then, the doctor came up the corridor and smiled as he said, “There’s a boy who should see Buddy. Would you mind taking a little more time?”
Being a loner, visiting wasn’t one of the things Rip chose to do. But how could he refuse when he knew the dog was a curious creature? Actually, the dog was nosy. So Rip said to the doctor, “Lead the way.”
The thing that surprised Rip most was that the sister... whose name he hadn’t heard... was following. She must be bored just sitting next to her sleeping brother. But then, what good would that do, just sitting by a man who was entirely out of it?
So what’s-her-name went along. She had a good, easy walk.
The doctor told Rip, “There’s a very lonely boy whose home is a long way from here. He has brothers and sisters who call him, but he doesn’t have any visitors. He, too, has a bad leg. But his is broken.”
The boy’s name was Chuck. He lay in bed with his leg elevated somewhat by a complicated bunch of wires. He was pale and very quiet. He was watching TV.
In an aside, the doctor said to Rip, “Thank God for TV children’s shows.”
Two nurses said softly, “Amen.”
Andrew’s sister asked, “But do the kids get together and watch?”
The doctor nodded. “Those who can walk. Some of them come here, if they’re not too ill.”
The doctor went in the boy’s room. “Hello, Chuck. May I bring in a friend?”
The boy turned his head slowly. “Yeah.”
And the dog came in alertly, looking. Did he expect to see Andrew again? He put his feet up against the high bed and looked at the patient.
The boy was delighted! “Hello!” he exclaimed. “How’d you get inside?”
And the doctor said, “His master is in the hospital. He’s asleep. The dog’s name is Buddy. I thought you might like to know him.”
Chuck smiled and put out his hand. The dog, Buddy, gave the boy’s hand a lick, and Chuck smiled as he petted the dog.
It was a nice thing to watch. But the doctor had to leave and did so quietly.
The nurse said to Chuck, “Don’t put your hand on your face or in your mouth until I’ve washed it.”
They all laughed, but the important laugh was Chuck’s.
After fifteen minutes, the nurse in charge reluctantly signaled Rip to leave. Rip told Chuck, “We’ll see you this afternoon.”
Another visit from the dog was something for the boy to anticipate.
The nurses were charming in their goodbyes.
Andrew’s sister watched those people leave before she said to Rip, “Thank you for coming. Andrew will be so glad to see Buddy again this afternoon. I know keeping the dog and bringing him here takes your time. Is Buddy a problem for you?”
“Naw. He just goes along with me. He likes flying.”
She actually looked at him as she asked, “What sort of flying do you do?”
He returned her look, and he found he liked the way she watched him. He told her, “I look at crops, at the height of grasses, for vans that are off the highway and could be rustlers after cattle...and I look for people who don’t have cellular phones and can be lost.”
She watched him soberly. “...or trapped under a dead horse.”
“I mostly look for our guys. Andrew is my first foreigner.” Well, he wasn’t from another land, so Rip added, “A nonresident...trespasser.” His tongue just added that. It was true. Andrew hadn’t had permission to trod on acreage that was private land.
Andrew’s sister guessed, “He was where he wasn’t supposed to be?”
“Exactly.” Then without his permission, Rip’s tongue just went on, “He could have gone to any highway rest stop and inquired as to how he might go anywhere. There are state cops at almost all the rest stops. They give information. Nobody intrudes on private lands. And to go over a fence and out on the lands and get lost is a great nuisance for the owners and crews on the places. It takes our time and concern. We are busy people.”
“How are you managing?” She gestured. Then, realizing that wasn’t enough, she added, “Coming here and taking care of Buddy?”
Rip looked at Andrew’s sister and thought it was probably a good thing he didn’t know her name. She lured him. He didn’t want that kind of serious, unknowing lure. He sighed and said, “I manage. He’s a good dog. My boss gives me the time to bring him to see the pilgrim.” He almost instantly bit his lip.
“Pilgrim?”
It was not a kind name. Rip had used it to mean a person who’d landed where nobody wanted him. So Rip said, “Uhhh. Well, he was new to us.”
Andrew’s sister nodded. Then she said, “If anything... changes...I could call you and save you the time coming into town. Is there a phone number where I can reach you?”
He asked, “What’s your name?”
“Lu.”
Thoughtfully tilting his head back, Rip questioned, “Wasn’t there a song about a lady named Lu?”
“Probably. My dad named me. He’s a...different person. He baffles my mother.”
Without any warning, Rip found himself blurting, “I never knew my parents.” His teeth went back into his lower lip. They should have stayed there.
Lu guessed. “You left home as soon as you could.”
“Yeah.” They’d left him. He watched her a minute with his eyes slitted. He’d never given his phone number to any woman. “Don’t you give my number to anybody, do you hear me?”
She began to smile. “Women throw themselves in front of your car?”
“Any man gets tired of being hounded.”
“Hounded.” She tasted the word. Then she inquired with the slightest smile, “You’re implying women are...hounds?”
Rip slowly shook his head, as he said very seriously, “Not all of them. Some really good women live in this world.”
She was curious about his replies so she asked, “But there are...females who...hound you?”
Rip shrugged logically. “—and there’re the male variety of—hounds,” he admitted. “I’m one every now and again.” He watched her. He became aware that she was tired and had been concerned and worried about that stupid brother of hers. “You got a place here to stay that’s convenient?”
“Yes. Just down the block, there’s a hospice. This hospital
