I stopped by New England Life Care, a nursing home/rehab facility, not unlike Rivercrest, to see my buddy, Noland. This was my third visit. His bed was made, his chair, brought from home, empty. I had a present for him.

“I’m looking for Noland. Is he is at rehab?”

The nurse looked at me and hesitated.

“No he’s not. Who are you? Are you close to him, are you family?”

“I’m close family.”

“Let me look to see if you are on his list.”

“Okay, I’m not on the list. But… .”

“He’s in the hospital.”

I called Emerson to see if he had a room. He did not. I visited with Flo, shopped for dinner and then called his wife, Shirley. She answered, distantly.

“What’s up Shirley?”

“Noland just died.”

“I’m sorry.”

“We were in the emergency room for most of the day. He was going to be transferred to Critical Care. I went home for a moment and Dr. Green called… .”