Singed Synapses and Deranged Dendrites

Footage (#aim)

Nurse James wrung his hands as he sat next to the security guard in his little booth. Eleven black and white screens displayed images of the front and back doors, the lobby, several hallways, three nurse's stations and two emergency exits.  At this hour, only a single nurse sat at each station, all the residents were asleep. Except for Mr. Green. Mr. Green had escaped.

"Let's look back another three hours," said nurse James to the security guard. "We know we gave him his medications at lunch." One by one they played the security footage at high speed, pausing when someone walked through the lobby. But it was no use. Mr. Green had not been caught on tape leaving the Sunny Valley Senior Care Center. 

"How did he get out?" asked the security guard for the twentieth time. "Did they check even the locked janitorial closets I found that key for?"

Nurse James shook his head. He and the other weekend nurses had turned the place upside down. They had checked under every bed and inside every closet. They had combed the kitchen, the bathrooms, the day rooms, the arts and crafts rooms and the rehabilitation gym. They had checked all the windows but found them locked from the inside. 

"I can't believe it either," said nurse James. None of the residents at Sunny Valley were particularly nimble, nor particularly quick. "Mr. Green is almost 90."

Nurse Ester entered the booth. 

"Any luck?" she asked. Both men nodded glumly. She looked at them with pity, particularly James. "I filed the police report for you," she said to her colleague. 

"Thanks," said James meekly. 

"And I called the on-call doctor to notify her," said Ester.

"Did she offer any advice?" asked James looking hopeful.

"She gave a chuckle and wished us luck," replied Ester. "I think the doctor was already asleep. It's getting late James. I think we are going to have to call Miriam and waking her up is only going to make her angrier." 

James signed. The weekend manager was not going to be pleased. Miriam had assured the hospital that Sunny Valley could manage Mr. Green. 

James walked back to his nursing station. Several other nurses gave him sympathetic looks. Reluctantly he called the weekend manager and tried to take deep breaths as Miriam screamed and ranted on the other end of the line. 

___

Meanwhile across town Mr. Green stepped off the number seven bus and entered his favorite ice cream parlor. 

"Mr. Green," said the red-headed boy behind the counter. "We haven't seen you in months!" He looked a bit taken aback when he noticed his customer wore a bathrobe and slippers. Mr. Green gave a sheepish grin. Soon it became apparent that Mr. Green didn't have any money on him.

"That's ok," said the young man, "this one is on me." He handed Mr. Green his 'usual,'  one scoop of chocolate chip and one scoop of mint chocolate chip. Mr. Green thanked the boy profusely and wandered back out into the night. 

Returning to the bus stop, he considered crossing the street and heading back to Sunny Valley. But it had been so long since he'd had eaten of his favorite burgers. And it was Saturday night  after all.