
I passed one of the large ER rooms as I was leaving the other day. The doors were wide open, and I spotted a little girl and (probably) her mom huddled to one side of the bed. A big male (maybe dad, maybe big brother) was on the bed asleep, just back from tests, I guessed.
Mom and I locked eyes, hers widened and brightened, so I stopped in my tracks. Since there were contact precautions posted, I waved from the door. She nudged her daughter to get her attention, and we waved. Stage whispered, “Who’s that?” and mom mouthed, “her brother.”
Then something else caught my eye. Brother’s foot was wiggling under the blanket. It kept wiggling until it had shaken the blanket aside. The foot was waving back at me.
Mom and daughter both pointed at it, giggling. Then I noticed his head was raised a bit, and her big brother was grinning, too.
I tried to wave back with my foot, cautiously raising a size 16 Converse All Star as high as I could, looking like a scene from The Karate Kid. Obviously needing some help and propping up, I motioned little sis over to help me balance. One hand on her head, one outstretched exaggeratedly the other direction, I found the perfect foot wave position!
From there, we exchanged a few more well-executed foot waves – side to side, up and down, and around. Success, and much appreciation to my new lovely assistant. That got a big smile out of big brother, too.
As rewards and gratitude for their efforts, I had little sis give him a POW! sticker and Mom a flower, and then gave a big, colorful heart to her.
It was a nice shared whimsical moment of foot waves, a size 16 imprint on the mood in that room. 🔴
Mom and I locked eyes, hers widened and brightened, so I stopped in my tracks. Since there were contact precautions posted, I waved from the door. She nudged her daughter to get her attention, and we waved. Stage whispered, “Who’s that?” and mom mouthed, “her brother.”
Then something else caught my eye. Brother’s foot was wiggling under the blanket. It kept wiggling until it had shaken the blanket aside. The foot was waving back at me.
Mom and daughter both pointed at it, giggling. Then I noticed his head was raised a bit, and her big brother was grinning, too.
I tried to wave back with my foot, cautiously raising a size 16 Converse All Star as high as I could, looking like a scene from The Karate Kid. Obviously needing some help and propping up, I motioned little sis over to help me balance. One hand on her head, one outstretched exaggeratedly the other direction, I found the perfect foot wave position!
From there, we exchanged a few more well-executed foot waves – side to side, up and down, and around. Success, and much appreciation to my new lovely assistant. That got a big smile out of big brother, too.
As rewards and gratitude for their efforts, I had little sis give him a POW! sticker and Mom a flower, and then gave a big, colorful heart to her.
It was a nice shared whimsical moment of foot waves, a size 16 imprint on the mood in that room. 🔴