"First day on the job…" - the rest of the story

Hey everyone - let me begin by apologizing for my extended absence. I've had a lot going on and because of personal reasons haven't had the spare time to get a post up.

So, where were we? Last I left you, Ashley and I were in the intensive care area, and it's around 10 o'clock and we're ready to go!!! Not going to happen. I'm escorted back out into the hallway of oblivion, were I again sit...lay...kneel...up & down until I couldn't take anymore so I go for a walk around the hospital.

As, I make my way to the front of the hospital I decide maybe some night air would make me feel better, relieve some tension, and hopefully wake me up. While I'm outside, quite a mixture of people--all races, some bohemian in appearance, upper-class, lower-class, and one very out of place drum corps staff member. Back & forth I pace around the courtyard, listening to snippets of conversations, smell of cigarettes from those smoking, and without warning a car comes barreling into the E.R. ambulance parking. A man jumps from the car, screaming--car still in gear and rolling--and runs to the passenger-side rear door pulling out a small boy, who was covered in blood. From my vantage point this young child was clearly dead, the first dead person I've ever seen (outside of funerals) and it will be a moment in my life I'll always remember. The man pulls the young boy up and drags him into the E.R. waiting area screaming for help, terrifying everyone in his path, and is eventually stopped by nurses and he and the boy taken into the critical area. Sadly, I knew from what I assumed on sight and later confirmed to be gunshot wounds to the head and chest that this poor boy had passed long before making it to the hospital, but the father was inconsolable, and wouldn't believe he was gone. Seeing a human in such a place of complete uncontrolled fear, sadness, and just need was again something I'll never forget.

Now, to stray away from that moment as it went on for some time, I was thoroughly ready to get Ashley and I back to the university. Luckily, it was only about 3 or 4 hours before she was ready and after signing several pieces of papers, listening to the doctor's orders on what she can and can't do (marching was on the can't list--FYI) we were free to leave.

Okay, so I didn't drive? I'm 300+ miles away from any of my vehicles, and so again...we.....wait!!

Ashley--half sedated & totally exhausted--was adamant on NOT sitting in the hospital, so anything to make her happy; we gathered our things and sat on the front stairs to wait for our ride (thank you, Kenneth for the rescue) but he seemed to take forever to arrive. Now, I'm a military brat with an Oklahoma upbringing, Ashley too, and we're not use to seeing many transient people or 'homeless' in slang, so the choice to wait on the stairs was not a good one. We soon became surrounded by men that wanted money, and without a doubt would have killed for much less than a dollar. I did my best to accommodate but as we all know the staff salary isn't luxurious, ha.

One guy decided to really befriend Ashley and I, faking an interest in what was wrong, and without us knowing pick pocketed my corps jacket--which Ashley was wearing as she slept for warmth-- He then jumped up and left us, thankfully Kenneth arrived soon after.

Before we could make it home, Ashley decided she was hungry and so a convenience store was the best option, I told her earlier I'd buy her whatever she wanted & just to hand me my wallet from the jacket...of course, gone. One U-turn later and 30 minutes digging through the hospital trash cans out front, my wallet was found but nothing remaining inside it.

Anyways, without skipping too many plot points we arrived home about the time the corps was waking for a new day of rehearsal and with that, this equation to end the story:

One neck brace + 30 stitches + 1 concussion + 18 hours at Memphis Regional – my wallet & all personal identification = a great summer story.

Ashley's parents arrived later that day to take her from the corps, told not to march she'd accepted that it was over, but within 2 weeks Ashley had rejoined the corps--still very sore & with a new appreciation for trees :) -- she was as good as new, one of my closest students, and an amazing someone I'll never forget.

Hope you enjoyed--leave a comment for me & Ashley, till next blog!!

Thanks-

Ty.