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"the lady has to go now."
    Susie Q paid no attention, staring up at the woman open-mouthed.
    The visitor smiled nervously and tried to disentangle her hand from Susie Q's grasp, exclaiming in over-hearty tones, "You're certainly a friendly girl, aren't you?"
    Susie Q snuffled and green mucus dribbled from both nostrils. "What's you name?" she repeated.
    Grace reached for Susie Q's other hand. "Say bye-bye to the lady. Time to wash up for supper. Maybe there'll be candy after you eat."
    "Candy," Susie Q echoed, dropping the visitor's hand as she turned toward Grace. "Want candy."
    "After supper." Grace said, urging her back into the room. "We have to wash first."
    As she wiped Susie Q's nose, Grace heard the ward door close and the lock click shut. Serve that snooty woman right, she thought, if Susie Q had smeared snot all over her. She night have acted a little friendlier—Susie Q loved attention. Yesterday afternoon Susie Q had sat for an hour next to one of the old ladies who couldn't utter a sentence that made sense. But she'd patted Susie Q's head now and then while she jabbered nonsense and Susie Q had been in ecstasy. Unfortunately, Susie Q was the token retardate in the "community" of Thirteen West. All the others were crazies of one sort or another.
    Grace chewed her lower lip. She was afraid of most of them, never mind how harmless they acted. Why couldn't she have been left on B East with the retarded patients? They loved her, were used to her. Yes, Susie Q was doing all right on Thirteen West but what about Grace Geibel?
    Dr. Fredericks might think he was God as far as running Calafia was concerned but he wasn't The Almighty. What right did he have to take people and put them somewhere else whether they wanted to go there or not? Just so he could show off to others. See my creation. Using the number thirteen like it wasn't unlucky…no hospital she'd heard of ever called a ward thirteen. Thought he was God and could do no wrong.
    Another thing—Alma Reynolds was black. She seemed to be a good enough charge nurse, sharp and all and not lazy, give her credit. But to have her for a boss? Grace hadn't told Papa about it, except he might read it in the paper sometime, it probably would be in the paper what with Dr. Fredericks showing off the ward like he did. Still, the paper wouldn't say Ms Reynolds was black. There might be pictures, though.
    Grace tensed. Should she tell Papa or just hope he never found out? He didn't like black people. He'd be angry, really mad if he found out and she hadn't told him. He might even...
    Color stained Grace's sallow complexion. She put her hands to her face and closed her eyes. No, she mustn't...
    "Is something the matter?" someone asked.
    Hurriedly, Grace dropped her hands and stared at Sally. "No I—I'm just tired," she stammered.
    "It's time for your break—maybe that'll help. Ms Reynolds sent me to relieve you. Laura Jean and I are going to the day room and Susie Q can come with us."
    Grace peered nervously at the thin blonde girl behind Sally.
    "I can't stand that creep," Laura Jean said.
    Sally turned to her in surprise. "You told me you liked Susie Q. You told me she was the most honest person you'd ever met."
    "I meant her." Laura Jean pointed at Grace. "She's a creep."
    Sally flushed, embarrassed for Grace.
    "See, you're not honest, either," Laura Jean told her. Hardly anyone in this shithole is."
    "Susie Q's all cleaned up for supper," Grace said, ignoring Laura Jean. "I'll walk her down to the day room and then take my break."
    Sally let them walk ahead before following with Laura Jean. "You shouldn't tell people things like that when you hardly even know them," she said to the girl.
    "I don't want to know her any better. I just want to get out of here. It's a permanent bad trip."
    "We're going to work together on you leaving," Sally assured her. "You'll do better over here on Thirteen West."
    Laura watched Sally smile at her, then quickly looked away when Sally's smile