Part 24 (1/2)

Sue entered the room, smiling cheerily. ”h.e.l.lo, Mister Oberest!”

Doctor Frank explained, ”When we put you out, there's always some risk. And you'll be groggy for a day.”

”I don't want to be put out.”

”Well, I can use a local, but it won't be comfortable. The shots hurt. You won't feel pain when we do it, but it can be kind of, disconcerting.”

”I'm fine.”

Sue opened a metal drawer, and her hand emerged holding an alarmingly long hypodermic, glistening in the sunlight. Caleb lay down on the table. He noticed a long line of water damage running across the ceiling.

He felt Sue take hold of his right heel and balance it in her palm. Then he felt a sharp plunging into the tender skin just under the nail of his little toe. The pain was of a dental quality, sublime and unbearable. A burn flooded into his mangled toe, and Caleb cried out.

Sue said, ”Sorry, honey. It'll get numb in a second.”

She proved correct. The pain quieted almost instantly. He felt her take up his second toe. Blend with the air, he whispered to himself. He tried to force on his Happy Trails smile, but when the needle slipped deeply under his toenail, he jolted and ground his teeth.

”I think we should put him out,” Sue said to Doctor Frank.

Caleb shook his head. ”No risks.”

The third toe was no better. He gripped the metal table so hard that his fingertips went red and numb. As the needle went under his big toe he gasped so audibly that Doctor Frank looked down at him and stopped. Their eyes met. When he could, Caleb nodded for him to continue.

But as with all pain, the second it diminished, so did its memory. With all ten toes numb, he felt relaxed, and breathed deeply. Doctor Frank bent over Caleb's feet. The instrument at hand, Caleb saw from his p.r.o.ne position, was a jagged chrome tool shaped like the beak of an eagle.

Sue held a small tray aloft filled with plenty of gauze and a small plastic bowl. Caleb shut his eyes. A vision of the stunning sublimity of Yosemite Valley spread out before him; amazing things would happen to him there, experiences beyond contemplation. It would challenge him, and he would challenge it; he had the sense that there would be some finality either way. He placed himself in the middle of its fields, near wildflowers and waterfalls. But an odd tugging at his feet interrupted his meditation.

He opened his eyes and saw Doctor Frank's gloved hand twisting sharply in an unnatural circular motion. Caleb could feel a strange gravitational pull as the web of tendons holding his toenails to his skin began to tear.

Some of the nails came off easily, a sudden muscular twist, and then the sound of it falling into the tray. Others proved more difficult. He heard the doctor's tired breath after a third attack on the stubborn second toe of his left foot. His body screamed that this was not right, that he should do something.

When Doctor Frank was finished, Caleb risked a glance downward. His feet were both covered in thick black blood. Sue was bent over them with a needle and thread.

”Seven of these need st.i.tches. All of them need to be taped for a week.”

Caleb let his head drop back against the table.

”When the anesthetic wears off, maybe two hours, it's going to hurt. You won't want anything near your feet. No socks, blankets, or even sheets. Take some turmeric for the swelling. If that doesn't work take ibuprofen, or you won't run for a month.”

Caleb's eyes widened.

”I know you guys don't like antibiotics. Sue's going to give you a tube of ointment, it's holistic. For swelling and pain and cleaning. But if you see any green fluid through the bandage, then you get this filled and take it for ten days. She'll make you an appointment to get the st.i.tches out next week.”

Caleb nodded, reaching for the prescription that he knew Mack would toss away. Sue helped him into open-toed sandals and slowly eased him onto his feet.

”Don't walk, just glide,” she cautioned him. ”Like you're skating.”

Outside, Kevin Yu was waiting in an old T-s.h.i.+rt and sungla.s.ses.

”I got you, dude,” he said, slipping a surprisingly strong arm under Caleb's shoulders. He glimpsed Caleb's red feet, swelling madly at each end. They looked as though someone had held them over fire. The two of them shuffled slowly over to Mack's Jeep, and Kevin eased him into the pa.s.senger seat.

”You're shaking, Caley.”

Caleb leaned his head back. By the time they drove over the dirt driveway, and Mack opened the front door smiling, his feet looked no stranger to him than they had the day before.

June saw Mack across the street, in the doorway of Pedestrian Shoes.

Spring seemed to have announced its intentions. The mid-March mornings were cold but full of promise. A clarity had developed in the light.

She wore a long sundress in a floral print, a head scarf, and old sneakers Alice had given her. She held a yellow bucket of cleaning supplies in her hand and carried Lily in her purple Kelty Kids backpack. June was on her way back from her day's second apartment; she had cleaned it for two hours while Lily napped in a queen-size bed. The African-American student who lived there had arrived home early. She had stared at Lily, and then back to June, as June had scrambled to leave.

Lily was wide awake now, excited to be out in the fresh air after a morning of cleaning fluids and rousted dust. She loved the energy of the street. The colors, people, and music never failed to elicit squeaks and excited arm-waving. From her perch just above June's head, she looked out at the world like a welcoming beacon. Students on the sidewalks sometimes reached for her fingers. Mother and daughter stood on the mall and focused their large pale eyes on John McConnell.

He was stepping onto the Mall with the March sun in his face, carrying six green boxes of sneakers stacked in his thin arms. The Yosemite Slam, just eight weeks away, was the sole focus of his life. He had stopped the house parties, Thursdays at the Rocking Horse, even accompanying the house on their daily runs. These final weeks required group focus, and no outsiders, he explained. Everyone had gotten into it.

From across the street, June noticed that he looked older. The crevices running from the sides of his eyes to the corners of his small mouth seemed deeper, his legs bony in their blue running shorts, covered with tufts of black hair; even his beard seemed coa.r.s.er. Maybe it was just the strong sunlight.

June watched him fumble with the Jeep's back door and toss the boxes inside, many of which fell open and emptied onto the seats. When he walked back inside the store, June stayed where she was, letting people walk around her. A moment later Mack reappeared carrying another stack of boxes. From above her, Lily let loose a squeal of recognition, as if she were sighting land.

Mack heard it and looked suddenly across the street. He focused on them for a moment; then he waved. He placed his boxes in the Jeep, walked across the Mall, and reached up to the purple backpack for Lily's soft hand.

”How's the day?” he asked June, smiling at the baby.

”I cleaned two places. One of them gave me a five-dollar tip. She said to buy something for Lily.”

”Cool beans.”

”I have it here for you.” She patted her pocket.

”See those shoes?” Mack gestured back at Pedestrian. ”Montrail just released the new line. Their bottoms are just solid. Incredible. The guys gave us a good deal. So, everyone gets a present for Yosemite. Hey, Michael Jordan wore a new pair of Nikes every game, why not you guys? The Michael Jordans of running.” He winked at her.

She smiled. ”I'm more of a bench player.”

”You've been nailing fifties all year. I know you can take a hundred, Junebug. It will be great for you.” He looked up at Lily. ”And the trip will be real good for our special lady here.”

June started hopefully. ”You think so?”

”For sure. Different air. Less dry. New input.”

”Because it's been harder this week. The winter was hard for her breathing, but the spring, I'm worried about the pollen and . . .” she waved her arms around, unsure what to say.

Mack nodded sympathetically. ”Some local honey will help. I'll pick us up some.”

They stepped aside to let some skateboarders explode past. There was a s.p.a.ce afterward in which June could hear her heart pounding.