Toto and the Boys II: George

Chapter 12

 “Do it again,” George told him.

Jordan frowned. “What’s wrong with my knot?” he asked dryly, looking at the young woman before him whose head he bandaged.

“It’s wrong,” George pointed out. “The knot should come off if you pull one end.” She pulled one, and then the other. “It’s not coming off. Do it again.”

Before she walked off, she heard Jordan’s partner say, “I told you it’s wrong. How many times do I have to show you?”

She knew Jordan was at the peak of his patience’s threshold. As a matter of fact, she had been expecting him to burst out in anger but so far, he had been holding out quite well.

They were just on their first day of the first part of the training which was First Aide and he was already having a hard time. He was not made for this. He was used to holding pens, phones and computers, not some triangular bandages. He was used to deal with corporate individuals, not young trainees.

“Time is almost up!” George announced loudly. “Ten more minutes and practical test will begin!”

A collective sound of murmurs and groans followed.

She looked over to where Jordan was. His face was frowning down at the hands of his partner who was showing him how to do the knot all over again.

“Everyone go out of the room practice outside. Those who I am going to call will do the practical in ten minutes.”

The trainees followed her orders, including Jordan.

Though he was dressed more casually today, he still looked so out of place.

He doesn’t belong here, she thought.

*****

“You have to study for the written exam,” Georgie reminded Jordan that evening.

He did not say a word. He kept looking out the window of my backseat.

We were on our way home and he had been silent the whole time. And I was pretty sure he was sulking.

“What happened to you?” Jackie asked him.

“He almost failed the practical test earlier, that’s what happened to him,” Georgie announced.

“You did not give us enough time to practice,” Jordan quietly answered beside Dannie.

“You almost failed it? Oh my, how NOT so shocking,” Jackie said with a laugh.

“Don’t worry. Jackie failed it,” Dannie whispered beside him.

“You also got the training?” Jordan asked in disbelief.

“You can’t live with George and not get the First Aide and BLS training,” Jackie answered. “And I heard that, Dannie. No need to go telling people. I passed at second try with flying colors.”

“We also had to study Morse Code,” Dannie added beside him.

“The worst days of our lives,” Jackie said, throwing Georgie a look. “We had to spend weeks tapping stuff. We can’t eat together and talk using our mouths. We had to do it in Morse Code.”

“You have to admit it saved your life,” Georgie reminded her.

Jackie’s face turned grim.

Oh, Georgie, why do you have to remind everyone about that? Why? It is still a sensitive and horrifying memory, you know. I can’t remember being that scared in my life.