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take before he would be disqualified as a pawn and get released from the war team. He had been wide awake for the last thirty hours, but now the speed was wearing itself out of his system and he felt tired and shaky. They removed the straitjacket and he stretched out and relaxed. He longed for a bed and some sleep, but he had to wait while his papers were sorted by the staff sergeant in charge and his transfer orders processed. When that was over, Washington, the buffalo nurse brought him upstairs to be interviewed by a psychiatrist named Kruze, who questioned Kenny briefly and studied him for a moment until he felt satisfied that he was fairly sober and safely subdued. He told Washington he could leave them alone. They talked for about forty minutes and it was a congenial conversation. At one point Kenny even admitted that, yes, he wanted out of the army as soon as possible. Dr. Kruze was sympathetic and offered to arrange for his honorable discharge from the service, but said it would take a few weeks to be effected and asked, "Do you think you'll need any medication?" "I don't know, doctor. Why?" "Well, you're going to be here for a while and there's very little to do. Most of the patients are pretty sick and a tranquilizer will help relieve any anxiety which may occur during your stay." "Sure. Whatever you say, Doctor." "All right, I'll prescribe a fifty-milligram Thorazine in the morning, one in the evening, and a chloral hydrate for sleep." "Fine. " "What about work? It says here in your file that you have cinematographic experience. They have a fair-sized film unit and photo lab on this base. I think one of the patients works over there now. Should I see if they can use you? It'd be good to have something to do for a few hours a day, to break up the monotony of just sitting around here and waiting." "Okay, Doctor." "Good, I'll talk to them about it. Now, there's no bed available downstairs in the sign-out-patient ward, and there won't be until after the weekend. So you'll have to stay locked up in the control ward here on the second floor till Monday, when they'll move you below, where you can go and come as you please. I'll call Washington to get you set. Is there anything you want to know?" "Yes, Doctor. What about visitors?" "Do you have family in San Francisco?" [end page 228] |
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