Key to Christmas

by Marlene Bierworth

  “People who run triathlons have to train themselves to quiet their hearts when they change activities to get the best results in their racing time. You, sir, have a steady, low beat that smoothly transitions. There is no scarring on the organ, and rich red blood is pumping through at a good rate.

  “Yes,” said the woman parked on the other side of the bed. “Like the rich red blood samples right here.” She shook the tubes she’d abstracted from the patient.

  “You tricked me!” He aimed the accusation at the doctor. Pam’s satisfied expression displayed, guilty as charged.

  “The attractive Doctor Legend is a good distraction,” the technician said.

  “Exactly what I told her – in different words – but she didn’t like it when I said it.” He looked at Pam with renewed interest. “You win, Doc. Test my blood and let’s get this charade over with. I’m feeling fit as a fiddle.” John laughed. “Now, if I could just remember my name.”

  “A name is just a name. You need an identity to go with it.”

  “Yeah, makes sense. But I’ll start with anything,” John said.

  “Well, John, we will begin with a multitude of tests.”

  “Just like back in school, huh?”

  “Yes. And I expect you to be a better student from here on in. “Trust me, you wouldn’t want to meet the hospital’s principal.”

  The technician groaned. “Agreed! You don’t want to go there, sir.” She packed up her things and left the cubicle.

  “So when do classes begin?” John asked.

  “Suddenly you’re in a hurry?” Pam toyed with the words. This man was a pleasant diversion in an otherwise routine shift at the hospital.

  “I feel like hurry is my speed, but have no clue why.” He sighed, and the shadow began to descend on him again.

  “We’ll have none of that self-pity, young man. That will hinder your progress. Keep optimistic. We will figure this identity crisis out together,” Pam said.

  “Together sounds better than alone,” he said.

  “We’ve eliminated a heart problem, although I must admit yours is entertaining. Not sure I’ve ever heard quite the melody it pounds out.”

  “Feel free to come and listen anytime you want while I’m here. You might need additional performances from this showbiz kid before we escape this place.” He laid a hand on his heart. “Just tuning up the instrument for a new set of tunes.”

  Pam decided she liked this patient. Witty on the outside but she could sense a depth of character below the surface waiting to burst out. He was not bad to look at either. His hair was a sandy brown, trimmed short on the sides with just enough of a spike on top to look smart and tidy. When the bed’s overhead lamplight caught him at the right angle, his sea-blue eyes twinkled like the tops of whitecaps, and she drowned in their depths.

  Pam shook herself free of his spell, wondering what was wrong with her. Maybe this second shift was asking too much from her already exhausted mind. But she’d traded it as a favor for a friend who needed to be at a family event all day tomorrow. Pam was free to sleep as late as she liked then head over to her regular haunt – the Christmas Boutique.

  “There is a lull in my workload, so I’ll grab a copy of the oral test, and we can get you started.” Ten minutes later, Pam officially documented a definite memory problem on his chart.

  “What sensations make you feel comfortable? Maybe they will link you back to a familiar setting in your mind,” Pam asked.

  “The chill I felt earlier reminds me of snow. Come to think of it, any pictures flashing through my head have snow in it.”

  “Maybe you live farther north and were traveling southbound to some destination when you ended up in a ditch.”

  “North is a big area, Dr. Legend.”

  “Agreed. Not much of a clue,” Pam said. “Unfortunately, no one from any of the cars involved in your accident or their relatives can identify you. It seems you were walking on the highway and hit when the vehicles collided.”

  “Walking on a highway, you say? Not too smart.”

  “Well, we haven’t discovered if you’re smart or not,” Pam said, biting back the smile. His eyes danced. He apparently loved to banter.

  “Got me there, Doc.”

  “So far, from your stay in the hospital, we’ve learned you don’t like needles. Did that spring up any bad memories?”

  “Just the thought of someone taking the life-giving juice from inside my body is enough to bring the fight on.”

  Pam sighed. It was time to quit the inquisition. “How about you rest. Often memory loss is temporary, caused by the blow to your head. Everything could come rushing back to you when you least expect it.”

  “Suppose that scenario will work fine while I’m tucked safely in here with you. But I must confess my stomach ties up in knots every time I peer outside the window and see all that hustle and bustle of activity.”

  “Relax. I won’t release you until we have a safe place for you to go.”

  “No coppers, right? Not sure I like my fate resting in their hands either.”

  “Ah, hah! Do police officers trigger a life of crime deep in your subconscious?” Pam could not pass up on that dig.

  “No.” He slapped both sides of his face lightly and then pushed in his cheeks to create an oval mouthpiece. “Just look at this pretty face. Do I look like a bad guy to you?”

  “You look like a clown – if I may be so blunt.”

  Inside, Pam hoped John was not one of society’s bad-guys, but these days evil lurked amongst all types, wearing inconspicuous clothes and working alongside everyday people. Too much craziness and unpredictability warped the world. That’s why she’d moved to the small town, Cedar Springs. People here lived quiet, but happy lives. Pam loved it and had never regretted leaving the chaos of San Diego.

  Yet, common sense told her that anyone could drive in off the highway and strike her hometown of three years with evil. It was difficult to understand the workings of another’s mind. Her patient, John Doe, was a prime example. This thought caused her to back off.

  “Sleep is nature’s best healer. Catch some zees, and I’ll see you later.”

  Pam left the cubicle and closed the curtain. She sank into the swivel chair behind the desk and shuffled papers for a few minutes before she gave into another caffeine fix to get her through the wee hours before daybreak.

  “Be back in ten, Janet. Off to the coffee station.”

  “Why don’t you lie on the cot for a while instead? The waiting room is clearing out finally, and Dr. Shamus can handle things for a while – at least until the morning rush. He’s still fresh meat – only been here six hours.”

  Pam sighed. “Maybe I will. Come get me if anything on the floor changes.”

  “Yes, Doctor Legend. We’ll need you awake and alert the next time our John Doe creates another uproar. He’s taken quite a shine to you.”

  “Simply a patient-doctor infatuation,” Pam said as she cast her a get-real glare.

  Pam peeked behind John Doe’s curtain on the way by, and he appeared to be sleeping calmly. A smile perched on his lips and she hoped he was experiencing a better dream this time – one that would ignite memories of his life before he entered the hospital’s emergency doors. She wondered what Janet meant about him taking a shine to her. Pam supposed Janet, and anyone within hearing distance would get that impression by his bold, teasing remarks. The man was a Casanova disguised as a memory loss patient. She was not the least bit interested in that kind of man.

  As the afternoon sun rose high in the sky, Pam returned to visit her accident patient. “You’ve had a busy morning, Mr. Doe. Trouble is, all the results show nothing wrong inside your head. You received only a mild concussion. I’m afraid we are no further ahead with a diagnosis.”

  “I feel great and ready to run laps in the hallway if you don’t sign me out of here soon.” He was right. There was no need for him to take up the sought-after bed space in the ER and nothing they could admit him f
or. Physically he was ready to leave.

  “Where will you go?” Pam asked.

  “Not your concern, little lady. A clean bill of health is all I need. I’ll find my way out there in the big bad world.”

  “You are in Cedar Springs. There’s nothing big or bad here.”

  “Good. Then I will get a motel and test my wings before I move on.” John seemed satisfied with that line of attack.

  “You had no wallet – no money. How do you plan on paying for it?” Pam asked.

  “You got me there. Is there a shelter in your town for the homeless – food kitchen – that sort of thing?”

  “There is! And I know the man who heads it up. I’ll call him and tell him you’ll be dropping by.” Pam felt excited to be handing her patient over into Tom’s care. He knew the system and how to help John best.

  “Obliged to you.” John swung his legs over the bed. “If you’ll get busy with those release forms, I feel the need to push on. Certain to find triggers out there waiting to jolt me back into my reality.” He laughed. “I’ll probably hate the truth and wish myself back into the land of the not-knowing.”

  “I seriously doubt that, Mr. Doe.”

  “John’s good enough, although the image of doe gives me warm goosies all over. Maybe I’m a wildlife expert and walk amongst the critters.”

  “Maybe. I’ll go make that call to the center for you. There will be paperwork for you to sign on your way out.”

  “Hey, Doc. Did I come in here with clothes, or do I have to face my public in this sad excuse for a nightgown?”

  Pam pointed toward a small locker off to the side. “In there.” She closed the curtain behind her and moved to the desk. Grabbing the cell phone from the pocket of her overshirt, she scrolled under contacts. Tom Jenkins was her best friend’s husband, and Pam knew that fact alone would allow the manager enough incentive to squeeze John Doe into the system.

  “Hope Center, Tom speaking. How can I help you?” came the cheerful voice on the other end of the line.

  “Tom, Pam here. Got a problem I was hoping you could help me with.”

  “Fire away.”

  “I have an accident victim at the hospital. No physical issues, but he is suffering memory loss. For now, his name is John Doe.”

  Tom cut to the chase. “The fella needs a place to stay while he sorts through the lost files in his brain? Is that what you’re asking?”

  “I suppose I am.” Tom was from the hills of Tennessee and spoke a colorful language they all enjoyed and found refreshing. One would have to look deep to find an ounce of pretense in that man.

  “Busy lately with all the homeless trying to keep from the sweltering heat, but I’ll put him up in the closet room. It’ll be quieter there for him to sift through his files of recollection.”

  “Thank you so much. John will be there in a couple of hours.”

  “Are you still on for the Friday night special?”

  “You bet! Ironed my most festive full-bib apron for the occasion. Be there at four-o’clock sharp,” Pam said.

  “Can always count on willing volunteers in this town. Donations of five piping hot already spiced and sliced prime roasts are arriving at four-thirty, fluffy mountains of mashed potatoes laced with sour cream, smooth and yummy beef gravy, green beans and two pails of coleslaw.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll be there to help dish it out and clean up afterward,” Pam said.

  “Hope your man is well on his way to recovery by then.”

  “He’s not my man, Tom. He’s my patient.”

  “Oh, did I say he was yours? Guess that was wishful thinking on my part.” Tom laughed loud and hearty. Pam pushed the receiver back inches from her ear. “I’ll be watching for him. See you on Friday.”

  Tom, like his wife, Denise, always tried to set her up. In their opinion, it was unheard of to be crowding thirty and still single. Pam’s chosen career had involved many years of commitment to school and training, but now established as Dr. Pamela Legend, with all the glaring initials behind her name, the future loomed before her. Her love life had suffered in the climb to success. Men simmered on the back burner, and the last few years in Cedar springs she’d spent unwinding, surveying the unfertile fields of available men. She found them sadly lacking. It appeared lucky ladies had taken all the decent ones while she’d been busy preparing to live the good life.

  Earlier, John Doe expressed an eagerness to leave the hospital. Now the released patient hung back, uncertain and edgy.

  Pam put down the pen and moved to the front side of the nurse’s station. She recalled his request to call him by a first name, not his legally, but the only one he had at present.

  “John, you will like Tom. He is a laid-back character, and lots of fun. He’s put you in a back corner room. They use the space to stack boxes. There’s a cot in there, and you will have privacy from the noisy comings and goings of homeless taking refuge in the main sleeping quarters. It’s air-conditioned too, and will allow you the freedom to be alone and think your way through your situation.”

  “I appreciate you giving me a good word, Doctor Legend.”

  Pam’s eyebrows shot upward. They needed to end this episode on a teasing note. “Yes, I did, even though I don’t know for sure where you stand on Santa’s list.”

  He laughed, and her heart unexpectedly leaped at the sound. “I will not disappoint you, Doc. But, should I find any evil lurking deep within, I will restrain the ogre and run far from your fair town and generous people.”

  “Always the clown – to the bitter end,” Pam said.

  “So, this is the end? Of you and me, I mean?” John asked.

  “Unless you have a relapse or find yourself in a ditch again in need of medical services, I suppose it is.”

  The shadow crossed his face, and she realized he’d bonded with her as his doctor during his initial crisis and was nervous about stepping beyond the protective walls they’d constructed over the past day.

  “No! That’s not true at all. I will see you at the shelter on Friday afternoon. My friend, Denise, and I have volunteered to help with the Christmas in July supper event.”

  “Why ever do you celebrate a winter vacation in the summer?” John asked.

  Pam grinned. “It may be hard for an outsider to understand, but this town is hyper Christmas and could not go over than six months without dragging through the second round of festivities. Two in one year is not too much to ask for, is it?”

  “So, you are one of those obsessed with the spirit of Christmas?”

  “I certainly am! But it is only one of the wonderful things that attracted me to this particular piece of real estate.”

  “Can we have coffee sometime, so you can fill me in on the other things you find attractive in Cedar Springs?”

  “You waste no time, Mr. Doe. Remember, I am your emergency physician.”

  “Does that make you untouchable?”

  Pam realized how snobbish the remark had sounded. “No, that’s not what I meant.” She turned a rosy pink. Blushing had never been her style. Attempting to back-peddle, she said, “Statistics claim that relationships started in a crisis seldom last.” That addition backfired! She witnessed a slow smile spread across his face. Pam shifted her eyes from his penetrating gaze, just in time to see Janet standing close by drumming her fingers impatiently.

  “I’m afraid I need to get back to work. Cedar Springs is a small community, and most likely we will meet again soon enough.” She handed him a prescription and a business card with the address of the town shelter on it. “Best of luck to you, John.”

  Before he walked through the door, he glanced back and waved the card in the air, his face beaming. He mouthed the words, “See you Friday,” and then was gone.

  What was today? Only Wednesday. She rebuked herself for actually looking forward to seeing him again – a mysterious John Doe character that could, for all she knew, be the next Jack the Ripper.

  Pam looked up to see the sergeant-nurse
holding a clipboard six inches from her nose. She grabbed it and zoomed in on the written words. “A sniffle in D6. Let’s get to it, Janet.”

  The weather forecast predicted Friday to be the hottest day of the week. For once, he was right on target. Pam finished her last shift Thursday at midnight, and even then the air outside had felt sticky and humid. Her sleep started out restless, tossing and turning from an over-heated body. But now this morning, after seven blissful hours of air-conditioning, she felt refreshed and ready to face four wonderful days off work. What a lucky stretch! Today was payback from the doctor she’d covered for earlier in the week. She couldn’t remember the last time her name had dodged the hospital schedule for such a long period. The administrator must be asleep in her duties, but she’d consider it a Christmas gift long overdue. The time off fell on the eve of the town’s Christmas in July celebrations. With or without snow, this holiday was her favorite in the entire year.

  Pam dressed in jean shorts and a flowery tee shirt to look the part of vacation-time. She bent over and gathered her long straight hair between her fingers, twirled it, and secured it on top with a curly band. The cool on her neck felt great. This was the one and only style she’d survive today, playing amidst the heat and busyness that her itinerary promised.

  Downstairs, in the foyer of her apartment building, Pam sucked in firm determination, stepped through the revolving turnstile, and braved the great outdoors. The heat hit her like a wall of fire. The next hour found her darting in and out of traffic while she caught up on errands.

  The bank was first on her list, as she wanted cash in her purse to spend this weekend. Debit and credit cards were impersonal, no way to shower blessings on her fellow man. Her first opportunity to give occurred while passing the drug store. Mrs. Charter donned a red Santa hat and was ringing the Salvation Army bell loud in hopes to attract anyone within hearing distance. Pam dropped her first contribution into the kettle and felt electrified.

  The tantalizing aroma of baked goods lured her inside the bakery. The dessert chef had been busy dragging out all the hand-me-down recipes that celebrated the town’s people and the festivities. Samples of spiced and fruitcakes, cookies of all shapes and sizes, squares, and a grand selection of pies crowded into the main display cabinet. She browsed for her favorite and purchased more than one person should ever eat. Thank goodness for freezers.