ward (completed)

12

a/n:

a little "light" moment

=     =     =

Life skills are taught to the patients at Wing 11 as part of their daily life as a "family" in their "home" at St. Dymphna's. The patients different chores that help them live a "normal" life. Every other day, a calendar of chores displayed what each patient was expected to do for the day. Richard's favorite chore was setting the table.

Richard looked at the chart to check what his chore was and clapped his hands when he saw that he was going to set the table for meal time. He rushed to the dining hall where a kitchen aide gave him the plastic plates and cups for him to set on the table.

"Red for Tim...green for Andeng...yellow for Nic...orange for Je...blue for me..." Richard put a plate and a matching cup around the round table. He made happy noises when the kitchen aide praised him for his work (although the plates and cups were not straight but rather haphazardly 'set').

Some people started trickling into the dining hall and took their seat at the table. First to arrive was Tim. He sat down where the red plate and cup was set. Next to sit down was Andeng who sat in front of the yellow set.

"No! That's not yours!" Richard gave Andeng a dagger look and screamed. Andeng was confused and just stared at Richard. Richard screamed some more and made a lot of noise as if "complaining".

"Anong problema?" Hanz asked.

"Di nya place yan e. Kay Nic yung yellow plate and cup." Richard 'said' (groans and lots of sounds).

"Nakaupo lang si Andeng o...kakain na tayo. Sit down ka na rin." Hanz tried to pacify the complaining and loud Richard.

"No! Kay Nic yan! Sa yo yung green!"

Andeng continued to stare.

"Eto!" Richard shoved the green plate toward Andeng and hit her on the chest. This caused her to cry.

Startled, Richard also began to bawl.

Nurse Ruth rushed to the dining hall. "Anong nangyayari?"

"Tinulak ni Richard yung plato sa dibdib ni Andeng" Hanz said as he wiped Richard's face. Both Richard and Andeng were still crying. Mayang was gently rubbing Andeng's chest. Andeng was still holding the green plate.

"Bakit naman? Richard bakit mo ginawa yun?" Nurse Ruth looked at Richard.

"Eh sa kanya yung green plate e. Kay Nic yung yellow plate!" Richard continued to bawl, pointing to Andeng.

"Ah teka..sino nag-set nung table kahapon?" Nurse Ruth asked.

"Si Je.."

"Okay...anong color ang gamit nila?"

"Hmm..blue kay Richard..green..green kay Andeng...yellow kay Nic..." Hanz recalled.

"And today?"

"Si Richard ang nag-set.."

"Anong favorite color nila?"

"Blue etong si Richard...yellow ang favorite ni Nic..."

"Mukhang naka-assign yan by color...Andeng, sige, gamitin mo na yang green plate..." Nurse Ruth said and nodded toward Mayang to take Andeng to the buffet table to get her food. "Ikaw naman, Richard, wag kang magalit kay Andeng..."

"Ehh.."

"...hindi nya alam yung gusto mo...kung nagsasalita ka lang e di sana na-explain mo kanya yung gusto mo imbes na umiyak at magsusuumbong ka ng ganyan...hala sige, kuha na ng food at kumain ng maayos, okay?" Nurse Ruth reprimanded her wards before turning to leave the hall.

"Si Nic?"

"Nga pala? Asan na yung iba?" Nurse Ruth paused by the door and turned to look at the patients and caregivers present. Just then, the rest of the patients came into the dining hall. "...okay, eat well and finish your food, okay?" Nurse Ruth said and left.

"Nic, sa yo yung yellow plate"

"Yellow!" Nic picked up the yellow plate and hugged it.

Richard stopped crying. He smiled as his breathing hitched.

=   =   =

I had to write this chapter as it was bugging my thoughts the whole day...I wanted them to interact more and what better way to show it than to have them "serve" each other.