Ian

by Denise Irwin

  “I walked to the Volunteer office at the University of Maryland Medical Center and signed up. I am going to coordinate support for the patients and their families.”

  “Wow. Will you still be able to work here?”

  “Yes. I will volunteer Tuesdays, Thursdays and if I want I can volunteer on Sundays.”

  “Before I forget. A friend of mine is having a Halloween Party the Saturday night before Halloween. I can drive you there if you wanna go.”

  “Thanks, I think that I will take you up on that offer. We’ll talk about it later, I am now officially on trash duty, and so let me go see what condition the kitchen’s in.”

  Ian started grabbing full trash bags and hoisted them over his shoulder to carry them out to the dumpster. He found the work easier tonight since he knew what he was doing, but it was still going to be a long night. After the first hour, a comradery developed with the kitchen staff and they pulled the bags and tied them for Ian.

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  After the kids went to bed, Sam and Leona met in the kitchen for a nightcap. Leona let out a small laugh and then said, “Sam, I am so enjoying the peace and quiet. My family is together and that makes me smile.”

  “It makes us both smile and that makes me happy as well. Tell me who you invited to your Halloween Party? Wait, let me rephrase that, who didn’t you invite to your Halloween Party?”

  “It’s just the usual cast of characters. I did ask Larry to bring his wife since I’ve never met her. There’s no one new or different, it’ll be just our family.”

  “Will people dress in costumes?”

  “I sure as hell hope so, because I asked them to. You need to think about yours.”

  “Lee, are you saying that you want me to wear a Halloween costume?”

  “Yes.”

  “What are you wearing?”

  “It’s a secret.”

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  During breakfast on Tuesday morning, Molly asked, “Mom, have you heard from that lady at the dog competition?”

  “Not yet. She has Dad’s number and said that she would find a class appropriate for you and Jack. That means that we all must be patient and wait for the call.”

  “Mom, I’m really not good at being patient.”

  Leona saw her husband about to explode with laugher, but she was glad to see that he held it in. “No Molly you are definitely not good at being patient.”

  “I know that I need to try harder.”

  Jack said, “Molly, I’ll help you if you want me too.”

  “Jack, I would really like that.”

  Off they went to the bus stop. Sam asked his wife, “Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t our children used to give us hugs and goodbye kisses.”

  “That’s the hazard of the children growing up. I think that they love us, but they’re at that stage where they focus on their own small world.”

  “Well, I will miss those hugs and kisses, because they always made me feel good.”

  “Sam, would a hug and a kiss from me help?”

  “I think that it would.”

  She stood up and walked around the table to her husband to give him a hug and a kiss. “Did that help?”

  “It sure did. Now I can take a nap knowing that my wife loves me.”

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  Ian walked to Stella’s office to let her know that he was ready to get started. “Ian, let me introduce you to Ellie. Ellie, this is Ian. He’s a new volunteer. I’d like you to take him with you today so that he learns what we need from him.”

  “Okay Stella, Ian let’s get going. Ask me anything if you get confused or don’t understand what we’re doing. As a family and patient support coordinator, I like to offer to get them coffee or soft drinks. We will be working with a number of patients who are going to die and in those cases, I just hover in the background on the ready.”

  Ian liked this girl. She appeared to have so much compassion. He asked, “Ellie are you in college?”

  “If you’re asking if I’m working on my undergraduate degree, I’m not. I graduated from the University of Maryland at Baltimore County last spring. This spring I am enrolled in the University of Maryland School of Medicine.”

  He smiled and then said, “I am enrolled there as well.”

  “Where did you did you graduate from?”

  “The University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom.”

  She gave him a strange look and then said, “This is our first patient. She’s a young girl with a heart defect. She’s waiting for a transplant.”

  He followed Ellie into the room and Ellie turned on the charm. “Good morning Morgan. How are you feeling today?”

  Ian saw that the young girl had a number of monitors attached to her. If he was right, she had red curly hair. An oxygen face mask covered her face which didn’t give her much of a chance to verbally communicate. She blinked twice at Ellie. Ellie said, “Good, I’m glad to hear that. I want to introduce you to Ian, he’s from Scotland and we’re excited that he’s volunteering here.”

  Morgan look up at him and he thought that he saw her wink at him. “Morgan, did you just wink at me?”

  She blinked her eyes twice which prompted Ian to say, “I am delighted that you’re flirting with me.”

  She winked again. Ellie told her, “Morgan behave yourself, Ian is not available at the moment. Before we go, do you need anything?”

  Morgan blinked once. “Very good, so we’ll move on to meet with other patients.”

  Ian and Ellie met with patients and some parents until lunch time. They then went to the medical center’s cafeteria, she grabbed trays placed them on the shelf, and they walked along choosing the items they wanted. When they reached the cashier, Ellie said, “We get to eat for free since we’re volunteers.”

  He followed her to a table for two and held her chair out for her. “Thank you.”

  “Ian, what did you think about this morning?”

  “Ellie, I may need some time to process what I am thinking or feeling. I think that you are a marvelous trainer and I can only hope that I will do half as well.”

  “I have to say that I was pretty impressed with the way that you reached out to Morgan. There are a number of people who step back from a sick person and the patients feel it. You did not and Morgan knew it. That’s what we do. We aren’t doctors or nurses, so our job is make their hospital experience a bit easier. Now tell me about attending school in the United Kingdom.

  Ian told her about living in Stonehaven, Scotland and that old Doc Balderston might not last much longer, the town’s residents donated the money for him to attend school here in Baltimore.

  Ellie just sat looking at him. She finally said, “Ian that is an unbelievable story. You’re gonna be a great volunteer and a great doctor if you share yourself with the people around you. It’s time for us to taken care of the afternoon patients. I typically volunteer until 4:00 in the afternoon.”

  They visited a number of patients in the afternoon. Ian watched Ellie closely learning how respectful she was to her patients as well as how she consoled some while making others laugh. While they walked to the volunteer’s office to record their hours, Ian said, “Ellie, you are just amazing. I spent this afternoon learning from you and I have to say just how impressed I am.”

  “Thank you Ian. I’m sure that we’ll pass each other along the way, so I’ll peek in to see how you’re doing.”

  Ian was tired so he stopped at the café to take a sandwich home with him.

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  During dinner, Molly said, “It was fun playing in the yard with Jack, Dad and Vinny.”

  Leona told her, “I am glad to hear that. I watched you play out the window while I was making dinner. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll let Dad make dinner while I play with you.”

  Molly was all over it, “Dad, can you make dinner tomorrow so Mom can play in the yard?”

  Sam looked at his wife and knew that he had to say yes. “Of course I’ll fix dinner tomorrow.”

  Molly looked up at h
im and said, “Dad, just promise that you won’t make pancakes.”

  “I promise.”

  “Thanks Dad, I appreciate that.

  After the kids went to bed, Leona and Sam met in the kitchen to review the day and plans for tomorrow over a nightcap. Sam handed his wife a glass of wine as he asked, “Will I carry that error for the rest of my life. I’ll be a grandfather and Molly will still be telling me not to make pancakes for her children. Were they that bad or is this just the cross that I need to bear alone for the rest of my life?”

  She laughed aloud and then said, “I don’t know, but those pancakes certainly made an impression on your daughter.”

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  On Wednesday morning after the children left for school, Leona pulled out a note pad and started working on her Halloween menu. She tapped her pen on the table hoping a thought would inspire her. Sam wandered into the kitchen and said, “I’m gonna grab a cup of coffee and leave so that you can finish whatever you’re working on. That tapping pen tells me to leave you alone.”

  “Oh stop it because I need your help. I’m working on the Halloween party menu and I’m stuck.”

  “Lee, I’ll try, but I’ve been told that pancakes don’t work.”

  She laughed aloud and then said, “You never know; they just might work for the party. I don’t think that something like a buffet dinner will work.”

  “Why not, because I think that’s a great idea. You can put all the food on the buffet and all the plates and utensils at the beginning of the line. Haven’t we done that before? I don’t think that I actually answered your menu question, but I’d keep it simple.”

  She laughed, “I was overthinking it. I can order a deli tray and all of our guests will bring all of the sides. We’ll check our liquor supply early since it’s likely that booze is on everyone’s list. We also need to get the ice early or it will be gone.”

  “Don’t worry since I learned my lesson about getting the ice early.”

  “Not to change the subject, I think that I’m gonna need your help on a costume.”

  “Do you think that I’m surprised? We’ll go out tomorrow after the kids go to school.”

  Leona spent the morning doing laundry and after lunch she assessed what really needed her attention. She decided to hold off on cleaning this early because she’d have to clean it again before the party.

  Molly and Jack came home and Jack asked, “After we do our homework, can we take Vinny outside to play?”

  “Of course you can, I’ll call you in for dinner.”

  After dinner, the kids went into the living room to watch television and the dog joined them.

  The kids went to bed, so Leona, Sam and Vinny met in the kitchen for a nightcap. Leona said, “Thanks for getting me in the right direction. I have no idea why I was so confused.”

  “I’m happy to help.”

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  Ian arrived early to work, so he could have dinner and ask Bob about the Halloween Party. He ordered a burger, fries and a glass of iced tea and then asked, “Bob, I read somewhere that Americans dress in costumes for Halloween. Is that true?”

  “Yes, it’s true. I tend to forget that you’re from Scotland. I tell you what, we’ll go out tomorrow and look for something that works.”

  “Thanks Bob.” Ian finished his dinner, paid his tab and went to work. There wasn’t much trash to go out yet, so he cleaned the prep area and put the bits of vegetables into the trash. The prep cooks thanked him and then resumed cutting vegetables and cheese. The Chef handed him a fresh cup of coffee as he said, “I think that it might be a slow night.”

  That statement couldn’t be further from the truth. Pickles got slammed. Ian worked hard to pull the full bags and put fresh bags in and then carry the trash bags out to the dumpster. By the time he returned, there were at least two more that needed his attention. One of the prep cooks said, “Ian, I’m so sorry that we can’t help you tonight. No one can even take a break to piss.”

  “I am fine, but I am sorry that you cannot take a piss.”

  The Chef came through to say, “Its midnight, so there won’t be any more food cooked tonight. Get the kitchen cleaned up and you can go home.”

  Ian took a break while the prep cooks cleaned their area because they would fill the bags for him to take out to the dumpster. After they left, Ian took the full bags out to the dumpster. He didn’t finish his job until after 3:00 in the morning.

  He walked to his apartment and fell into his bed and slept until morning.

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  He showered and dressed on Thursday morning. Today would be the first time that he was alone to provide support to patients and family members. He was excited and anxious at the same time. He didn’t eat breakfast because he knew that he’d just throw it up.

  He walked to the volunteer office where Stella gave him a clipboard with the patients for him to visit with today.

  While he walked over to the medical center, he glanced at his clipboard to see that his first patient was a child with leukemia. He made his way to the room and ducked his head in. Jeremy was awake. Ian entered the room and said, “My name is Ian. What is your name?”

  “Jeremy.”

  “It is a pleasure to meet you Master Jeremy. Is there anything that I can do for you?”

  A small weak voice asked, “Can you read to me?”

  Ian saw one of the Dr. Seuss books on the nightstand. He grabbed it and sat beside Jeremy’s bed and read it aloud to him. When he saw that Jeremy had fallen asleep, he closed the book and put it back on the stand and quietly left the room.

  He didn’t know that Stella was in the hall, but she smiled at him as she said “Well done.”

  He asked her, “Is Jeremy going to die?”

  “Yes, his doctor says that it will be soon. So what you did today was a very good thing.”

  “Stella, I did not really do anything other than to read a book to him.”

  “You’ll understand one day just how much it meant to him.” Stella then walked away.

  Ian looked at his clip board to find the room number for his next patient. When he entered the room he found a young looking woman reading a book. He didn’t want to interrupt her reading, but he said, “My name is Ian. I did not mean to interrupt your reading, but I wanted to ask if I could get you anything.”

  “With the name of Ian, is it safe to assume that you might be of Scottish heritage?”

  “Yes, how did you know that?”

  “Just a hobby. Does your family now live in the States?”

  “No, my family lives in Stonehaven, Scotland. Doc Balderston is getting old and the town needs a new family doctor and apparently that’s me. Enough about me. Is there anything that I can help you with?”

  “No, but I do have one last question. Who is paying for your education?”

  “The citizens of Stonehaven.”

  “I thought as much. Stonehaven must be a wonderful place to live. To answer your original question, no, I don’t need anything. I’m just bidding my time reading while I wait for a new heart.”

  Ian left her room and ran into Ellie in the hall. She told him, “I was looking for you. Do you want to have lunch together?”

  “Yes I would.”

  Ellie asked as they sat, “How did your morning go?”

  “It was very interesting. The first patient was a child and he asked me to read to him until he fell asleep. The second patient was a young woman who was waiting for a heart, but you would never know because she was so upbeat.”

  “It’s amazing isn’t it that patients so close to death can be so positive.”

  Ian met with three more patients that afternoon and then turned his paperwork into Stella and walked home to wait for Bob to take him out shopping for a Halloween costume.

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  Leona and Sam were in the car. “Sam, do you have any idea about your Halloween costume?”

  “No, which why you’re taking me shopping.”

  “Do you want to dress in the
same theme?”

  He looked over at her at her and asked, “Can you explain what you mean by the same theme?”

  She started to laugh, but one look at her husband’s face, stifled it, but she was still gonna have some fun with this. “Well, let me explain. We could dress as Mickey and Minnie Mouse.” A quick glance at her husband urged her to move on. “We could of course dress you in a pirate suit and me in a revealing captured damsel dress.”

  “Lee that might work. You could wear a leather vest and pantaloons, making you my First Mate.”

  “Sam, I really like that idea and I know where I can get everything that we’ll need.”

  “Then you tell me where to go.”

  She had him run to several stores so that he could get everything that she needed for their costumes. “Sam, I have everything that I need for us, but I have nothing for the kids. Let’s go to the costume store and pick something out for them.”

  Sam just shook his head and chauffeured his wife to yet another store and when he parked the car, asked, “Lee, what if we make them our crew for the party.”

  “Sam, that’s a great idea. Let me run into the store and see just what they have.”

  He waited in the car and she was back in a flash. “Before you drive away, let me show you what I bought so that you can see the costumes.”

  She pulled Molly’s costume out first. She then said, “Molly will be a princess who has been captured by pirates.” It was a very nice long pink dress with matching pink shoes.

  Sam said, “There’s no doubt that our daughter would love to be a princess. Now show me Jack’s.”

  She winked at her husband as she pulled Jack’s costume out. It was a pair pantaloons with a white shirt, a patch for his eye and a long spy glass. “Jack is in charge of making sure that the ship doesn’t come under attack.”

  Sam chuckled and then said, “Lee, how do you come up with the stuff? He’s gonna love it.”

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  Ian left the Volunteer Center to walk home. He really liked volunteering at the medical center as well as having lunch with Ellie. He wondered if she would say yes if he asked her out. He knew that the only way to find out is to ask her next Tuesday during lunch.