September 9, 1900

Tombstone.

This morning I walked into the clinic and greeted Mr. Stone. When I’d come inside, hobbling on my crutches still, I asked, “Mr. Stone, can I get rid of these crutches now? It’s been a couple of days and they’re awful annoyin’.” 

“Yeah, it’s probably time to take off that cast,” he chuckled. “I know how annoying crutches are. They hurt your armpits.”

“Yay!” I grinned. 

“Come on in the other room and hop up on the table.” 

I set my crutches down on the floor and hopped up onto the table. Mr. Stone took out a small saw and held it up. “This is what we use to take a cast off. It’s a little tougher than a regular bandage.” I nodded and he took my foot carefully in one hand, cutting the cast off with the other hand, breaking the plaster in two and pulling it off. He examined the ankle and nodded. “Try wiggling it a bit.” 

I wiggled it a bit and said, “It don’t hurt as much.” 

“That’s good!” He took my hand and helped me stand off the table. “Okay, now try standing on it. Let’s make sure you can hold the weight okay.” 

“I should wear shoes though right?” I stood on the floor and wobbled a bit, but then became more steady. 

“You should wear shoes if for on other reason that I don’t want you stepping on something sharp. How’s that feel?” 

“Gonna take some gettin’ used to again,” I tried to walk around a bit as he chuckled and nodded. I tried to walk around and found myself limping a bit. 

“And no kicking balls for awhile.” 

“Yes sir,” I looked down. 

“Nat, it’s okay,” he chuckled. “You just need to make sure it’s healed fully.” 

“Yeah you’re right. What can we learn today?” I looked up at him hopefully. 

Mr. Stone looked at his pocket watch and said, “Hmm... not a lot. I have to be in the next county soon to take care of a patient over there.” He picked up the mess from the cast and threw the old plaster out and swept up the crumbs. “What would you like to learn about next? For when I do have time.” 

I went to get some linen and took off the old bed sheet, replacing it with a new one. “Um well let’s see… We already learned how to clean the clinic, make tea, the hippopotamus oath, how aloe heals burns…” I thought about it and he chuckled. “The different parts of Mr. Bones, the small pox vaccy, the equipment… Um… We looked in the micoscope Bandages, checkups…” 

“You’ve learned a lot! I’m impressed.” 

“And the secret keeping What else is there?” 

“Well, maybe sometime someone will get shot and I’ll have to take out a bullet. It would be nice to have an assistant to get tools and hold things for me. I can teach you that.” 

“We had one person come in and Doc Libby was here,” I nodded. “But I came at the end so I couldn’t really help.” 

“That will be good experience for you. I know you can handle the blood.” 

“Uh huh. Let’s look outside and see who’s there,” I said and went outside to look, but things were quiet. I walked back in and looked a bit disappointed. “Nobody outside needin’ us.” 

“Well, that’s okay. That means everyone is healthy,” he smiled. 

“Uh huh. But we get nothin’ to do.” 

“Well, Nat, I do have something to do. Unfortunately, it’s just not here. I gotta head out. Take care of that ankle. Be gentle with it for a few days.” 

“Yeah.. Might ride more. So I’m not walkin’ on it.” 

“Good idea.” 

“I’ll see you later Mr. Stone!” 

“Have a good day, Miss Stark!” Mr. Stone waved and I headed out on my horse.