numbers without hitting the jackpot.
Extremely frustrated with myself, I got ready to dial information again. I looked at the stack of unopened cards and all the cards I had pulled from flower arrangements. I found that I wasn’t feeling very thankful for anything and laid down on my bed. After a few minutes, I felt myself drifting off to sleep and did nothing to resist.
I found myself in a fitful sleep, images of the shooter, of Max in my night-washed room, Seth’s hurt look this morning, all mixed together. The dream of Max coming to me and telling me how urgent it was for me to find him, got all jumbled up with the events at the hospital, with the exchange between Seth and Max, Felecia worried about my heart monitor, then - a ray of hope. Doctor Gracie told me he had received several calls from Max. I awoke with a start, sitting straight up in bed. He must have Max’s number, or at least knew a way to contact him! I dialed information again, but asked for the number to the hospital this time.
When a receptionist at the hospital came on the line, I asked if she could connect me to Doctor Gracie. I was connected to his voice mail and left a message, “Doctor Gracie, I’m sorry to bother you. This is Lauren Davis, your gun shot patient, and I was hoping you could give me a call at your earliest convenience…” I left my number and sat back in my bed, thrilled that I’d soon have Max’s number.
I grabbed the stack of cards and opened each one. I was shocked that only five came from people I knew. I counted sixty-one from complete strangers. One message tugged at my heart more than any other.
Dearest Lauren,
I have no idea how to thank you. Fred is my son. You saved his life yesterday. No amount of money will ever repay your sacrifice, but I felt it necessary to do something. Please accept this as a small token of my appreciation and know that for the rest of my life I will remember what you did for my son and our family. I wish you a speedy recovery, and, if there is ever anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Love,
Maggie Lawrence.
Inside the card was a check for twenty thousand dollars.
Shock overtook me. How should I write a thank-you note for this one? Could I even keep this money? I’m sure my parents would say no. I set it aside as I opened the rest of the cards. I was shocked by how many cards from strangers came with cash and checks. One from a car dealer said I could have any car on his lot at cost. All the inscriptions were much the same, calling me a hero, saying how brave I was, or thanking me for a friend or a loved one who had been in the restaurant during the robbery. It was overwhelming, and all told I had received more than twenty-five thousand dollars from grateful strangers.
I began writing thank-you notes, but after ten handwritten notes, I realized that this was something I would have to pace myself for. I had been at it for a couple hours and my hand was throbbing. When the phone rang, I picked it up on the first ring, hoping to catch it before my mom could.
“ Hello,” I responded into the receiver.
“ This is Doctor Gracie from Saint Joseph’s. Is Lauren available?”
“ Hi, Doctor. This is Lauren. Thanks for calling me back!”
“ Lauren, are you okay?”
“ Oh, yeah, I’m fine, safe and sound at home. I have a weird request for you. Max Meyers was the paramedic who got me to the hospital. Do you know how I can reach him?”
There was an audible sigh on the phone. “Lauren, I’m not an answering service. I’m very busy.”
“ Doctor Gracie, I’m so sorry to ask, but I needed to ask him something about what happened at the restaurant, and I don’t know how to get a hold of him. I tried information, but I don’t know if he’s listed, and there are a ton of Max Meyers in the area. You mentioned that he called you a few times that first night, so I hoped you knew how I
Extremely frustrated with myself, I got ready to dial information again. I looked at the stack of unopened cards and all the cards I had pulled from flower arrangements. I found that I wasn’t feeling very thankful for anything and laid down on my bed. After a few minutes, I felt myself drifting off to sleep and did nothing to resist.
I found myself in a fitful sleep, images of the shooter, of Max in my night-washed room, Seth’s hurt look this morning, all mixed together. The dream of Max coming to me and telling me how urgent it was for me to find him, got all jumbled up with the events at the hospital, with the exchange between Seth and Max, Felecia worried about my heart monitor, then - a ray of hope. Doctor Gracie told me he had received several calls from Max. I awoke with a start, sitting straight up in bed. He must have Max’s number, or at least knew a way to contact him! I dialed information again, but asked for the number to the hospital this time.
When a receptionist at the hospital came on the line, I asked if she could connect me to Doctor Gracie. I was connected to his voice mail and left a message, “Doctor Gracie, I’m sorry to bother you. This is Lauren Davis, your gun shot patient, and I was hoping you could give me a call at your earliest convenience…” I left my number and sat back in my bed, thrilled that I’d soon have Max’s number.
I grabbed the stack of cards and opened each one. I was shocked that only five came from people I knew. I counted sixty-one from complete strangers. One message tugged at my heart more than any other.
Dearest Lauren,
I have no idea how to thank you. Fred is my son. You saved his life yesterday. No amount of money will ever repay your sacrifice, but I felt it necessary to do something. Please accept this as a small token of my appreciation and know that for the rest of my life I will remember what you did for my son and our family. I wish you a speedy recovery, and, if there is ever anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Love,
Maggie Lawrence.
Inside the card was a check for twenty thousand dollars.
Shock overtook me. How should I write a thank-you note for this one? Could I even keep this money? I’m sure my parents would say no. I set it aside as I opened the rest of the cards. I was shocked by how many cards from strangers came with cash and checks. One from a car dealer said I could have any car on his lot at cost. All the inscriptions were much the same, calling me a hero, saying how brave I was, or thanking me for a friend or a loved one who had been in the restaurant during the robbery. It was overwhelming, and all told I had received more than twenty-five thousand dollars from grateful strangers.
I began writing thank-you notes, but after ten handwritten notes, I realized that this was something I would have to pace myself for. I had been at it for a couple hours and my hand was throbbing. When the phone rang, I picked it up on the first ring, hoping to catch it before my mom could.
“ Hello,” I responded into the receiver.
“ This is Doctor Gracie from Saint Joseph’s. Is Lauren available?”
“ Hi, Doctor. This is Lauren. Thanks for calling me back!”
“ Lauren, are you okay?”
“ Oh, yeah, I’m fine, safe and sound at home. I have a weird request for you. Max Meyers was the paramedic who got me to the hospital. Do you know how I can reach him?”
There was an audible sigh on the phone. “Lauren, I’m not an answering service. I’m very busy.”
“ Doctor Gracie, I’m so sorry to ask, but I needed to ask him something about what happened at the restaurant, and I don’t know how to get a hold of him. I tried information, but I don’t know if he’s listed, and there are a ton of Max Meyers in the area. You mentioned that he called you a few times that first night, so I hoped you knew how I
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