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dangerous.”
    â€œGood to know.”
    â€œYou’ll have to refrain from strenuous physical activity until it is out. Of course, nothing for the next six to eight weeks. From the look of you—considering your age—you have continued to keep your body in shape. That’s good. That’s good. That has helped. But you’ll have to take it easy for a few months.”
    â€œConsidering my age,” I said, thinking that a layoff of a few months at my age would put me way over into the soft side of life. It would be hell coming back. If I could. Maybe it was time to find something else to do.
    â€œI didn’t mean it the way it sounded,” he said.
    â€œAgeism.”
    â€œWhoa! I apologize.”
    â€œI know. It was a medical term.”
    He looked relieved, unaware that I was having some small fun at his expense. He was intense. Perhaps too intense. And then I remembered for whom he worked. Chawlie would have made my continued existence very important in this young man’s scheme of things. He’s like that. Chawlie can become very insistent when he wants something. Sometimes it makes people nervous.
    â€œSo when can I go home?”
    â€œWe’re going to let you rest for another day or so. If you continue to improve at the same rate we’ll let you go by Friday.”
    â€œThat’s great. What day is today?”
    He laughed. “Tuesday. Don’t you read the newspapers?”
    â€œToo depressing. Too much politics. Too much violence.”
    â€œConsidering what you’ve just been through, Mr. Caine, the newspapers should be restful. That police inspector talked to me,
too. So did the ER crew. You were covered in blood, but we didn’t know it was yours. You made no complaint. Nobody thought you were hurt until you fell.”
    â€œHaven’t you ever had to hold on until something got done?”
    â€œOften,” he said, nodding. “During surgery you can’t afford to let down. Not even a little bit.”
    â€œIt was the same.”
    He nodded. “One thing I haven’t had a chance to talk to you about, but it’s important. The woman who just left made me think about it. Your body has received a great deal of trauma. Your whole system was shocked. Then I inflicted even more trauma to your reproductive system in my business of healing you. You may have some problems with lovemaking for some time. Don’t worry. It’ll come back. Just don’t rush it.”
    â€œYou’re saying I’ll be impotent?”
    â€œFor a short time. You should expect it. Everything will come back. Eventually.”
    â€œEventually,” I said. “Not a problem. That woman is a friend, and she’s on her way to Colorado. I’ll be heading back to Hawaii in a few days. Difficult to get together that way, you know?”
    â€œThen it should be a restful time for you.” He looked at me as if he didn’t believe me. “Be best, you know. You need the rest. Six weeks, minimum, Mr. Caine. No strenuous exercise. Just relax.” He patted my shoulder. “I don’t want you to find out the hard way how bad it can be. I’ll tell your doctor to arrange for an IVP before he removes that stent.”
    â€œIvy pee?”
    â€œIntravenous pyleogram. It’s a noninvasive radiological test to watch how your kidneys are working.”
    â€œWrite that down.”
    â€œIt’ll be on your orders when you leave. I’ll call your doctor and discuss it with him.”
    â€œOr her?”
    He laughed. “Or her,” he said, walking from the room, a happy man, satisfied with himself, his hands busy with his charts and his pens.

5
    T hey were coming through the wire.
    After a vicious and thorough mortar and rocket pounding, deadly steel rain joining the monsoon already pouring on our unprotected positions, the barrage abruptly stops. Over the resonance of the rain, the shrill screeching of