Edward's Dilemma by Paul Adan Page B

inmates were waiting to be seen by either the Doctor or a Physician’s Assistant (PA).  Some of these inmates had already been screened-in by the clinic nurses, but others had yet to be seen by anyone.  As they sat in the cell, they exchanged news and gossip; and whenever they raised their voices, one of the Clinic-COs admonished them to keep it down.
    From inside the holding-cell, Jerry stared out at the clinic.  A short distance away from him, in numbered chairs, sat three men in gray uniforms.  The guy in seat #1 was relatively quiet and cooperative, and had a blood pressure machine hooked-up to his arm.  The other two inmates, however, were laughing and chatting.  They were clearly making a nuisance of themselves, and the female nurse who was attempting to interview the guy in the #1 chair was irritated by their behavior.
    “How are you feeling?” she asked impatiently.
    “Uhh – not bad.  I’m not sleep’n much.”
    “Are you eating ok?  Are you having any trouble keeping things down?”  She removed the blood pressure cuff from his arm as she waited for his answers.
    “Well, I haven’t been that hungry – just a little nauseous every once in a while,” Number One replied.
    “Could you extend your arms straight-out for me?  Like this. ..”  The nurse demonstrated by holding her arms out in front of her in a zombie-like fashion.  The guys in seats #2 and #3 laughed and giggled, and she scolded them in a courteous yet forceful manner.  A CO approached and warned the two to be quiet.
     
     
    THE NURSE continued to ask questions for several more minutes, but Jerry’s thoughts had turned elsewhere.  Suddenly, he was jolted by the sound of someone calling his name.  He was surprised because it had been days since he’d heard anyone address him by his first name.  Looking up, he immediately recognized the face of a familiar friend.
    “Josh!” he cried, as he sprang to his feet.  “Where the heck have you been?  You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to talk to you and Edward.”  Tears welled up in his eyes as the two men embraced in a hug.  He was oblivious to the heckling and laughter of the other inmates in the cell.  For a brief moment, the harsh reality of jail-life disappeared as he once again experienced the softer side of humanity.
    For the next two hours, as Jerry and Josh waited to be seen by a doctor, the two friends shared their lives with each other.  They reveled in each other’s presence, and discussed everything that came to mind.   In the process, they reasserted their identities and became themselves once again.  The conversation, however, began on a dark topic.
    “What were you doing in the Hole?” Josh asked.  He spoke quietly, barely above a whisper.
    After a pause, Jerry re plied.  “That shit-hole did a number on me, Josh.  I don’t ever want to go there again.  They sent me there because I couldn’t keep my damn mouth shut!  I DEFINITELY won’t make that mistake again.”  He then recounted the “incident” to Josh.
    Josh nodded in an understanding way; then explained how he’d ended up in the Hole.  He also mentioned the re ason he was now in the clinic: His jaw still ached from the fight, and he was having it x-rayed to see if it was broken.
    Pulling up his pant leg, Jerry pointed at the sore on his leg.  He said the reason he was there at the clinic was for a follow-up appointment, even though the wound was almost healed. Still, when Josh looked at it, his facial expression betrayed his disgust at what he saw.
    “That’s pretty gross, Jerry.”
    “Yeah, I know.  You should have seen it before.  It was way worse...”
    Soon, the conversation turned to other topics.  “Have you seen Edward?” Josh asked.
    “No.”
     
    “He’s gotta be here, somewhere.”
    “Yes – I k now.  I sure hope he’s alright...wherever he is.  This place will swallow a person alive, and Edward doesn’t seem like the kinda person who’d do well in