chaplain p.i.

A summons to the trauma bay brought me to Mr. Lewis, an eighty seven year old man that had crashed his car.  He was pretty banged up, but initial x-rays looked o.k.  The room cleared out while we waited for the ct scan machine to be free.  The doctors answered other calls and the nurses were charting.  I stepped up nearer to Mr. Lewis' head where the blood was already drying around the cuts.  "Mr. Lewis, I'm Erin, one of the chaplains here.  Are you doing ok?"  He said he thought so, but it hurt every time he breathed.  I reminded him that the doctors thought he had a couple broken ribs.  "Is there anyone I can call for you, Mr. Lewis?"  He said one son was out of town.  The other didn't have a cell phone.  I tried to call the out of town son.  No answer.  "How can I get ahold of your other son?" I wondered out loud.  "His friend is a manager at The Blue Crab.  He always knows where Joe is."  He said.  "Is the Blue Crab a restaurant in Spartanburg?"  I asked.  "I'm not sure."  "Do you know Joe's friend's name?"  "No."


I got on a computer in the major care area.  Blue Crab Restaurant Spartanburg.  Nothing. Blue Crab Restaurant.  Nothing.  Restaurants in Spartanburg.  No Blue Crabs.  I searched just Blue Crab.  Ah Ha.  Blue Crab Bar and Grill gave me some options. Not in Spartanburg, but in Moore, Simpsonville and Columbia.  One look at Google Maps told me they were at least in driving distance.  Now the embarrassing part.  I dialed Moore's Blue Crab.  "Can I speak to the manager?"  Wait.  "Hello, do you know Joe Lewis?" "No."  "Ok.  Sorry. Thank you."  I realized this was futile.  IF I had even had the right places, what's the chance that Joe's manager friend would be on tonight?  


I headed back to Mr. Lewis, but one look at his pale, battered face sent me back to the phone.  Simpsonville Blue Crab.  Manager.  Joe?  No.  Columbia's Blue Crab.  Manger.  "Do you know Joe Lewis?" "Yes.  Who is this?"  WOW!!  I introduced myself, briefly explained the situation and asked if he could try to find Joe and give him my phone number.  Three minutes later my phone rang.  It was Joe.


I felt triumphant as I rejoined Mr. Lewis and could tell him that his son was on his way.  His feeble gratitude was an abundant reward as we waited together for the ct scan.  Fifty minutes later I was still strutting as I met Joe at the entrance and brought him to his father.


I checked on Mr. Lewis the next morning in Neuro ICU.  And then the next day in a room on a regular floor.  That day I met out of town son and Mr. Lewis told him about my sleuthing.  I got to see his cuts healing and the scared look leave his eyes.  I checked on him every day until he got discharged.  Which in CPE is called "meeting your own need."  True enough.  But after all the private investigating I was invested.   And yes.  I am still proud.


"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  Matthew 7:7