Lying in the dimly-lit hospital room, Patrick began to remember how he came to be here. Both of his wrists ached, and he could feel the braces heavy on his hands as he slowly put the pieces together.
It was a the league championship for his high school, and the tying run for the other team came barreling down on him as he blocked the plate. They told him that he took a terrific shot, and that the run didn't score and his team came away with the victory, but that he came away with two badly sprained wrists for his trouble. And now he was slowly awakening from a sleeping pill, not knowing what time - or even what day it was.
Someone had undressed him and given him a hospital gown, and he couldn't help wondering who it was that did it. "Oh, man, I hope it wasn't some old guy." he thought, repulsed by the picture of a male orderly undressing him. He also noticed that he had been cleaned up a little - probably at the same time. "Yuk," he grimaced as the scenario returned unbidden.
Just then a crack of light appeared at the door, and someone peeked inside. After a moment he heard a kindly voice whisper, "Are you awake, hon?"
"Yes," said Patrick.
"Those pills always wear off about now - I don't know why they keep the dosage so low." The figure came into the room, and Patrick could make out a nurse, perhaps 5-1 and petite. She came up beside the bed and placed her hand on Patrick's shoulder. "How are you doing, tiger?" she said with a smile. "Are you still hurting?"
"My wrists ache a bit, but it's not too bad," he said, not wanting to appear to be a baby about it.
"I'm Nurse Jensen and I'll be in charge of you while you're here with us. You've already been treated for the sprains, and we just need for you to rest and take it easy while you heal."
"How long do I have to stay in the hospital?" said Patrick, already sick of it.
"Just 3-4 more days, sweetie", said the nurse, admiring the handsome 18-year-old who was perhaps twice her size and she more than twice his age. "We have to make sure the healing is progressing well and that you can be on the team when you get to college." She smiled and squeezed his shoulder.
"Here, let me check something," she gently raised his arm and sniffed his armpit.
"Whoa! Those silly candy stripers never do a decent job." Patrick turned a hot red in the dark. "Oh, never mind, honey," she said as if she could see him blushing. "I imagine you work up quite a sweat playing baseball - nothing to be embarrassed about. We'll just take care of that. Are you pretty much awake?"
"Uh, I guess so, but..."
"Good - we'll get you down to the lavatory right now and fix you up. No one will be there at this hour and that will give you some privacy." Before he knew what was happening she darted out of the room and returned a moment later with a wheelchair. "Hop in, champ. It's time for a hosing-off."
Patrick climbed out of bed and she helped him sit in the wheelchair. He really didn't smell that bad, thought Nurse Jensen. In fact, his muscular body and sweaty smell was exciting for her, and she slipped her hand under the gown and felt his smooth skin as he helped him sit down.
The hospital was quiet as the wheelchair rolled noiselessly down the hall, and into a room labeled "Patient Bathing". She pushed Patrick inside and he could see a shower and a stainless steel tub, both sparkling clean. Nurse Jensen went over to the tub and began to run warm water. "We can't have you in the shower because your wrist braces will get wet, so it's the tub for you, kiddo." She poured in some liquid bath soap, and bubbles began to rise in the tub.
Patrick just sat watching, still a little groggy from the sleeping pills. He was wondering how he was going to wash himself with braces on his wrists, but figured they knew what they were doing here. The suds came up higher and finally Nurse Jensen shut off the water. "There," she said, testing the water with her elbow, "Just right - nice and warm. I bet that will feel good after your game, hmmm?" Patrick smiled weakly and nodded, thinking that she was right--a warm bath would be just the thing.
She dried her hands off and said, "Alrighty, let's get you up." The back of the skimpy hospital gown waved open, and the cool air reminded him how naked he was under it. She walked him to the tub and reached up to his broad shoulders, pulling his gown toward her and then down, leaving him nude and half in shock in front of her.
"Oh, sweetie, I see people naked every day around here. Don't get all embarrassed on me.
"But..." he stammered, trying to cover himself.