Part 23: Blind Man's Bluff
Tony breathed in deeply and exhaled. He was always a practical person, he did truly believe their was a solution to every problem. But how could he overcome the problem of blindness? He would have to think of a way on his own, not simply wait for his senses to becoming razor sharp like Eddie said they would.
He thought he might be able to see out of his left eye, the one that wasn’t that damaged. Slowly, he held the cloth over his right eye and gently removed the blindfold with his left hand. Once he felt it fall away from that side of his face, he slowly opened his eye. There was a slight amount of pain but more annoying than anything. He looked down the long edge of the beach.
Nothing but a blur.
He lifted up his left hand and looked it. Still nothing but a blur. He then slowly brought his left hand toward his left eye. As it got closer, it became more in focus. By the time it was within an inch of his eye, he could see it clear as day. So by the time they got off this island, if surgery didn’t fix it, the worse he could be was near sighted. He’d had to wear glasses and a patch over his damaged eye. But would he be allowed to practice medicine anymore. He honestly hoped they would not hold this “accident” against him. His work as a doctor was all he felt he had left.
After he tied the blindfold back, he realized he would have to sharpen his other senses to get around on his own. He didn’t mind that Marita or Eddie would help him but he didn’t want to have to rely on them. Leaning his head down, he concentrated. He read stories about how people who were struck blind began to use the face of a clock to tell where things where. He could hear the ocean in front of him. He knew the cane was too his right, at 3 o’clock. The fire was giving off a burning smell and he could hear the crackling of the embers in the wood, making that his 10 o’clock. Reaching down, he picked up a handsize rock. He quickly tossed it behind him, hearing the rock crash through the leaves and branches. The jungle was at his 6 o’clock. Tony smiled and relaxed. Perhaps he wasn’t as incapacitated as he thought.
Tony leaned over and rested his head on his arms, balancing them on his knees. He fought through his hunger pain. Marita and the others would bring back food, he knew it. Patience was all he needed. He just had to wait. A gentle breeze blew over Tony, making him enjoy the coolness the breeze gave his body. The breeze blew over again, making the blind doctor wretch slightly. It was a bad smell that blew over him. The smell of someone who hadn’t watched in 4 days. He could also hear the shifting of the sand and someone with a breathing problem. Someone who was very large. Tony quickly raised his head, “Poteet?”
The breathing had stopped. Tony shifted his position to where he had heard him coming from. “Listen to me, Poteet.” He grunted, “You are an alcoholic. That last bit of vodka is not going to do you any good. You’ll wash it down in a few seconds and then you’ll be right back where you started. I have a severe head wound. Until the rescue party get here, I have to keep this wound disinfected. If I don’t, I may die. You? You’ll live regardless. Do you understand me?”
The breathing resumed, as did the shifts in the sand. “Poteet, answer me!” Tony yelled.
Most shifts in the sand. “Poteet, you touch that bottle and you’ll regret it. I am not bluffing!” Tony screamed.
There was a slight chuckle that escaped the large man’s lips. Tony could tell he wasn’t getting through to him. He had to remember, where was the bottle? Where was the bottle? It donned on him.
It was to his 8 o’clock.
Tony leaped up and dove for the bottle. He managed to feel his finger touch it as Poteet quickly snatched it up. The blind doctor grunted from landing on luggage. Then he could hear the large man running through the woods by the breaking of branches. Tony quickly righted himself. “POTEET!!!” he screamed at the top of his lungs.
“I’ll see you in hell, doc!” Poteet screamed back as he kept running.
Tony concentrated. No one had come running from his yelling yet. Which meant no one was anywhere near him. They were searching the beach for luggage or whatever. His friends had not yet come back. The fact that Tony was helpless made him even more angry. Then that word echoed in his brain. HELPLESS. The blind doctor gritted his teeth at Poteet’s stupidity. Tony was never helpless in his life and wasn’t about to start then.
He quickly reached around and grabbed his metal cane. He stood up, turned around and marched into the jungle. Bashing the trees from side to side, he was able to tell where he was going. He stumbled once on a hill but managed to correct himself. Grunting he grabbed a tree and hoisted himself back up. He continued his walk. Occasionally he would stop and listen, hearing the heavy breathing of Poteet. Tony walked forward, using his metal cane to guide his path.
If he didn’t get the vodka back, he knew he was as good as dead. Therefore he resigned the fact that he would henceforth treat Poteet as an enemy. And he hoped his metal cane would hold up to the bashing he had planed for the large man.
He thought he might be able to see out of his left eye, the one that wasn’t that damaged. Slowly, he held the cloth over his right eye and gently removed the blindfold with his left hand. Once he felt it fall away from that side of his face, he slowly opened his eye. There was a slight amount of pain but more annoying than anything. He looked down the long edge of the beach.
Nothing but a blur.
He lifted up his left hand and looked it. Still nothing but a blur. He then slowly brought his left hand toward his left eye. As it got closer, it became more in focus. By the time it was within an inch of his eye, he could see it clear as day. So by the time they got off this island, if surgery didn’t fix it, the worse he could be was near sighted. He’d had to wear glasses and a patch over his damaged eye. But would he be allowed to practice medicine anymore. He honestly hoped they would not hold this “accident” against him. His work as a doctor was all he felt he had left.
After he tied the blindfold back, he realized he would have to sharpen his other senses to get around on his own. He didn’t mind that Marita or Eddie would help him but he didn’t want to have to rely on them. Leaning his head down, he concentrated. He read stories about how people who were struck blind began to use the face of a clock to tell where things where. He could hear the ocean in front of him. He knew the cane was too his right, at 3 o’clock. The fire was giving off a burning smell and he could hear the crackling of the embers in the wood, making that his 10 o’clock. Reaching down, he picked up a handsize rock. He quickly tossed it behind him, hearing the rock crash through the leaves and branches. The jungle was at his 6 o’clock. Tony smiled and relaxed. Perhaps he wasn’t as incapacitated as he thought.
Tony leaned over and rested his head on his arms, balancing them on his knees. He fought through his hunger pain. Marita and the others would bring back food, he knew it. Patience was all he needed. He just had to wait. A gentle breeze blew over Tony, making him enjoy the coolness the breeze gave his body. The breeze blew over again, making the blind doctor wretch slightly. It was a bad smell that blew over him. The smell of someone who hadn’t watched in 4 days. He could also hear the shifting of the sand and someone with a breathing problem. Someone who was very large. Tony quickly raised his head, “Poteet?”
The breathing had stopped. Tony shifted his position to where he had heard him coming from. “Listen to me, Poteet.” He grunted, “You are an alcoholic. That last bit of vodka is not going to do you any good. You’ll wash it down in a few seconds and then you’ll be right back where you started. I have a severe head wound. Until the rescue party get here, I have to keep this wound disinfected. If I don’t, I may die. You? You’ll live regardless. Do you understand me?”
The breathing resumed, as did the shifts in the sand. “Poteet, answer me!” Tony yelled.
Most shifts in the sand. “Poteet, you touch that bottle and you’ll regret it. I am not bluffing!” Tony screamed.
There was a slight chuckle that escaped the large man’s lips. Tony could tell he wasn’t getting through to him. He had to remember, where was the bottle? Where was the bottle? It donned on him.
It was to his 8 o’clock.
Tony leaped up and dove for the bottle. He managed to feel his finger touch it as Poteet quickly snatched it up. The blind doctor grunted from landing on luggage. Then he could hear the large man running through the woods by the breaking of branches. Tony quickly righted himself. “POTEET!!!” he screamed at the top of his lungs.
“I’ll see you in hell, doc!” Poteet screamed back as he kept running.
Tony concentrated. No one had come running from his yelling yet. Which meant no one was anywhere near him. They were searching the beach for luggage or whatever. His friends had not yet come back. The fact that Tony was helpless made him even more angry. Then that word echoed in his brain. HELPLESS. The blind doctor gritted his teeth at Poteet’s stupidity. Tony was never helpless in his life and wasn’t about to start then.
He quickly reached around and grabbed his metal cane. He stood up, turned around and marched into the jungle. Bashing the trees from side to side, he was able to tell where he was going. He stumbled once on a hill but managed to correct himself. Grunting he grabbed a tree and hoisted himself back up. He continued his walk. Occasionally he would stop and listen, hearing the heavy breathing of Poteet. Tony walked forward, using his metal cane to guide his path.
If he didn’t get the vodka back, he knew he was as good as dead. Therefore he resigned the fact that he would henceforth treat Poteet as an enemy. And he hoped his metal cane would hold up to the bashing he had planed for the large man.
posted by Jason | 5:09 AM
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