Chapter 17
I open my eyes to the sound of screaming sirens, lying in what I reckon is an ambulance. A young girl is sitting beside my stretcher, she smiles and says something I don’t understand.
“Sorry, I don’t speak Dutch…”, I tell her, and my voice echoes oddly in my ears
“My name is Anne”, she starts, “You are ok”
“My shoulder hurts”, I say in return to her comment
“Don’t worry, we will help you. What is your name?”, she asks
“Iris Meyers”, I say without lying, and bite my tongue right after
But then if these people are legitimate paramedics I must disclose my real identity, no?
All of a sudden it strikes me that I will have to pay for whatever medical care I receive. I curse myself for not seeing the bloody car come my way.
“Are you American?”, she asks
“Yes”, I say, and close my eyes
I don’t want to think now, although I know I can’t afford lowering my guard.
“What will you do to me when we reach the hospital?”, I ask without opening my eyes
“X-rays will be the first thing. A man was there when you fell, you crossed with a red light. Then you saw a car was coming, you saved yourself when the driver was at the throw of a stone”, she said
I open my eyes, smiling at the way she phrased the sentence. It feels good to smile.
“So I didn’t actually get hit. I think I remember, I just tripped on a pole and passed out”, I tell myself out loud, relieved at the realization that I’ll probably be able to walk out of the hospital soon
“Yes, I think you lost conscience because you were scared. The man said you were running very fast”, the girl says
“Yes, I was running very fast…”
“Were you late?”, she asks
I am not sure if she just wants to keep me talking to prevent me from falling asleep or if her questions have meaning for her, but before I can reply the ambulance slows down and comes to a halt.
“We bring you out”, Anne tells me with her Dutch accent, as two big blonds open the door and jump up the van to carry my stretcher inside the hospital.
A fine rain is starting to fall, I am just realizing this as I stare at the sky from my stretcher, face up.
Strange as it might seem, I feel suddenly at ease, grateful to be here, grateful that someone’s pushing me somewhere while I lie under a blanket and a wet sky.
I’m good for now, and good for now seems as great as it can ever get.