K-Pax (18 page)
O
N
Frida
y
o
f
tha
t
wee
k
w
e
receive
d
a
visito
r
fro
m
th
e
Stat
e
Boar
d
o
f
Health
.
Hi
s
jo
b
i
s
t
o
check
ou
r
facilitie
s
periodically
,
se
e
tha
t
th
e
patient
s
ar
e
clea
n
an
d
properl
y
fed
,
tha
t
th
e
plumbin
g
works
,
etc.
Althoug
h
h
e
ha
d
bee
n
her
e
man
y
time
s
before
,
w
e
gav
e
hi
m
th
e
usua
l
gran
d
tour
:
th
e
kitchen
,
th
e
dining
an
d
laundr
y
an
d
furnac
e
rooms
,
th
e
shop
,
th
e
grounds
,
th
e
recreation/exercis
e
room
,
th
e
quie
t
room
,
the
medica
l
facilitie
s
and
,
finally
,
th
e
wards.
I
t
wa
s
i
n
th
e
re
c
roo
m
tha
t
w
e
foun
d
pro
t
sittin
g
a
t
a
car
d
tabl
e
wit
h
tw
o
o
f
m
y
othe
r
patients
.
I
though
t
tha
t
a
bi
t
od
d
inasmuc
h
a
s
on
e
o
f
them
,
who
m
I
shal
l
cal
l
Ernie
,
almos
t
alway
s
keep
s
t
o
himself,
o
r
talk
s
quietl
y
wit
h
Russell
,
ou
r
unofficia
l
chaplain
.
Th
e
other
,
Howie
,
i
s
usuall
y
to
o
bus
y
t
o
tal
k
to
anyon
e
(th
e
whit
e
rabbi
t
syndrome)
.
Bot
h
Erni
e
an
d
Howi
e
hav
e
bee
n
her
e
fo
r
years
,
sharin
g
th
e
same room
,
an
d
bot
h
ar
e
ver
y
difficul
t
cases.
Ernie
,
like
,
mos
t
people
,
i
s
afrai
d
o
f
death
.
Unlik
e
mos
t
o
f
us
,
however
,
h
e
i
s
unabl
e
t
o
thin
k
about
anythin
g
else
.
H
e
check
s
hi
s
puls
e
an
d
temperatur
e
regularly
.
H
e
insist
s
o
n
wearin
g
a
surgica
l
mas
k
and
rubbe
r
glove
s
a
t
al
l
times
.
H
e
i
s
neve
r
withou
t
hi
s
stethoscop
e
an
d
thermomete
r
an
d
h
e
shower
s
several
time
s
a
day
,
demandin
g
fres
h
clothin
g
afte
r
eac
h
one
,
rejectin
g
anythin
g
tha
t
show
s
th
e
slightes
t
spo
t
or
stain
.
W
e
humo
r
hi
m
i
n
thi
s
becaus
e
otherwis
e
h
e
woul
d
wea
r
nothing.
Eatin
g
i
s
a
seriou
s
proble
m
fo
r
Ernie
,
fo
r
severa
l
reasons
.
First
,
becaus
e
o
f
hi
s
fea
r
o
f
foo
d
poisoning
h
e
wil
l
no
t
consum
e
anythin
g
tha
t
isn'
t
thoroughl
y
cooke
d
an
d
come
s
t
o
hi
m
pipin
g
hot
.
Second
,
h
e
will
onl
y
ea
t
foo
d
tha
t
i
s
broke
n
o
r
cu
t
int
o
tin
y
piece
s
s
o
h
e
won'
t
chok
e
t
o
deat
h
o
n
somethin
g
to
o
larg
e
to
swallow
.
Finally
,
ther
e
i
s
th
e
proble
m
o
f
preservative
s
an
d
additives
.
H
e
wil
l
no
t
ea
t
mea
t
o
r
poultry
,
and
i
s
suspiciou
s
eve
n
o
f
fres
h
fruit
s
an
d
vegetables.
Non
e
o
f
thi
s
i
s
unusual
,
o
f
course
,
an
d
ever
y
psychiatri
c
hospita
l
ha
s
a
n
Erni
e
o
r
two
.
Wha
t
makes
ou
r
Erni
e
differen
t
i
s
tha
t
h
e
raise
s
hi
s
defense
s
a
notc
h
o
r
tw
o
highe
r
tha
n
mos
t
necrophobes
.
H
e
cannot
b
e
induce
d
t
o
ventur
e
outsid
e
th
e
building
,
fo
r
example
,
fearin
g
bombardmen
t
b
y
meteorites
,
cosmi
c
rays
an
d
th
e
like
,
poisonin
g
b
y
chemical
s
i
n
th
e
air
,
attac
k
b
y
insect
s
an
d
birds
,
infectio
n
b
y
dust-borne
organisms
,
an
d
s
o
on.