My friend Felicia was sent by her doctor to the hospital for some tests.. When she did not come back the next day, I thought I should go and see what’s happening with her. I entered the hospital, approached the information desk and asked for the neurological department.
An elderly, gray-haired lady told me: “Take the elevator one floor up, or, since you look fit, walk up the stairs on foot. You will get to floor six, either by elevator or on foot.”
I understood that at present I was on floor 5 and who am I to protest that getting one floor up I’ll arrive on 6? The lady continued:
“When you arrive to floor 6, you will see a corridor on your left. Just walk along that corridor until the end. At the end of that corridor you will find some kind of round space like a circle . When you arrive there you stop walking and look for another elevator. You enter this other elevator until you get to floor 7. There you will have to ask someone how to get to the neurological department!’
I adhered strictly to her instructions. I walked up one floor and started out on the corridor which seemed endless. No left, no right, straight along for miles. I had been walking for ages until I finally got to that round circle of which the lady had spoken. No right, no left, just round. Not a soul around whom I could ask. So I walk round and round like a horse in a circus arena. Is this the right place? Maybe I should go back and start out again because I may have gone astray! Not a soul around until suddenly an angel appeared, not an angel, just a nurse chewing on a sandwich.
“Is there another elevator here?” I asked her.
“Yes, look, here in the corner!”
Thank God, there in a hidden corner I found elevator number 2. I pushed the 7th floor button and up I went.
I walked out of the elevator, into a desert. No office, no nurse, not even a cleaning person. Another corridor and I start the trek again. I was again tempted to go back where I came from and start all over, but then suddenly and unexpectedly I reached a nurses station.
“I want to visit my friend, I said, how do I get to her?”
“Continue on this corridor until you get to room No. 7. So I am walking again looking for room no.7.I was looking to the left and to the right until there it was, finally Room no. 7. I enter quietly. It’s a two-bed room, one bed empty. I walk up to the second bed, someone does lie there, but whoever it is, is covered all the way up to the forehead.
I walk back to the nurses.
“Look, I say, there is someone there, but how do I know that it is Felicia? The person seems to be asleep!”
“It’s Felicia! The nurse assures me, There is no one else there! If she is asleep, just wake her up!”
“I can’t do this! What if it is not Felicia and I wake up a strange person? This would be very embarrassing!”
The nurse gives me a light push out and urges me:
“Go ahead, how long do I have to explain things to you?”
I go back to room No. 7. Quite hesitatingly I give the person under the sheet a light poke.
And yes thank God Felicia’s face emerges from all the sheets and the pillows.
We spent some pleasant time together, I told her about what goes on in the Towers, she told me about doctors and nurses I also told her how hard it was for me to get to see her.
“On the way back, she says, you don’t have to walk so much; at the end of this corridor there is an elevator which will lead you directly down to the street!”
Fine. I wouldn’t like to do all I did before backwards.
I hug Felicia and following her instructions, I take it to the right a bit apprehensively and I find another corridor and another elevator. I step out and find myself in unknown surroundings. A street with buildings I don’t know, so where is a bus stop or some kind of familiar exit?
A guard watches my distress and says:
“Just take this hill up a bit, and you will find yourself on the main road!”
And there it was! Familiar surroundings! I boarded a bus bearing a well known number with a prayer in my heart:
OH, God make Felicia come home real soon!
Lucca