Chapter Six

Toby's Illness

        Vagas and the Montevideo family lived on Mimran Street just off of Frauhiger Avenue. The street was surprisingly quiet even though Frauhiger was one of the main streets in town.

         Tamarra came out to greet them. Vagas and Rason climbed out from behind the folding passenger seat on the right side of the little car. Rason picked up his bag, with his leather folder tucked securely into the side pocket, and walked across the sidewalk. Vagas was already giving her mother a big hug.

         Rason stayed far enough from Tamarra that he didn’t think she would be tempted to try and give him a hug too.

         “Hi Mrs. Montevideo”, he said. “I hope my staying won’t be a problem for you.”

         “Oh my. No.” She said. The only thing is that we try to keep the noise down so Vagas’ dad can rest. Toby’s not feeling well after his last treatment with chemotherapy.”

         “Chemotherapy?” Rason questioned.

         “Oh dear. Didn’t you know? He got sick last month and the doctor says he has lung cancer. I guess it’s all those years he smoked.” Tamarra explained.

         “Lung cancer?” Rason blurted. “Why that’s terrible. Is he going to be OK?”

         “Well. We don’t really know.” Interrupted Vagas. “The doctor said the chemotherapy might work but he wouldn’t promise anything.”

         “Toby’s been going for the treatments everyday this week and he is just worn out and sick.” Said Tamarra. “Those chemicals they give you may be necessary but they sure aren’t any fun. I think Toby’s in there throwing up right now. I’d better go and check on him. Excuse me for a minute.” Tamarra said as she turned and walked quickly up the walk after waving to Claressa and Zealda.

         Rason didn’t know much about this cancer stuff. He knew it was bad and that people could die from it. Toby was such a great guy. It didn’t seem fair that he’d get it.

         Vagas saw that Rason was frowning and deep in thought. She too was confused and concerned by what was happening to her father. She’d been spending a considerable amount of time on the internet reading about it, but a lot of the terms they used and the things they talked about were strange and foreign to her. It seemed like she was spending more time looking up words in the dictionary than she was reading about her father’s illness.

         Toby was beginning to lose weight and he looked pale. He had always been an active and outdoors type of man, but the last few weeks he hadn’t gotten out much. It wasn’t like him to lay around and take naps, but that was what he’d been doing. He just didn’t have much energy. Since the chemotherapy treatments started, he’d been nauseated frequently and just didn’t feel like doing much of anything. He was fighting for his life and he knew it.     

         Tamarra was worried about paying the bills. With Toby not working, they didn’t have much income. She worked as a helper at the zoo three days a week. That didn’t bring in much. They had a small savings account but that wasn’t going to last long. Thank goodness Toby had health insurance through the company he worked for. Otherwise, she didn’t know what they’d do.

         Tamarra was, of course, terribly concerned about Toby. He’d never really been sick in his life before. They had both talked about how dangerous smoking was but never thought it would affect them personally.

          Toby wasn’t handling the forced idleness very well. He certainly didn’t like being nauseated and exhausted all the time. His arms were bruised and sore from the laboratory tests and the intravenous medications he was getting at the hospital and in the doctor’s office. It was a tough time for both of them. They knew that Vagas and Midori must be worried too. The kids just didn’t talk about it much – at least not with Tamarra and Toby.

          One of Toby’s favorite foods had always been a chile relleno and enchilada with rice and beans. Now he couldn’t stand to even look at food. Sometimes even water made him queasy. The chemotherapy was also starting to make his hair fall out. At this rate he’d soon be bald. He also thought – maybe he was just imagining it – that his vision was getting worse. Things seemed a little fuzzier than normal. He’d probably have to see about getting his eyes checked. He wore glasses for reading but things in the distance just weren’t clear anymore.

          There was a loud noise as the front screen door slapped shut with a thwack! It was Midori. Vagas and Tamarra gave him frowns for making the loud noise. He lowered his head and looked apologetic. It was hard to remember to be quiet.

        As always, Midori was hungry. He headed straight for the refrigerator. It was hard to believe he could eat so much and not get fat. Of course, he was always active and busy with school and sports. He opened the refrigerator door and began removing things and placing them on the kitchen table. First there was a loaf of bread. Then there was a package of bologna and then a half eaten package of cheese. He added mayonnaise and mustard. He took lettuce and a tomato out of the vegetable bin. It was quite a collection!

        Midori began assembling his masterpiece. He slathered mayonnaise onto two pieces of bread. He poured on a large amount of mustard. Then, he sliced the tomato into four thick slices and arranged them carefully on the bed of mustard and mayonnaise. He pulled several layers of lettuce off of the head and then began piling on the cheese and meat. It was incredible and appeared too big to actually eat!

        Midori wrapped his rather large athletic hands around the monstrous sandwich - and then stopped. He needed milk. His hands were coated with the mustard and mayonnaise when he placed the sandwich on a plate. He went to the sink and quickly washed. Then he swung open a cabinet and retrieved a large glass. He swiftly moved to the icebox and took out the two thirds full gallon jug of milk. He poured it so quickly that it almost sloshed out of the glass. He put the jug back and closed the door with his foot. Time to eat!

         But wait. He'd forgotten the salt and pepper - and the onions. He took care of that mistake with the ease of an expert. One minute later there was a slice of onion on the monster and it had been liberally salted and peppered.

        He picked the monster sandwich up in his big paws like a grizzly bear about to eat a salmon. Toby walked in. Poor thing - he looked so pale and exhausted. He took one look at Midori preparing to inhale the huge sandwich and put his hand over his mouth. It was just too much for him. His nausea took over and he hurried out of the room and down the hall to the toilet. The door slammed and then there was retching and splashing. No mistaking that sound.

        Midori sat down. The sandwich was right there in his hands dripping mustard and mayonnaise onto the plate. He just looked at it. Suddenly his enormous appetite was all gone. He made quite a picture. He sat there for several minutes trying to figure out what he should do. Finally, Toby came out of the bathroom looking even paler than before. He got to the kitchen door and saw Midori sitting there pondering his monstrosity. Turning quickly, he headed back for the restroom.

        That did it. There was no way Midori was going to be able to eat that sandwich now. He was even beginning to feel a little queasy himself. He put the sandwich down and abandoned the whole project. He just wiped his hands on his pants and went out the screen door to the porch and sat down on the top step.

        Rason came around the corner from the front of the house. "Yo", he said. He saw Midori sitting on the top step of the porch looking kind of gray and lost. "W'as up?", he said to Midori.

        "Man. You hungry?", Midori asked.

        "Always", replied Rason. "Why do you ask?"

        " I just made a sandwich and then changed my mind about eating. It's yours if you want it."

        Rason's eyes twinkled slightly and he turned and opened the squeaky screen door. There on a plate was a dream sandwich and a glass of milk. It doesn't get better than that, he thought. He picked up the plate and the glass of milk and went out onto the porch to sit near Midori. There was a small bench-like table on the porch with a couple of old wooded chairs. He sat down and began devouring the masterpiece. It was a noisy, sloppy procedure. He smiled as he feasted.

        Midori thought this was just more than a person ought to have to tolerate. Rason was chomping on the sandwich like a crocodile eating a big snake. Whoa! There was a picture. Midori was trying hard not to lose the lunch he hadn't eaten.

        Rason didn't have a clue. He was enjoying that sandwich like he hadn't eaten in a week. It just didn't get any better than that!

Rason wolfed down the enormous sandwich in a matter of minutes and then belched loudly. Midori, startled by the loud and unexpected sound, jumped slightly, turned to look at Rason, and then slowly rolled his eyes. Rason didn’t have an inkling that he had done something that might be considered rude or low class. He finished the glass of milk with a gulp.

            “Man. That was deee-licious”, he said with obvious appreciation in his voice. He leaned back in his chair and rubbed his now swollen abdomen.

            He reminded Midori of an anaconda that had swallowed a large pig. He thought the biggest and most obvious difference was that an anaconda wouldn’t eat again for a week or two. Rason already looked like he was thinking about dessert.