As regular readers know every now and then I attempt to
write a free style story on this blog. Most of the time it comes in parts and
sometimes I add other commentary on the same post. I do not know if anyone
believes me or not, however, I write this as I feel at the time of the writing.
I usually have some type of concept or a beginning or ending, yet the majority
is based on me just sitting down at the time and working on it. I do not go
back and rewrite it. I just sit and type whatever portion of the story is next
and then move on.
I also try to write stories from start to finish that are
rewritten or reworked to actually flesh out a theme, point, or just the story.
I wrote my first one years ago and put it on Smashwords. I have other stories
and other ideas I would like published to see if I can make money.
Unfortunately, to get on Smashwords where it will sell on the Kindle type
devices it takes some cover art requirements that I just cannot seem to manage
to produce. Every now and then I crawl out of my shell and try speaking to
people to find someone who might work on computer graphics. Hopefully my last
foray into asking someone if they know anybody will be a bit more productive.
For now, though I just post these free style stories on the blog just for fun.
I hope you enjoy.
And a couple of secondary comments before I begin. If you
make a mistake while driving such as missing an exit or turn the wrong way or
get in the wrong lane, please do not inconvenience half the world and try to
fix it by doing something horrendously wrong. Too many accidents are because
someone just made a mistake then tries to correct it at the expense of others. Yes,
it may take you three minutes to go somewhere and turn around, however, that
will save you and thousands of others hours by not having the accident. Better
to arrive late than dead.
And working downtown I see much pedestrian activity. So, if
you cross the street against the grain of traffic/red light you have no right
to yell at the driver who just slammed on their brakes to avoid killing you.
People just think they are more important than other
people. Where on this wonderful
planet do they get that idea?
And now to begin the story
The sheriff entered the hospital room of a lifelong friend.
He looked at him laying on the bed; tubes everywhere, machines bleeping, lights
dim, what family he had in the waiting room for the time being, and for the
first time felt fear. He did not know why. There was no reason for Greg to be
here, he thought. No one was sure what happened. Best guess so far was a
hunting accident of some kind. Maybe a stray bullet from someone else who didn’t
realize Greg had been out in that spot of the woods. Truth be told, he didn’t
like that answer. So much so that he immediately decided he wanted Greg moved
to a different hospital and moved very quietly. How could he arrange this right
now?
The Sheriff went and found the Doctor in charge. Luckily for
the Sheriff it was another lifelong friend, who also felt some dread as to what
happened. They all grew up in a rural county. Everyone knew each other and all
the boys had grown up hunting together.
This is one aspect of the accident that bothered the Sheriff. Everyone
knew Greg and knew he had come home to vacation, which always included hunting.
His wife and daughter were at the family home when they got the news and had
rushed to the hospital. They were both very distraught and were more worried
about him surviving than what had happened. The sheriff wished he could think
the same. Greg had always been a great friend and a blessing to the community
as whole.
Greg had started his business right after graduating from
the University, He earned his business degree and did the usual search for a
job right away. Greg discovered he didn’t want to work for anyone else after
trying to bullshit his way through a few dozen interviews. He had done well and
had received many offers. He just didn’t find a company he liked. So, he came
home and within a few years had one of the county’s most thriving businesses
selling and financing farm and small construction equipment. Everyone loved him
and he did well by his customers. His business grew to the point where most of
the western portion of the State was a customer of his in some way or another.
He had met his wife in college, yet when he brought her home she was just as
loved as he. His daughter was prom queen in high school and was currently
attending the same university as her parents. He was the American dream and he
heard this all the time.
A few years ago, he turned fifty and decided he needed to do
more. He had come to the Sheriff, an old friend to ask his advice about running
for a political office. Daniel joined the sheriff’s department right out of
high school, eventually went to the community college, then attended a small
college at night while working with the County Sheriff’s office. He was as
liked as Greg and as soon as he graduated college he ran for the office of
Sheriff and won. He had held the office ever since. Daniel was about the only
person Greg knew that had run for office. Greg had put so much time into his
business he had never given any aspect of politics any thought. He didn’t even
know what office he could try to win. Daniel and Greg had talked for hours and
Greg left still unsure as to what he wanted to do. The memory of that night was
haunting Daniel since he had encouraged Greg to run. He knew Greg would be just
about the best representative the people of their county could ever have. He
was hard working, successful, always gave money and time to the local
charities, fair in his business, and flat out just a high-quality person.
Daniel had joined the Republican party because he thought he needed to be in a
party to run and he felt he was conservative. Daniel himself was someone of
good character and very community oriented. He didn’t need a party, he just
joined one. Everyone knew him growing up, just like Greg and the other boys who
played sports for the high school. As a team, they were well rounded and loved.
More than a few local hearts were broken when Greg left for the University and
worse when Greg came home engaged and got married soon thereafter.
The Doctor, also of the same high school group, was not an athlete,
yet everyone knew he was going to be something special. He was voted most
likely to succeed and people said he was going to be a doctor. He worked as the
team manager, yet spent most of his time working with the local doctor when
someone got injured. He came home to practice after finishing school,
internship, and residency because he was quite shy and practicing where he grew
up was quite all right by him. Many
others stayed, some left, yet all kept in touch. When word started getting out,
Greg wanted to do something it didn’t take long for everyone to tell him what
to do.
The local Republican party jumped at the chance of having
him run for office, however, Greg wasn’t too thrilled about Party politics. And
because Greg was so popular, he pretty much won by acclamation as an
independent. Yes, in just a few short months of campaigning Greg garnered
enough support to win the District for House of Representatives in D. C. And he never campaigned in the traditional
sense. He just talked to people that wanted to talk to him. He was and still is
a political neophyte. The culture in D. C. was a shock to his wife and him. Yet
he managed to grind his way through his first term and now was in his third
term. He was both liked and hated in D. C.
And very well respected. Since he was an independent his
vote was courted on just about every issue. At this point in time Congress was
just about evenly divided. His vote meant something. He heard from the Democratic
and Republican caucuses, the lobbyists, people back home that needed something
and even people who just came to visit D.C. In some ways, he was put off by all
of it and in some ways, he loved it. He knew he was in a unique position to
affect legislation so he worked hard to study the issues and vote based on what
he thought was the better idea. Sometimes his constituents applauded him,
sometimes that got upset, yet he had so much respect he was able to work
through it all and win handily each time he had run.
There were a couple of other independents, however, they
were different people from different parts of the country and they had very
specific agendas. He did not always socialize with them, however, in the press
and in the party machineries they presumed all the independents acted in a
similar capacity. This was far from the reality. Each of them were very
independent and if the national press and everyone else had really paid attention
they would have seen the disparity in their voting records.
Even though the Doctor felt something himself, Daniel didn’t
know how to really address his fears. Was he just overly concerned and once more
information came to light the story would become complete? He didn’t want to
tell Sandra, Greg’s wife, that something was bothering him. He was trying to
figure out how to convince people they needed to move Greg quietly somewhere
else. Daniel looked out the window and saw a few people outside the hospital he
had never seen before. Could the national press have already heard something
and were down to check on this situation? He hoped not. He figured this to be a
high possibility. A Congressman was a national figure and people do keep tabs
on them. The Doctor addressed Daniel.
You seem overly worried about something. Daniel was silent on purpose. Even
though he was Sheriff of a rural county, you eventually had to do investigative
work and he knew being silent was the greatest way to find out things. The
Doctor kept wondering aloud about the type of wound and even the bullets that
were taken out of Greg. BulletS. Daniel heard that and hadn’t realized Greg had
been shot more than once. He looked at Samuel. Samuel continued. There were
three entry wounds in the upper left shoulder from behind. One barely touched
the heart, one punctured a lung, and one grazed through the top of the shoulder.
And the Samuel mentioned it was probably someone chasing after a deer running
and had stopped to fire through brush. There were traces of leaves and such in
the wounds. Yet Daniel was thinking that is serious coincidence that all were
so close. Yet he and the doctor knew if it was a hunter and had fired quickly,
yet what type of rifle did the hunter have, to fire that quickly to put them
all in the same spot if trying to hit a deer running through the brush. They
both discussed the hunter must be from out of the area. Not because he hit
Greg, but the conditions of the accident were of someone who did not know the
area since where Greg was found was a known trail and most people would not
shoot in that direction. Most people would be headed to deer blinds and other
spots from the direction Greg was found. Daniel looked at the Doctor and said I
want to move him. Now!
Samuel was perplexed. At this point he had no reason to
believe anything other than an accident by an out of towner who should be beat
publicly because this was Greg, but just needed to be found to clarify what
happened.
A nurse approached the Doctor and said there were some
people in the lobby who were inquiring about any accidents that may have
happened and if everyone was okay. Daniel asked her if she had answered and she
said no. She didn’t like the looks of them and told them today was just another
routine day. Samuel turned to Daniel and said he is in very critical condition
and waited for the nurse to walk away. He had asked her to continue to keep the
news quiet so the hospital didn’t get overrun by too many well-wishers. The
nurse knew Greg and thought this was a good idea. Neither man tried to let on
to her the amount of apprehension that both felt grew dramatically. Samuel
continued. He is very critical, yet stable. I know a small emergency clinic
that is not too far. It is more of a doc in the box, but they can keep someone
stable for a few days if necessary. We might be able to move some equipment
over there also. We could load a small truck first and set it up. I know the
doctor there. I will call him and ask when he shuts down if we can bring a
patient because the patient needs quiet and the hospital has too much traffic.
He is from out of town, but is a pretty good guy. We might be able to convince
him to stay quiet. I am not sure though if some of these people or if press
start asking questions what happens. Right now, it is our best hope for
movement. I can call another nurse to stay the night with him. You might
remember her, she was a few years behind us in school. She had a huge crush on
Greg so she could be trusted to keep quiet.
Even though there were quite a few girls that liked Greg Daniel knew
immediately who is the nurse and immediately worried that Sandra didn’t find
out about this girl from high school. Sandra was going to need to stay the
night also he figured. He hoped they didn’t talk much.
Daniel looked out the window. The SUV and the men that were
there earlier were gone. He decided to drive around the hospital and the block
just to make sure they were gone before moving Greg.
Samuel went in and looked at Greg. He was scared to move
him. He didn’t tell Daniel that Greg was barely hanging on. Barely. Yet for
some reason he didn’t like that Greg was shot and now there were strange people
hanging around. It could be the national press. Or maybe it is another hunter
who may have realized he shot someone and is trying to find out something
without giving away he was the shooter. The Doctor’s fears subsided a bit. That
would explain much, yet he still decided till we know and especially if the
press, better to keep Greg's injuries quiet. Sandra still struggled a bit with
D. C. so she would not tell anyone unless it was absolutely required.
Now how do we move him? He ran the hospital and knew
everyone so he knew the staff would keep quiet. Thank God, we are where we are.
To be continued….
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