68 First and Ten

Unfortunately a stewardess who, due to “regulation”, blocked the path and stopped us at the entrance to First Class.

An announcement then came from the captain informing us that no one could offload, since the tires of the unloading chute were frozen to the runway.

So at this point, I pulled down the stewardess seat to take a load off my foot.

The first class stewardess automatically barked at me that it was "against regulation" for me to use this seat, but she was met with a very disapproving stare from my Puerto Rican friend, and escorts, and growing support base!

So she meekly responded, "I didn't see this", and retired to the First Class cabin.

I was glad to be sitting, for what turned out to be another 15 minutes.

As soon as we could exit, my Puerto Rican linebacker friend deposited me in the first wheelchair outside the plane, where I explained the situation to an airport worker who put me on an elevator and rushed me toward my departing gate. Meanwhile, someone else checked and the flight I needed to catch was also late, by about 20 minutes.

That flight I needed would be airborne in about 30 minutes, and I had one huge airport to traverse, and customs to clear.

I was not at all in the frame of mind to consider a later flight.

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33 Lunghis and 12-inch Nails

An acquaintance of my wife had come to visit me on my last morning in the hospital, and unexpectedly offered the use of a wheelchair should I need it. It was suggested I just pass by and pick it up since the location was on the route to Dr. Arias’ home from the hospital.

A phone call and the arrangements were made.

As we pulled up in front of the house where we were to pick up the wheelchair, a couple emerged with a wheelchair in tow.

Whether or not it had been explained to them that the guy in the back seat would be wearing nothing but a tissue box, to their credit they seemed to take it all in stride.

I should add that although I had only just met Dr. Arias within the past two weeks, we had become fast friends. This friendship initiated before my accident over discussions on the possibility of my organization helping him expand his capacity to help the poor of Lima with free medical services.

Now, in addition to visiting me in the hospital, he and his wife had invited me to recuperate at their house for the next few weeks until I was strong enough to travel.

As we pulled up to Dr. Arias’ home, his wife, who had been forewarned to bring along a cotton wrap, met us in the driveway. So began my week-long stint of wearing cotton wraps, or lunghies as they’re called in India, as my main garb.

My wardrobe choice related directly to the fact a “special machine” that I had been told about in the hospital could not be found. Each day of my hospital stay, I had been assured me that someone was going to bring by a “special machine” to cut the unnecessary length off of the metal pins protruding out of my shin.

Unfortunately, despite my numerous requests about the same, I had this remaining attachment to these 12-inch nails.

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