Sasha in the water taxi

I was on a small speed boat and we were cruising along at a safe clip. The woman driver said she helped transfer Sasha. Before I could place her among Sasha's many movements through the hospital, she said why don't you have a look at her and she pointed to a capsule. I was shocked, Sasha had been at sea for three months! She saw my surprise and said Yes I drop them off at the end of my vacation so they can enjoy the sea air. I folded up the plastic visor that I could now see was sparkly with condensation that reminded me of the oxygen boxes in CCU and peeled back layers of soft blue blanket until, lo, there was a little child. And I was startled because she looked different. Salt was encrusted under her eyes and her face was skinny and she looked as she did as a baby, almost birdlike with big intense brown eyes. And she smiled a big smile when she saw me just as she did and she wriggled a hand free of her t-shirt and I got a glimpse of leads and monitors on her chest and I reached for her. Smiling she turned onto one side to go back to sleep, just as she used to. There were loud little children running by the door so I went to hush them and as I returned to the boat I woke up.

It was 4.30 am and I was awake and decided to go to Vesta lunch for a steak and eggs. I needed a cry and went downstairs and opened the blackberry and through tears saw an anonymous comment on grief that was a good coincidence at this precise moment and how wonderful to glimpse such a special water taxi.

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