Growth plates and growth rates

Daniel limps to a motorized shopping cart and carefully sits. For all the bandaging and blood stains, there was surprisingly little pain. After quickly examining the paperwork he had been holding, he sees there are prescriptions he needs to have filled.

Filled for what? His panicked mind questions why he isn’t on the phone now with the police. Except it was too late to do anything about what was under the bandages. Too late. He bristles with anger again. Furthermore, he had never agreed to anything.

Growth Plates

After entering the store he navigates the shopping cart toward the pharmacy kiosk. He turns down an aisle and very nearly runs into another man riding a shopping cart, with heavily bandaged legs. For a moment they stare. Then the man in front of Daniel begins sobbing.

Daniel was stunned, and didn’t quite know how to react to the very upset man in front of him. This was obviously greater than it appeared.

After some time navigating back to the parking lot the two men are now sitting on a bench outside the store. Now Daniel asks the obvious question,

“What happened to you at the clinic?”

The distraught man looks at Daniel and then away at the passing traffic on the street. Moreover, he seems to struggle with what he is trying to say.

Growth

After a few more seconds he takes a deep breath and describes an identical experience to Daniel’s. Including waking up somewhere other than the clinic. Daniel waits to see if the other man mentions what has shaken Daniel so much.

Neal is his name. Getting taller had been his game. Until Dr. Spurt. He had saved for years to have the highly dangerous and painful surgery. Furthermore, he had not planned for what had actually happened. He looks at Daniel closely. Almost beseechingly and asks the twenty dollar question.

“Did he thank you for donating?”

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