Later that day, Robert arrived at Sunrise Hospital in Los-Angeles, and parked in the assigned space Adam had set aside for him alongside a row of handicapped spaces. Robert was a common sight in this hospital, visiting his brother Adam every few days.
As always he took the elevator to the seventh floor.
This was a special floor, which was once a normal department in the hospital, namely the oncology department; however, it had long since been gutted and refurnished. It now offered a comfortable, lounge like, experience, where Adam would see and heal those who a small, overpaid yet understaffed, committee would deem most in need. Despite the large number of cases put before this committee, it would only be in session eight months out of the year, forcing those most in need to wait at least four months before they could be instantly healed by Adam.
The elevator opened, and Robert inhaled. No matter how often he came to visit his brother, the smell made him regret it. It was the culmination of the ails of man, squeezed into one place and forced to stand in line. Nothing in this room felt natural.
Robert walked past the long winding line of the hopeful afflicted. He was well passed the temptation to stare, though every once in a while an oozing rash or pulsing boil would catch his attention. At the end of this line sat Adam.
Every day Adam would spend three hours healing at Sunrise Medical Center, and then moved on to his main occupation running for the US Senate.
Approaching his brother, Robert noticed he looked bored. He had reduced the required healing touch to a simple prod with his finger, and his mother’s prayer to a mumble. A few feet back in line, before reaching Adam, patients would be encouraged to pick up a flyer explaining the procedure. It read:
Each patient will receive one single touch, for every separate ailment.
***
Neither the Hospital nor the prophet holds any liability for any lack of progress that may or may not occur.
***
All patients must be properly insured.
Immediately after healing they would be given a button: “Vote Adam.”
‘You look preoccupied.’ Robert commented.
‘I am. Did you know dad’s getting out of prison next week?’
A man stood in front of Adam. Adam reacted automatically. ‘What’s the problem?’ he asks the man.
‘I have prostate cancer’ the poor man replied.
Adam took a deep breath and unenthusiastically touched the man’s buttocks.
‘NEXT!!!’
‘So how is he getting out so soon?’ Robert continued.
‘Good behavior. Plus, at his age they don’t want to keep him in without real cause. He’s been in and out of prison since they got him for bigamy, but this was a long stretch. 10 years is more then I’d wish for the old man.’
A woman now stood in front of him.
‘What’s the problem?’ he recited.
‘I’m pregnant.’ She replied.
Adam was actually dumb founded for a moment.
‘You are aware pregnancy is not a disease, right?’
‘I can’t afford an abortion.’
Adam resisted the urge to preach to this woman.
‘NEXT!!! This has to stop happening.’
‘So do you want to go to lunch?’ continued Robert.
‘Sorry, no time today, But I want you to pick dad up and get him sorted out.’
‘No.’ Robert exclaimed. Realizing he may need to expand on this fact a little, he unimaginatively continued ‘I have things to do.’
‘Someone needs to do it.’
Robert’s phone rang. It was Beth.
‘You’re coming to my show tonight!’ she orderd. ‘I’m not taking “no” for an answer.’
‘Not today Beth, I have things to do.’
‘I thought you would say that. Well, I’ve told the press you’re coming and E news should be there, so if you don’t come it would be a big scandal. Third row, center. Dress like you give a crap.’
She hung up.
‘Why don’t you go to her show?’ Adam asked, as he was cupping an old woman’s breasts.
‘I don’t know. I’m not one for this whole celebrity business. The spotlight is for other people. You can run for office, Beth can have her show, but there’s nothing interesting about me.’
‘In a way that makes you more interesting than any of us… NEXT!!!... You’re the only one of thirteen not to have any powers.’
‘I’m honored.’ Robert said ironically.
‘You should be grateful. These abilities are not all fun and games, it’s quite a burden.’ He reluctantly looked at the long line ahead of him before he could go wash his hands ‘Now, go to Beth’s show tonight and have a good time. Then go collect our father from the arms of the United States government.’
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