Nubbin but Trouble Read Free Page A

building. That would be one less thing to worry about in the short term, but in the long term, meaning if Nubbin didn't return, it would mean countless problems for her both professionally and legally.
     
    Tina hung up the phone after several minutes, wearing her frustration all over her sweet face. “Unbelievable,” she said. “Kathy said that Nubbin's been acting up for days and that she finally had to get an order of Haldol for him before he hurt himself or someone else. I guess, he started giving some new resident a hard time about the way he was bellyaching about being there and Kathy had to separate them before one hauled off and socked the other. After dinner, she had Sarah – you remember her, don't you? Anyway, Sarah was one one one with him to keep him occupied, but her shift ended at ten and the
    aide that came in for the midnight shift didn't follow through with the one on one status, so sometime between eleven and two in the morning, Nubbin took off.”
     
    I sighed. “How is that even possible? The unit is locked. No one heard or saw anything?”
     
    “Kathy said she was busy working on the end of the month stuff and had the office door closed. Sarah was helping another patient on the commode, so they missed it.” Tina explained what Kathy had told her.
     
    I shook my head. It still didn't make sense. The Memory Support Unit occupies the back of the facility. That meant Nubbin would have had to figure out a way out of the locked unit doors, walk down a very long hallway, pass the open doorways of two other units and get past the front desk to get out. The front doors would have been locked for several hours by the time eleven o'clock rolled around, let alone still be open at two in the morning.
     
    “That woman is about the sorriest excuse for a...” I started.
     
    “Now, wait, Mercy, we don't know if she actually did anything wrong. You, of all people, should know how difficult Mr. Schmeckpepper could be. We weren't there, so we can't say who is at fault. Let's give Kathy the benefit of the doubt.” Tina urged me.
     
    I had to stifle a laugh. I just loved Nubbin's last name and, hearing her say it brought back memories for me. Nubbin could be about as difficult as his last name. I knew that. I'd seen it and sometimes I probably encouraged it. I hoped that this wasn't what this was all about. Did I somehow encourage him by laughing at his antics and giving him details about all that was going on in my world? I shuddered to think about it. If I was to blame, I'd feel horrible. I should have known better. Someone in Nubbin's situation was vulnerable.
     
    “Mercy, what are you thinking about,” Tina asked, moving in front of me. “This wasn't your fault. How were you supposed to know that Nubbin would take off? We're over a thousand miles away. There's nothing you could have done.”
     
    “You're right. I know you're right, but why does it feel so wrong? I feel so helpless.” I said, staring out the window at my car, wishing I could blink and make it turn into a newer model with a more reliable engine, instead of a twenty plus year old car that was begging to be sent out to pasture. “I need to get to Nebraska.”
     
    Tina inhaled loudly. “What are you planning? You can't drive all the way out there. What about the storm? Remember the last time you were out there? Remember how dangerous it was?”
     
    She was right. I didn't think I'd ever forget what the weather was like when I'd been in Nebraska. Three months in a Western Nebraska winter was no picnic, especially for someone like myself, who was born and raised in California. The drive was treacherous. My nerves were shot and my old Honda wasn't doing much better.
     
    “I don't know what else to do,” I answered. “I can't just sit here and wait. I have to do something.”
     
    Tina grinned. “I get it, but is it worth risking your life to go? Nubbin wouldn't want you to do that. Besides, he probably found his way back by now and