The Second Childhood: Chapter 1 (Pages 16-17)

(Continued from Pages 11-15)
Tanaka’s final answer came out to be 1196x²+825xy+231y². “Wow, Dad. That was more of a mind-bender there. Everyone has limits ‘cept God Himself I suppose. That took me a while. Your battery could’ve gone out, ya know.”

                “You didn’t have to worry about that, our little Samurai. I keep the camera charged through a power cord. Satoru, are you still recording?”

                “Yeah, Dad. You want it off now?”

                “Sure, Satoru-kun. We have all we need. I now have to send this off to MENSA! Our Tanaka-chan may not need to fill out a formal application after all.”

                Tanaka finished the rest of his orange juice, then as he started heading upstairs, told, “Okay. Wow, that kinda felt too much. I’ll stick with easier junk for a while, just to have fun. I’ll be upstairs. Call me down when the party’s ready.”

                “Sure, no problem, genius boy.” Satoru responded.

                “I’ll send him after you,” Dad said.

                As Tanaka was headed up the stairs, he realized, “Oh, the underwear. I need to find some real ones. This is too embarrassing.” He opened and closed drawers in his room, then found a few briefs. He placed it in front of himself and realized. “Whoops! WRONG drawers!” They were a few sizes too big. Tanaka opened the neighboring drawer, and found some more. “Too kiddish, but they’re better than THIS. Okay, time to throw this one out.” He tossed the other, embarrassing undergarment in a pail. Tanaka found the right sizes of real cloth briefs. They were his.

After Tanaka changed, he went back on Mom’s computer, and checked his emails and Facebook again. There were a few more of the usual condolence messages. He felt tempted to respond to them a few times, but realized at the last seconds that this would make things extremely awkward. Then he started back on his blog at http://TanakaToday.blogspot.com and made two more entries – one about what happened, and what he plans to do with his new parents, and another about his plan about how he should be paid his allowances. During this time, he noticed a vehicle approach below, and looked out the window.

“Huh! Cool Volvo!” The SUV slowly pulled under.

Some time later, Mom called Tanaka down. “YOUR PARTY’S ALMOST HERE, TANAKA-CHAN. COME DOWN AND GET READY!”

After Tanaka raced and slid down the stairs, he exclaimed, “Ah, I’m here now! So, now what?”

“Now we wait.” Mom explained.

“So Mom, when’d you get that cool Volvo SUV?”

                “Well, Tanaka-chan, it was your Dad’s gift to me this Christmas. It’s supposed to be the safest SUV model ever made. Its electronic stability keeps it from rolling no matter what.”

                “Leather heated seats, Mom?”

                “Yes, and lots of other options. You fell in love with it when we all went for a test-drive. Though you kinda fought Satoru and Chihiro for apparently squeezing you in the middle, you still thought it was great.”

                “I guess I’ll fall in love with it all over again then. And I’ll call dibs on the edges. I like window seats best.” At that point, the clock struck Noon. Dad came toward the door.

                “I’ll check to see if they’re here.”

                “Can you pick me up, Dad, and lemme see through the peephole? Please?”

                “Okay, here you go, Tanaka.” After lifting Tanaka and having him see through the peephole, Tanaka could see vehicles pulling up on the driveway and curbs, and kids running out with their presents. None looked any taller than Tanaka himself. One sprinted up to the door ahead of all the other kids while the parents calmly walked in the chilly weather toward it.

                The doorbell rang.

(END OF CHAPTER 1)

The Second Childhood: Chapter 1 (Pages 11-15)

(Continued from Pages 6-10)
Tanaka fumbled for a convincing response. “I’m in Colonie, New York, and I… uh, am visiting my relatives up here! Yeah, that’s what I’m doing!”

“Tanaka, based on how your name sounds, I’d think your relatives would be from Japan!”

“Well Chris, plenty of our family members immigrated to the United States. My family in Manhattan aren’t the only ones, you know!”

Chris asked interrogatively, “I see. Now, how’d you get my number? I don’t give it out to too many people.”

Tanaka attempted to delay explaining. “Umm, before I answer that, what does my entire number say on your caller ID?”

Chris sighed. “It shows 518-162-3359. Now, how’d you get my number?” Tanaka promptly typed that onto the first form field he could click on in his web browser. Then he looked for a pen and any notepad or scratch paper. Tanaka started writing the number down when an unpleasant surprise hit him.

“Man, my penmanship is shot!” Tanaka blurted out.

Chris inquired, “Heh, I beg your pardon? Anyway, you didn’t answer my question. How—“

“I um…, well, it’s a long story. Hit me up at my email address: TanakaToday@gmail.com if you really wanna know. Have a good birthday. See ya!” Tanaka then promptly hung up.

After slowly and carefully writing down the rest of his home phone’s number, but still in a sloppy, kindergartner’s fashion, Tanaka proceeded to the Gmail account sign-up page. He entered TanakaToday as his new username, set the password and other information. Fortunately, he didn’t need to submit his birthdate.

After checking both his (Marc’s) Gmail and KSU Webmail accounts, Tanaka remembered that sooner or later, Chris may email Tanaka. That’s when he decided that he’ll spill all the beans to him. At the same time, Tanaka wouldn’t want to retype the story each time someone asked why he was so smart. That’s when a revelation came to him: Tanaka would start a blog and simply ask any inquirer to read his blog for the story.

“That ought to do it.” Tanaka muttered, before proceeding to the Blogger.com sign-up page. Fortunately, the sign-up form didn’t need his birth-year. As soon as he was through, Tanaka got to work on his first blog entry athttp://TanakaToday.blogspot.com. He spent an hour and a half typing up the ordeal of the day and the previous night when Mom yelled from downstairs.

“BREAKFAST IS READY. EVERYONE DOWNSTAIRS NOW.”

Tanaka looked at the system clock. It read 9:00 AM. He saved and submitted his first blog entry, and closed the browser window. He realized that he was downloading Firefox, and that it has now finished. Tanaka proceeded to install it onto Mom’s system.

Mom yelled again, “TANAKA, ARE YOU COMING?”

Tanaka replied, “YES, MOM. I’M ALMOST DONE!”

Mom responded, “WELL, HURRY UP.”

After finishing the install, Tanaka hurriedly closed all browser windows, sprinted out of the room, and slid down the banister. He hit a banister post at the bottom of the steps and clutched his ribs in agony. 

“Ouch. That was too fast!” Tanaka exclaimed. 

He dashed to the remaining empty seat at the dining room table. The whole family was there, with his little brother in his high-chair.

“Sorry about that, y’all. Is the food still warm?”

Satoru responded, “Yeah, good thing. Tanaka, you’re always the first to run to this table. A lot’s changed in you today!”

“Yeah, Sat-man, about that, well, I have an announcement to make. Dad, can I make an announcement?”

“Not yet, Tanaka-chan. We’re praying first.” Dad bowed his head, and everyone else did on cue. “Dear God, thank you for this new year and our very delicious breakfast that we’re about to receive. I pray that we will be more prosperous in 2005 than we were last year, and that more fortunes and less calamities happen to us in this new year.  I pray that our new daughter will be delivered safe, healthy and defect-free this May, and may you please protect us in these times. We praise your blessings to us and this food in the name of mighty Jesus we pray, Amen.”

Everyone started eating. Tanaka took a bite, and then spoke after swallowing. “Okay, everyone. As most of you have figured out by now, I’m not the Tanaka you used to know. My flu, or the overdose I got on that flu medicine must’ve been bad enough to damage my mind last night because frankly, I don’t know who any of you are. I only know your names from that group of photos above the mantle. My—“

Chihiro cut in. “So the flu made you stupider then, huh?”

Tanaka responded, “No, and you must be Kyung-hwa. It did quite the opposite in fact. Let me ex—“

Chihiro interrupted again. “I’m Chihiro. I don’t use Kyung-hwa no more ‘cause friends kept flubbing my name. You call me Chihiro all the time. You’re really weird today.”

Tanaka continued. “Now let me explain – my memories of the last five years are gone. I dreamed a college student’s life last night and the illness or overdose caused my dream memories to feel every bit like real memories, so I seriously feel like I have the memories of someone else’s past twenty years.” Tanaka had to make up that his transfer-incarnation was a dream because he knew that his new family members would buy a story of a dream more than one of a quasi-reincarnation.

“I’m curious,” Satoru queried. “What was your name in that dream?”

“My name was Marcus Michael Shuttles the Third. I lived in Manhattan, Kansas and went to K-State. My family lived in Chapman, about 30 minutes away.”

“Hey, K-State was our rival in our undergrad college. We were in Lawrence for our first four years!” Dad quipped.

“Well I’ll not say what I think of KU ‘cause you’ll probably just send me to my room.” Tanaka replied.

“I think you’re right, Tanaka-chan. But we were there for its Journalism sub-school. It didn’t exactly work out, but I got to use some of that to become a public relations official for General Electric! Now, what was your major in that dream?”

“It was mass communications. I wanted to be a commentator for CollegeHumor.com, but I guess I’ll be someone better now – a child for the second time, then someone I really want to be – someone who redefines the online social scene. I guess that’ll take going to MIT, which is what I’ll be doing with my new level of genius. Say, how much math did you do in college, Dad?”

“Well Tanaka-chan, I got as far as College Algebra and applied to take Calculus, but when I found out that I didn’t need that for my major, that’s where I stopped.”

“Well, you can give me a FOIL problem and I can do it for you right now on the blackboard, Dad.”

“I’d love to see you do it sometime, but we’re going to finish eating first. Eat up, Tanaka-chan.”

                Tanaka hurried up his eating, alternating between using napkins and utensils, and neatly finished his plate. His cup of orange juice sat full and unused. “Now Mom, do I have boxers as one of my birthday presents? I only wear boxers, well, at least I did in my dream, so I’d like some REAL underwear. Not these embarrassing ones I have on now.” Chihiro giggled, and Satoru nearly choked while he cracked a “heh.”

                “Well, Tanaka-chan, I’ll not tell you what the presents are yet, but I’ll tell you that you have no boxers in the wrapping. I doubt there are any that fit your size.”

                “So Mom, how ‘bout I call Wal-Mart and ask them what’s the smallest they’ve got. I know they’re open on New Years.”

                “How do you—Oh, wait. It’s one of your imported memories from your dream, isn’t it?”

                “Just call them and check. I promise they are open today. And if they are, will you promise to get me some boxers? I REALLY would like to seem older than I am, and I had thought that the kind of underwear that I’m wearing right now is something that 5-year-olds are too old to wear. It’s embarrassing to even mention, much more to wear it!” Tanaka shook his head.

                Mom sighed. “Um, I guess, but only if they have them in your size.”

                Out of the corner of his eye, Tanaka noticed that Toshiaki’s mouth was caked with food remnants. “Ok, little bro, jeez, don’t make a mess of yourself. Learn how to use a napkin.” Tanaka got his napkin and wiped Toshiaki’s mouth off. Right before he finished, Toshiaki yelled “Stop it!” and threw a food fragment at Tanaka’s shoulder.

                Tanaka sternly told him, “I think I’ll learn to shape ya up, ya little brat. Throwing food at other kids makes you liable to get your… eh, um, mass kicked. They’ll kick you in the, yeah, tail, and your nuts. You’ll regret ever  throwing food at anyone.”

                Dad looked slightly miffed. “Tanaka, I’ll get you a shrink. I think what you’ve said about yourself IS true. The way you threatened Toshiaki-chan is nothing like I’ve heard you say before. I know he needs to mind his table manners but you’re being over the top. On the other hand, it’s a little better than you throwing food or even splashing a drink back at him. You escalated the mess with him many times, but today, you cleaned your breakfast off the plate so well and used your napkin like a good boy is supposed to. Your Mom & I prayed for a miracle to happen to you from this flu and well, this has gotta be it!”

                “I’ve had and heard too much. I don’t know Tanaka anymore either.” Chihiro said.

                “I told you so.” Satoru told Chihiro.

                As the family began finishing up, removing themselves and the plates from the table, Tanaka started drinking from his glass when Mom asked him, “Is there anything else you’d like for your birthday? I can do some last-minute shopping for you before our party starts at Noon.”

                “Of course, Mom. Get me some 2^nd-grade-level workbooks ‘cause I’d like to have fun doing schoolwork again. And a laptop.”

                Mom gave him a confused scowl.

                Tanaka fumbled, but decided on the right response. “You know, that are appropriate for kids like myself. There are some low-cost laptops for kids, right, Mom?”

                “Yes, like those made by V-Tech and Leap Frog. Satoru and Chihiro has those kinds of electronic toys in their toy chests.” Mom responded.

                “Umm, sure! Why not? I’d like to enhance my already-enhanced brain, or at least have fun with them.” Tanaka hesitantly replied.

                “Okay, workbooks and a toy laptop. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”

                “Once I master those workbooks, will you give me higher-level ones?”

                “I’ll check through them all, and if you get an “A” on all of them, then yes I will.”

                “Okay, have fun shopping, Mom!”

                Mom got her keys and jingled them goodbye. “Bye Tanaka, love you, Kanoku, bye kids!” She headed for the garage.

                Tanaka approached Dad as he was pre-rinsing the dishes and passing them to Satoru loading them up in the dishwasher. “Now Dad, remember I told you I’d make you watch me do an algebra problem?”

                “Of course. The marker and board is right over there. Go on. Impress us.”

                Tanaka pulled up a stool and sat at the marker board. He wrote (2x²+4y)(5x²-6y) albeit in crude, kindergartner’s penmanship. “And here is how you solve this problem, Dad.”

                10x⁴+8x²y-24y² is what Tanaka wrote and underlined on the whiteboard. Satoru batted his eyes.

                “Wow, Tanaka, good show!” Dad exclaimed. He went up to erase the whiteboard and draw his own problem, just for good measure.

                (8x²+9y+z³)(24x²+10y+9z³) Tanaka got to work. 

192x⁴+80x²y+72x²z³+216x²y+90y²+81yz³+24x²z³+10yz³+9z⁶

= 192x⁴+296x²y+96x²z³+90y²+91yz³+9z⁶ is what Tanaka figured out for his final solution. Satoru and Dad gave him a standing ovation.

                “We need to take a picture, Dad!” Satoru exclaimed.

                “I’ll find the camera. Come help me look for it.” Dad found his digital camera in two minutes. “Okay, Tanaka. Pose with the board and smile!” The shutter snapped, and Tanaka graciously smiled and posed to the board. “Now Tanaka, this camera has a video-rolling feature. I’ll write you another problem, and Satoru-kun here will roll footage. Satoru, I’ll press the Record button now. Don’t touch any button while it rolls.”

                “Okay, got it, otou-san.” Dad handed it to Satoru, then erased the board, and wrote the problem: (52x+21y)(23x+11y)

                “Here you go, Tanaka-chan. Show us what you’re made of.” Dad handed Tanaka the marker.

                As he got started, he mumbled, “52 of 20 is 1040. Now, three 52s: 104, 156. 1040 + 156 is 1196”. He wrote 1196x². “Now 520 + 52. 572.” He wrote 572xy. “Hm, now 230 + 23. 253.” Then Tanaka drew a sloppy 253xy. “Now the last one. 210. 220, 230. 231.” Up came 231y². “Now the final step: 572+253. 672, 772 + 50 is 822. Ah, 825xy.”

(Continued on Pages 16-17)

The Second Childhood: Chapter 1 (Pages 6-10)

(Continued from Pages 1-5)
Mom rubbed her swollen tummy. “My precious little yeoja-ai is due on May 1^st. I don’t know what we’ll name her yet, but I’m open to ideas.”

“Sorry, Mom. What did you call her again?”

“You know, a yeoja-ai is an onna no ko, a girl. I need to start giving you some Korean lessons. And Dad should start giving you some Japanese. Now, I should get him.”

Tanaka sat on the couch and waited for Mom and Dad as they approached. Upon sitting down, Dad picked him up and sat him on his lap.

Tanaka felt uncomfortable. “Um, yeah, I appreciate your affection and all, but I’ll sit by myself today, okay?” Tanaka got off and sat to his right of Mom and Dad.

“Mom and Dad, was I sick last night? I don’t remember a lot of things, and I’m wearing something I don’t even wanna talk about. So I HAD to have been sick! What did I suffer from?”

Dad responded, “Tanaka-chan, you had a pretty bad flu. We gave you both Tami-Flu and Thera-flu for good measure, and put you in bed at 7 last night. We were sure that they were enough to get you to feel better this morning, and we were right!”

“Maybe physically, you guys, but it still didn’t ‘heal’ something else. First off though, what did I do to get that flu?”

Mom responded, “Earlier this week, I caught you playing outside in the snow wearing only a T-shirt, shorts, and sandals. You wanted to be a little daredevil who didn’t want to care about being cold, and you said so yourself. You were putting together several snowballs when I grabbed you and carried you back inside. After I warmed you back up, you started getting sick, and we took you to a clinic. After checking you up, the clinicians asked us to give you either Tami-Flu or Thera-flu, and we decided to give you both. We gave you little doses at first, but when your illness didn’t start to let up, we increased it, and then yesterday, we gave you enough to put you to sleep early.”

Dad cut in, “And now, you feel completely fine. But I don’t understand why you’re behaving so differently, and using all these new words. Why do you think that is?”

“Oh, I KNOW why that is. You must’ve overdosed me! You know overdosing can wreak havoc on minds, you see! In this “dream,” I lived a college student’s life, and I guess the overdose of that medicine you fed me must’ve made that dream so intense, that all of his life, memories, and knowledge rubbed off on me in the real world. Oh, and that overdose must’ve caused my amnesia. If that wasn’t it, maybe the flu virus caused it. A pediatric psychologist might figure me out.”

Mom felt worried. “Oh dear, Kanoku-san. What are we gonna do? Should we find him one?”

Dad responded surely, “Once we get a psychologist to figure him out for us, we’ll figure out something. All their offices are closed today, so we can get in touch with one Monday.”

Tanaka noticed a large collection of family pictures right above the fireplace mantle. He got up and approached them for a closer look. In the center was a group family photo all together. Flanking the sides were the individual photos and their following captions, in this order:

The father’s read: Kanoku Shimoya  Born Saint Patrick’s Day (March 17), 1975 Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, Japan	The mother’s read: Kyo-Ni Shimoya (née Rhee) Born Thanksgiving Day (November 22), 1973 Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Korea
The older brother’s read: Satoru Shimoya Born Greenery Day (April 29), 1996 KU Medical Center, Lawrence, Kansas	The older sister’s read: Kyung-hwa (Chihiro) Shimoya Born Valentines Day (February 14), 1998 Yale-New Haven Medical Center, New Haven, Connecticut
Tanaka’s read: Tanaka Shimoya Born New Years Day (January 1), 2000 Yale-New Haven Medical Center, New Haven, Connecticut	The younger brother’s read: Toshiaki Shimoya Born September 11, 2001 Bellevue Hospital, Schenectady, New York

                Tanaka mumbled, “I guess I know where they went to college now! And grad school, it looks like.”

Tanaka felt perturbed at Toshiaki’s birthdate. “Uh, Mom? What was the time of Toshiaki’s delivery? It didn’t happen to be anytime between eight and nine in the morning, was it?”

                “Great guess, Tanaka. Yes, it was. I delivered your little brother at 8:45.”

                Tanaka inquired in a flustered manner. “Eh, you just hit the nail on the head! Of, you know, when THAT happened. He is one unlucky little bro! When you saw the news that day, how’d you respond?”

                “Minutes after I got to hold little Toshiaki in my arms, a frantic nurse jogged into the delivery room and told everyone to watch the news. She turned on a TV hanging from a corner of the room, and that’s when we saw it all unfold. A sad and a happy day mixed together, I might add.”

                Tanaka asked, “And where was I that day? I think everyone ought to remember where they were that day.”

                “Tanaka-chan, you were at “A Magic Kingdom,” your old daycare, like you were at every weekday. I’m pretty sure that even if the nannies there thought the news was not inappropriate enough not to turn on, that you wouldn’t have been able to pay attention to it.”

                “Yeah, I guess not. Well, okay Mom. I see you like to mention holidays on our portraits there. Why didn’t you make Toshiaki’s say ‘Patriot Day,’ as that is what it is?”

                “I debated this with your Dad, when we were deciding how the photos and captions were gonna look, and decided against it for that time. Maybe when we get new photos of everyone a few years older, we might put “Patriot Day” on Toshiaki’s.”

Tanaka then said, “OK, thanks for that, Mom. Now if you’ll both excuse me, I need to find a computer. Where is one?”

Dad asked, “Wow, maybe you do have amnesia. This is just unbelievable. Well, it’s in the den, but it’s locked because we’re having your birthday in there at Noon. Why do you want to use a computer now?”

Tanaka responded, “I need to check my Face— uh, games. I need to check on the… characters, in my games, and I… yeah, I just wanna play games. Do you have another computer?”

Mom responded, “Tanaka-chan, your flu must’ve really done something to you, because you’re supposed to know this already! It’s in my walk-in closet in our room. Lemme take you up there so I can unlock it with my password.” Mom picked Tanaka up and carried him up the stairs.

“Gee, Mom, that’s a really nice way to show your affection, carrying me like that. I haven’t felt this way since I was eig— well, for a while.”

“You didn’t feel the same way the last time I carried you?”

“In this case, I guess not.”

Mom let Tanaka down in the master bedroom. Tanaka proceeded to open the first closet door. There were only hung clothes, drawers, and shoe receptacles. Tanaka closed the door, and proceeded to the second one. There was a desktop and shelf with many CDs.

                “I think Satoru is big enough to have his own computer, don’t you think so?” Tanaka inquired.

                Mom responded, “I’ll get him one once he’s in middle school. None of you are big enough for us to trust you to use it alone, so you all share Dad’s in his den. Or you use mine here if Dad’s is in use.”

                “Or I guess we ride bikes to the local public library if both of them are in use!”

                “No, Tanaka-chan, you don’t, and you and Toshiaki don’t have a bike. The Library is five miles away, and I don’t let any of you wander too far away from home by yourselves.” Mom entered her password and logged onto Windows XP.

                “Okay, Mom. If I were Dad, I would have given Satoru a computer for Christmas if his GPA was 3.0 or higher this last fall.”

                “Tanaka, I don’t know what that flu has done to you but they don’t use GPAs at his school. They just use A’s through F’s, and O’s to U’s. How do you even know what a GPA is?”

                “When we sit down with a pediatric psychologist, I will spill ALL the beans, Mom. But to summarize, that flu must’ve given me a lot of extra mental powers! Anyway, I meant if Satoru’s grades were all B’s or better this last fall.”

                “Well we’ll find out the truth eventually, Tanaka-chan. Actually, I think Satoru should get straight A’s if he’s gonna get a computer while still in elementary school.”

                “Well, has he been?”

                “No, there are some subjects we need to tutor him on. Unfortunately, the only subjects he gets less than A’s in are the subjects he hates, but we’ll try our best.”

                Tanaka muttered, “Even I’ll try to tutor him. Haha!”

                Mom gave the seat to Tanaka. “Here you go, Tanaka-chan. Have fun and don’t ruin any of my files!”

                “Sure, no problem. Thanks a lot, Mom.

                As soon as Mom left the closet and shut it behind her, Tanaka proceeded to open Internet Explorer right away. “Mom should get Firefox!” Tanaka uttered.

                After he got one browser window to the Firefox download page and started on it, he opened another window to log onto Facebook. He typed in his username (his K-State email account from his previous life), and his password.

                His wall-page was flooded with sympathy letters. One read, “Oh my God! I just watched the local news! You were in an ACCIDENT? Oh no, Marc! I hope you pull through!”

                Another one stated, “I’m sorry that this has happened to you! I read it all on the Collegian! I’ll stop by your hospital and leave you flowers and a card. Please get better sometime, okay?” There were many other posts of well-wishes and sympathy. After reading through them all, he pondered whether to respond to them, but decided to wait on that.

                Next, Tanaka looked at the website for the Kansas State Collegian at http://www.kstatecollegian.com as one of his friends made a mention of it. The title on the front page read:

                “Drunken-driving collision on K-18 – 4 hurt, 1 in critical condition”

                Tanaka read the entire article, and felt a little saddened, then surprised, when he read that Marcus Michael Shuttles III was revived but in a coma, and in Intensive Care at Geary Community Hospital.

                “Oh, no. What happens when he wakes up?” Tanaka whispered. “If I transferred to a little kid’s body, then, oh man, I can’t imagine how he’ll act when he wakens! I think I’d better call them and ask!”

                Tanaka went to Google to type in “geary community hospital phone” and the official website for the hospital appeared up at the top. After clicking onto http://www.gchks.org, he found the phone number on the top-right of the page. Tanaka reached for the desk phone and dialed 1-785-238-4131. An operator answered, “This is Geary Community Hospital. How may I direct your call?”

                “Hi, ma’am. I’d like to speak to a nurse caring for an Marcus Michael Shuttles the Third, please?”

“Wow, sweetie. I admire you for being so polite and eloquent for a kid your age! How old are you, and may I ask who’s calling?”

“I’m Tanaka Shimoya, and I just turned five. Now may I please speak to the nurse looking after him?”

“Okay, sweetheart. I’ll transfer you over.” The hold-music had a soothing effect for 30 seconds.

“This is Nurse Meyer. How may I help you.”

“Hi. This is Tanaka. Is Marcus Michael Shuttles the Third out of a coma yet? If so, how’s he acting?”

“I’m sorry kiddo, but there are rules at this hospital telling us to keep information about our patients a secret. It’s called a “confidentiality policy” but I don’t think you know that word, but basically, unless you’re a relative, I can’t tell you how he’s doing. Are you a little brother of his?”

“Eh, no, you could say I’m a kind of a distant cousin now, but yes, we are related in a certain way.”

“Well I’m afraid you’ll have to ask his parents to give us a release of information before you can get it from us, or you can ask them directly how he’s doing. Other than that, I can’t help you, kid.”

“Okay. Thanks anyway. Bye.” After clicking the hang-up button, Tanaka dialed Marc’s brother’s cellphone.

“Hello? And do I know anyone from this area code?” Chris answered.

“Hi. How’s Marc doing?”

Chris got startled at a little child’s voice, as no kid has a reason to call him. “Haha, well I’m glad you’re not a telemarketer. Who’s this, and how do you know my brother?”

“This is Tanaka Shimoya, and well, um, I… knew him from our local Boys & Girls club in Manhattan. He volunteered there every now and again, but I guess you didn’t know about it because he told me that he wants to keep his volunteering there a secret from his family. I saw his accident on the news, so that’s why I called.”

“You sound like you’ve GOTTA be the smartest kid there! Pretty cool. Anyway, my family and I just left the hospital. We’re now eating at Coach’s because it’s my birthday too. You see, the doctors told us that he’s going to be in a coma for quite some time, but based on his progress, he may wake up a month from now at the most. I heard that he died for a few seconds and they brought him back while he was still in the ambulance. He’s still pretty bad, but they stabilized him and he’ll recover sometime. Anyway, if you knew him in Manhattan, then where’s area code 518 and why are you there?”

(Continued on Pages 11-15)