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Show CHRYSALIS PAGE 23 in 978. He always did the wrong thing." Poor Ethelred. "Edward the Confessor was his son." She goes on and on: William I, William II, Henry I, Henry II, Richard I, and John. A nurse comes by and tells Tillie to go back to bed. The nurse has brought grape juice on a tray, but Tillie won't allow any help and she pours the dark juice all over her gown and sheets. The nurse is angry. Poor Tillie. Poor Ethelred. Poor nurse who has to change the purple sheets and the wet gown. Poor, poor Mrs. Fische. Poor, poor me. This place is a madhouse. I turn toward the wall and shut my eyes. Doctor Sontag comes in. He is no older than I, his face is unwrinkled, his hair is blond. He might be my brother. "Jody? Are you sleeping?" he asks. Too bad if I am. "No." I sit up in bed. "This is a terrible pillow! I think it's full of straw." "I'll have them send you up another. Outside of that, how are you feeling?" "Fine, except for this frog in my throat." "Say 'Ahhh." He looks down my throat. "You're right. It is a frog. A little green one!" Good Lord, he's a comedian, too. I smile. Better be polite |