Part Nine of the Khalil Short Play Series

Back to: Not Just Another Pretty Blog

THE CLOSE CALL - (c) 2007 Cherie Renae

Khalil is loosely based upon my own grandfather, who lived to be 99. He lived to the last with my grandmother in their own home. Family and friends were always dropping by to visit. Their house, and especially their kitchen, still hold special memories for me.

Introduction

When Joe and Esther get the call that Khalil is in the hospital, they fear the worst. But Khalil's hardiness and humor pulls them all through.

 

THE HOSPITAL

Scene: A hospital room.

Characters:

Khalil, a man in his early 90's

Joe, a man in his 80's, Khalil's best friend

May, Khalil's wife

Esther, Joe's wife

 

(May is standing in the room. Joe and Esther rush in.)

Joe: May, we got your message and we hurried over. Khalil is in the hospital? What happened? Was it his heart? Was it the gout? I knew he shouldn't have eaten that rich food at the Haddads' the other night. I told Esther on the way home that night, didn't I Esther? He shouldn't have eaten that shellfish. I was reading –

Esther: Joe, honey, give May a chance to talk. May, what happened to Khalil?

Joe: It was the shellfish; I know it was the shellfish. I had a bad feeling about it all along.

May: He got hit by a car.

Esther and Joe: He WHAT?

May: Yes. A car. Can you believe it? We were walking to the market, just like we do every Thursday morning, and Khalil stepped into the crosswalk just as a car turned the corner. I said, “Khalil, the car!”, and he said, “Cars have to stop,” and the next thing I knew, boom! It hit him!

Joe: He shouldn't tangle with cars. Cars have to stop , huh. Someone needs to tell the cars that. Just the other day, I was walking across Lincoln Street, with the light, mind you, and ---

Esther: Is he OK?

May: They're taking him for x-rays. Oh, Esther. He looked so old lying there in the street. The driver didn't see Khalil – the sun was in her eyes, she said.

Esther: When did this happen?

May: About two hours ago. When we got to the hospital, they didn't believe his birth date, so they had to call the VA hospital to verify that the information was correct. You know Khalil – he always goes to the VA, because it's free. Khalil was pretty grumpy about it – don't you think I'd know my own birthday? – he said. I told him it was a compliment – they think you look so young, sweetheart­ - I said, but he wasn't happy. He's right, you know. They assume he's senile just because he's over 90. He remembers more than they do!

Joe: That's for sure. My team lost the bowling tournament to his, what, thirty years ago? He's never let me forget it.

Esther: Did it take long for the ambulance to arrive?

May: No. Thank goodness. Mr. Jones, who lives down the street – you know, the one with all the dogs? He was walking that Rottweiler of his – it looks more like the dog walks him, the way it drags him along, he's going to fall and break a hip some day, I swear. And that big yellow dog of his is even worse. What kind of dog is that one?

Esther: I think it's a Golden Lab.

May: Yes, that's it. It all but pulls him off his feet whenever they walk by Mrs. Goldstein's house. She has all the cats, and those cats just torment that poor dog. Once I had to help Mr. Jones out of the bushes – it had dragged him into the boxwood near the corner of Mrs. Goldstein's yard! Anyway, where was I? Oh, yes. Mr. Jones has one of those cell phones, and he called the ambulance.

Joe: Was Khalil still aware? It didn't knock him out, did it? That's not good for a man of his age, to be knocked clean out, you know.

May: No, he was alert. He looked like he was in pain, though. I asked him if it hurt, and he said, “Not too bad.” Then he said, “You're beautiful, May.” What if he's really hurt? What will I do?

(May puts her hands over her face. Esther and Joe hug and comfort her.)

Joe: Khalil is tough. He'll be fine, I'm sure. Don't you worry, May. Look, here he comes now!

(An orderly wheels Khalil in on a hospital bed. His face is bruised, his eye is swollen.)

May: Khalil? Joe and Esther are here to see you, dear.

Esther: Hello, Khalil. We came as soon as we got May's message.

Joe: Wow, Khalil. You don't look so good. You get into a fight with a car, you're gonna lose, you know?

Esther: (in a stage whisper) Joe! (Out loud.) I think you look pretty good, all things considered.

May: What did the doctors say?

Khalil: (in a quiet, strained voice) Nothing. I haven't seen the doctor yet. It was just the nurses taking the pictures. The doctor will be in soon to talk to us.

(A doctor walks in.)

Doctor: (loudly) Good day, Khalil!

Khalil: (also loud) Good day, doctor!

May: Khalil, why are you yelling?

Khalil: I don't know. She started. I thought she must have trouble hearing.

Doctor: I'm sorry. You never know with patients – some have more difficulty with hearing than others.

Khalil: You mean, because I'm old. Just like you think I don't know my own birthday. Huh.

Doctor: Well, I have good news. You don't have any broken bones. You're probably going to be pretty stiff and sore for a while, though, because you have some pretty impressive bruises. I must say, you're in wonderful shape for a man of your age.

Khalil: Well, thank you, doctor. This is actually my wife's fault, you know.

May: My fault? How is this my fault?

Khalil: If you hadn't made me give up driving, we would have driven to the market, and then I wouldn't have been hit.

May: Khalil, you quit driving over 10 years ago! And I wasn't the one who made you quit. You got into that accident. You gave up your license after that. I didn't make you turn it in.

Khalil: They wanted me to take the driving test again. I drive for almost sixty-five years, and then they want me to take the test again, just like I'm a kid?

Joe: They wanted to test your sight and your hearing, Khalil. And no offense, but you don't always see so good.

Khalil: Still. If I was driving, I wouldn't have been hurt.

May: No, you probably would have been dead. Your driving was a menace.

Joe: I told you. He doesn't forget a thing. Well, we know he doesn't have brain damage. He remembers everything. I wish I remembered things so good.

Esther: I'm just glad you're not badly hurt, Khalil.

May: Doctor, when can he go home?

Doctor: I'm going to release him right now. He'll probably need some pain medications, so I'll write him a prescription. (Jokingly to Khalil) No driving while you're taking this medicine, Khalil!

Khalil: Everyone's a comedian these days. Well, thank you, doctor.

May: Yes, thank you.

(Doctor exits)

May: Let's get you home.

Joe: I'll go call a cab.

Esther: How about if Joe and I go on ahead and get everything ready for you?

May: That would be lovely. Thank you, Esther. You two are the best friends we could ever have.

(Joe and Esther leave.)

May: Khalil, I was so afraid when you were lying there on the ground.

Khalil: To tell you the truth, I was a little scared, too. That didn't feel so good.

May: You have to be careful. I don't want to lose you.

Khalil: I will. But the car should have stopped.

May: Yes, it should. But unless you can make the car look worse than you, maybe you should stop.

Khalil: Yes, dear. You are beautiful, you know.

May: I love you, Khalil.

(She kisses him. She helps him up from the hospital bed, and they walk slowly out the door.)

THE END

---(c) 2007 Cherie Renae - may not be reproduced without permission

Back to: Not Just Another Pretty Blog