“Johnny you tripped,” Roy said setting a cup of coffee in front of Johnny.

Roy was waiting for some response from his partner. But Johnny didn’t even look up from the table in the hospital cafeteria.

“John, it’s all right. Chet’s all right.” Roy sat down and tried to make eye contact with Johnny. “Johnny come on drink the coffee and we’ll go back up and you can....”

Johnny started to speak without lifting his head, “I can’t go back up there.” His voice was deep and remorseful. Shaking his head he continued. “How can I ever look him in the eye again? Didn’t you hear that scream?” Finally, Johnny looked up at Roy, “I mean--Roy you know what it feels like--” Johnny swallow hard”---when --they---and they’re careful when they do it.”

Johnny watched as a slight blush came to Roy’s cheek. Any other time seeing Roy blush might have been funny.

Johnny suddenly stood and turned his back to Roy. Then just as suddenly he turned back to Roy. “I can’t look Chet in the eye,” Johnny waved his arms about as his voice rose. “Hell, he’ll probably won’t ever want to work with me again.” Johnny ran both of his hands through his hair. “Oh dear God, the phantom is gonna want revenge. “ Johnny put his hands on the table and leaned in close to Roy. “Can you imagine what kind of pranks he’s gonna try to pull to get even for what happened?” Johnny shook his head and shuddered. “I should transfer, yeah, a brush station might be the safest place.”

Roy looked into the frantic eyes of his partner then placed his hand on his shoulder. “Johnny you gotta calm down.”

“Calm down, calm down,” Johnny said contorting his face in disgust. Johnny then slumped into the chair and covered his face with his hands.

“Johnny?”

Johnny quickly took his hands from his face and saw the smiling face of Dixie.

“Is Chet all right?” Johnny asked.

Dixie smiled and nodded. “Johnny he wasn’t hurt. More like shocked. And he’s not the first patient this has happened to.” Dixie saw her words were having little effect. “Johnny, I’ve seen doctors do the same thing and a few nurses.”

“I bet you never....” Johnny saw the way Dixie looked up and away, “Wait you did it too--When?”

“I was a student nurse. I was so busy watching the monitors I didn’t see where I was stepping and ....well, that patient yelled louder than Chet.”

“See Johnny, you’re not the only one who ever took a misstep,” Roy was attempting to reason with Johnny again.

“Yeah, I guess.” Johnny looked up to Dix again. “Do you think I could go see Chet again and apologize?”

“Of course Johnny.”

Johnny got up and headed out of the cafeteria and up to Chet’s room.

Dixie sat down at the table with Roy. The two mad eye contact and started to laugh, slightly.

“Roy DeSoto I expect better of you,” Dixie said trying to stop her own laughter.

“You’re not doing much better Dix.,” Roy said casting an accusatory eye at Dix.

Then it happened. They overheard two student nurses walking by.

“Hey, did you hear about what happened to that patient-the fireman?”

“No, what?”

“One of his friends tripped over the catheter tubing and pulled the foley right out of the guy. They said the fireman really let out a yell.”

The students nurses walked away giggling.

Roy and Dix shook their heads and laughed then together they said, “Only our Johnny.”