Kathy met Brad in the lobby. He was an ex-trucker who rode motorcycles on weekends. His legs had not been lost in a motorcycle accident but in an attempt to help an injured motorist. He had been run down by a drunken driver as he got out of his truck at the scene of an accident. He was more seriously hurt than anyone else involved. He took classes after his accident and became a freight agent, what truckers call a dispatcher. He often laughs about the jokes about dispatcher’s brains he and his fellow truckers told. One said they were as scarce as steering wheels for motorcycles and Volkswagen radiators. Another said they were expensive because they were scarce. You had to kill a lot of dispatchers to get a pound of brains. The jokes were still funny. He occasionally told them himself.

Kathy introduced herself, took him to the screening room and ran the video tape. When it was done she stood up. “What do you think?”

“I’m ready to go. I’d try anything unless it would make things worse.”

“Doc told me to give these to you.” She handed him some forms. “You sign these and take these along. Have the lab work done tomorrow and you come in the day after for the surgery. You should be on your new legs in a week and a half to two weeks. It’ll take a couple of months to build up strength in your muscles but within a couple weeks it should be somewhat better and as you gain strength and learn to use the new legs you should walk much better.”

Brad signed the papers and left. She watched as he laboriously propelled himself out of the lobby. “But for the grace of God go I,” she said to herself. “Had I been hurt a year before… or somewhere else.. anywhere else.” She turned and got on the elevator. When the door closed she clicked her heels like she did the day of the accident. It was great to be able to walk. The reattached legs and metal knees weren’t perfect but they were way above the next best. As the door opened she saw the nurse help Janice with her wheelchair. She smiled. She wanted to help people. Another goal was being attained.

When Kathy got to the lab Dr. Western had placed a note to see him before leaving on her desk. She knocked on his office door.