listen. - I'm getting out ofhere! What are you doing?

J ust calm down. You listen to me! I'm getting out of here!

It's a lie! It's a lie!

Nobody's gonna hurt you.

Mr. Dum fy ? Mr. Dum fy , it's okay.

Close your eyes.

Tell me, what do you smell?

- Cherry LifeSavers. - Okay.

- What was the very last thing you remember? - Hitting the water. It was cold.

- Now what do you smell? - Cherry LifeSavers.

- Babinski sign is negative. - Olfactory intact.

This won't hurt, Ben. Achilles tendon response is normal.

- You remember where you were born? - St. Louis, Missouri.

- Open your eyes wide. - Ben, did you have any dreams?

Yeah. That's not possible. There was no indication of R.E.M.

What was your dream? I was thirsty.

What did it feel like? It was uncomfortable.

Pupils reaction to light equal and accommodating.

Do you remember my name?

Mr. Dum fy .

Shh. What? What is it?

I thought I heard something. What'd you hear?

I don't know. Something, somebody.

Who? I don't know.

Dr. Templeton. Yes?

That's your name. Dr. Templeton.

Oh, look. Standing right over there.

Say hi. Hi.

Hi. How ya doin'? Hi.

Okay.

She's stable now, but we'll keep watching her closely...

and alert you if there's any change in her condition.

I'm sorry I can't be more optimistic.

Thank you, Doctor. Oh, Merle.

Why? How could this happen to our baby?

My sweet little girl. Everything's going to be all right.

Team A, I.C.U. Stat.

Team A, I.C.U. Stat.

I don't understand.

Can't they tell us something? Something we can ?

I'm fine, Dorothy. How are you?

How dare you come in here. Get out and leave us alone!

Oh, I'm sorry. Excuse me. I?

J ust get out or I'll call security! Honey?

Honey, come on. It's okay. He's not doing anything.

What is he doing? He's just an old man. Shh.

No. You don't come into a private room. This is our room.

This is our place, isn't it, honey?

Dr. Penn. Dr. Richard Penn, extension 3251, please.

My name is Benjamin Dum fy ? With an "F." Call me, Ben.

No one has asked you who you are! Sir, please. My wife is very upset.

Now, please? Dorothy wants her teddy bear, Max, and her penguin, Arnold.

She wishes you'd bring Please Louise too.

She misses Please Louise. That's her elephant.

Listen, mister. I don't know who you are or what you want,

but this is a very insane, sick joke.

I can hear her. Can't you? No!

No one can hear her! She's in a coma!

Do you understand? She can't communicate with anyone.

And if she could, she'd certainly talk with us.

We're her parents and we love her. Okay. Okay, Samantha. Take it easy.

I don't think he means any harm.

Listen, sir. This is really upsetting my wife.

Now, I know you don't mean any harm, but could you pleasejust go?

She's got a scar on her big toe...

from where she stepped on a broken bottle at the beach.

Stop it. It was a green bottle.

It was rubbed smooth by the ocean.

Sea glass.

"Sea grass."

"Sea grass."

That's what she called it. She misunderstood.

I'm sorry, Dorothy. I can't stay too long.

I'm leaving today. What's that, Dorothy?

Sure, Dorothy. Okay.

Hi, Arnold!

Here you are.

Dd

Ohhh.

I'm very sorry if I upset you, folks. It wasn't my intention.

I hope Dorothy's gonna be all right.

Me too.

I've always been partial to penguins.

My dear God. He can hear her.

No. She doesn't feel any pain?

Not the way we do.

It's like she fell into a crack between life and death.

- Is she hungry? - Al.

Is she? No. She's not hungry. She's not cold.

There's no sensation of time passing. How do you know?