When Ream arrived home
later in the morning, Mrs. Mead was cooking home-made vegetable soup.
"There's something
special about Sedona, Mrs. Mead. I think the air is softer. The red rocks
do something to the air. 
They
make it calmer, like the calm before a storm, but without the storm."
"You're right Ream.
People that just pass through don't often notice it."
"I sense a greater
concentration of beauty here. Sometimes I can actually feel the spirit
in things like the creek, the cliffs, the trees, the smells in the wind.
It's hard to explain to someone outside my reality."
"With the way you know
about things, I bet you can tell me what the wind is doing a half mile
down this canyon."
Ream smiled. "I know
when the trees rustle, even when leaves fall. Not one at a time, but when
many are blown through the branches. Also when they are swept along the
ground. Have you ever noticed the leaves being swept by the wind?"
"Yes, I never
paid attention to it before, but I think I will now."
Then Mrs. Mead
mentioned Sally Barringer had called and left a message indicating she
would be out of town for a few days. Some kind of emergency. She was taking
her son to see a Texas heart surgeon. She said she would call tonight at
8:00.
Mrs. Mead remarked
about the call, "Sounds like you have made friends with Sally after all.
I guess she must have enjoyed the card you had me send her."
"Yes, we have been
enjoying a phone friendship. Seems like we have a lot in common. I haven't
told her I'm blind. I didn't want to have to wade through it all yet. I
hope you will keep it between you and me, because I'd like to pick my time
and place to tell her," said Ream.
Mrs. Mead agreed.
It was a few minutes
after 8:00 when the phone call came, collect from the Texas hospital.
"Ream, thank you for
accepting the charges. I'm in a phone booth in the hospital and I didn't
have a purse full of change. I'll reimburse you when I get home."
"Please don't worry
about it, Sally. How is your son?"
"They're finishing
up the tests tomorrow and we will know then if surgery is required. It's
pretty serious; a portion of the aorta will need to be replaced. We have
known for a long time this might occur, but it's still troubling.
It's not as if he is
weak, but he needs to avoid over-exertion. His spirits are good. Johnny
has lived with this for a long time, and he is relieved to have the situation
being dealt with instead of having to dread what's inevitable.
If surgery is required
they won't do it for about two weeks, and they will keep him here until
then. Johnny needs some kind of medication in his system for that long
before actually having the surgery. He says I should come back home now
because he doesn't want me fussing over him until he really needs it. You
know how young men can be.
Right now I'm staying
at a hotel called the Ranch House Inn in Dallas near the hospital, but
I'll be home in a couple of days for a week or so. Then when a date is
set for surgery I will return to be with Johnny."
"Is there anything
I can do here for you?" asked Ream.
"No, but thanks," she
said, the gratitude audible in her voice. Then the tone changed. "Ream,
something happened a couple of days ago. I'm not sure I understand it.
I would like your insight. I can't go into it now, but I will call you
when I get back if you don't mind."
Ream wondered what
had happened. Was this an announcement that she had found another man?
"Sure, I will look
forward to it."