By Mae Ondracek ©Oct. 15, 2002
Mary slumped to the floor with a surprised look on her face. Everything happened so fast and her impatientness had gotten her into trouble again.
Tom said he had to work an hour overtime, but would hurry home so they could move the clothes dryer out of the laundry room together.
Mary hadn’t noticed that the cord was frayed near the plug-in and when she grabbed the cord, 240 volts of electricity ran through her and that is where Tom found her, sitting on the floor by the dryer, her face looking down at her chest, her arms limp at her sides, and the right hand blackened where the electricity had zapped her.
Tom called 911 for an ambulance and when they arrived and examined her, said her vitals were slowed and they couldn’t get a response from her. In the hospital, Tom was shocked when the doctor told him Mary was in a coma and things didn’t look good.
The first two days Tom was at her side constantly but he had to return to work. Everyday after work, he would hurry to the hospital to see if there was any change in Mary and after two weeks, she finally opened her eyes and looked at Tom. Startled, she quickly closed them again. But Tom had noticed and after calling for the nurse, he asked Mary how she felt. She said, “To your first question, I am not dumb for trying to move the dryer by myself and to your second question, I feel pretty good except for this hand.”
“But Mary,” Tom said, “I didn’t say you were dumb for trying to move the dryer.”
“Maybe you didn’t say it out loud, but you were thinking it. I read your mind.”
Tom laughed as he said, “Very funny, Mary.”
The nurse and a doctor entered the room and Mary said, “Hello Dr. Jones and nurse Labell.”
Everyone stared at her as Tom asked, “Mary can now read our minds. Is that possible doctor?”
Before the doctor could answer, Mary said, “Dr. Jones is going to say he never heard of it happening before. But anything is possible.”
Dr. Jones said, “Why, that is right. I really have never heard of it happening before and I’m not too sure how long it will last. I will consult with others on the staff and maybe there are some tests we can run to find out how permanent this is.”
Mary looked at Tom and said, “Right Tom, I also hope it isn’t permanent. I don’t like some of the things you are thinking.”
“I’m sorry Mary,” Tom replied, “but I can’t help thinking these things. What will we do at the staff luncheon in three weeks?”
“I just won’t go, Tom, I wouldn’t want to embarrass you by knowing what all those people were thinking.”
Then Mary said, “Yes, I would like to rest now, Thanks for thinking that doctor.”
The doctor shook his head as they all left her room. The next morning, three doctors entered Mary’s room, “”Good morning Dr. Lawerence, I see you don’t believe what Dr. Jones has told you, and you Dr. Thomas, hope it is true so I can be a guinea pig for some experiments you’d like to try.”
“Wow! This is fantastic,” Dr. Thomas cried.
They all bombarded Mary with thoughts and she answered each in turn. Nothing seemed to confuse her and when someone knocked on the door, Mary called out, “Come in Tom, there are only doctors in here trying to confuse me.”
“And we are not succeeding,” answered Dr. Jones.
All the doctors filed out as Mary said, “I’m sorry to hear that Tom. Did Phil get hurt bad?”
“What? Oh, I had forgotten you could read my mind. Yes, both his legs were crushed in the car accident. Poor Jean, she doesn’t know how to take it.”
She’ll be all right, Tom,” Mary said. “I hear her somewhere down the hall and I feel she will accept his not ever walking again. But, Tom, you and I are both wondering if you’ll be able to accept this telepathic thing I acquired.”
“I know, Mary, it is hard knowing everything I’m thinking, you know before I say it. It won’t be safe for you to go out in public places because all the thoughts might blow your mind.”
“Well, Tom, it’s one of the things we’ll have to test out whenever I get out of the hospital. I’ve been praying that it goes away. I don’t like it one bit.”
The three doctors entered and again bombarded Mary with questions. Mary answered them all and finally said, “Dr. Thomas, your thoughts are getting weaker. Maybe my prayers will be answered.”
“No, no, it can’t happen! We want to study these thought waves you are having,” Dr. Thomas blurted out.
“Well, we knew it might be temporary. It is best for Mary to go back to a normal life,” Dr. Jones said. “I, for one, am glad it wasn’t a permanent thing. I felt odd knowing Mary could read my thoughts.”
“Hey Mary,” Tom called out, “How come you haven’t answered my questions?”
“Isn’t it wonderful, I wondered why you weren’t thinking of anything.” Mary looked at Dr. Jones and said, “Well, doctor, I guess I can go home now. This thing has passed, thank goodness.”
Dr. Jones said, “I’ll see to your paper work and we can discharge you this afternoon. Good luck to you and no more handling frayed electric cords.”
“You can be sure of that Dr. Jones. I don’t need that happening again.” Then Mary thought to herself, ‘If they only knew. I can still read their thoughts and I will have to be very careful so no one ever suspects it’s still with me, especially Tom.’