Part II
They are still in the exam room. Ralph thinks, gosh, it sure takes a while to bring hazmat suits.
Dr. T has settled in to a question routine. "How much do you drink?" he says.
Ralph's shoulders curl a little. "Most days 2-3 drinks."
"What about Monday?"
"I had two at the first place and two at the second."
"How did you get home?"
"I didn't."
The Twerp looks over the laptop at him.
Ralph sighs. "Do you know The Last Resort?" The doc shakes his head. "Of course not," mutters Ralph. "Ok, I woke up on Tuesday in my car there. In the lot."
"The police don't chase you out?"
"The owner has a deal with the cops. He lets people sleep in his lot in their cars. The police cruise it, but if people look ok, they don't wake them. He calls them if he has someone that he thinks isn't safe, ever since that one guy was found dead in the morning."
"Last Resort." says Dr. T.
"Yeah."
"Any illegal drugs? Or do you take pain medicine or any medicine that isn't prescribed?"
"No," says Ralph. "Hate pot."
"Tobacco?"
"Quit, 8 years ago. That was hell."
"Good job. Hmmm. Anything unusual, a supplement or something? What could cause the glow? Why didn't you tell me about that first?"
"I thought the glow was the springhare."
"Springhare? What's a springhare?" says the doc, typing furiously. Now he's reading.
"I've been eating them all week." says Ralph.
"But they are in South Africa. And Eastern Africa. They are rodents."
"Yeah, I was down there last month."
"What? What were you doing there?"
"Hunting springhare. Also the convention." The doctor looks confused. "Muzzle loaders."
"Muzzle loaders?"
"Yeah," says Ralph. "I am one of the best. Repairs. Antique muzzle loaders. We had a gun convention. They fly me in to do talks and demos. See, we hunt the spring hare. It's great sport with a muzzle loader and black lights. You look for the glow."
The doctor is staring at the computer again. "They glow under black light. Pinky orange. How many did you eat?"
"Four," says Ralph. "Yeah, I thought the glow was from the springhare. I thought the arm was something else."
The doc shakes his head. "Curiouser and curiouser." The phone rings and he gets up. He says hi and listens. "Ok, the team is here and will be in. We will be in the Emergency Room to start with."