Kip (Part 4)

When Kip was around 16 years old he was asked by his scout leader to go with him and do something; I don't remember what. As they were leaving our place they had to stop on a small bridge before entering the main hiway. As they were sitting there waiting for an oncoming car the other car suddenly swerved over and barreled into them. Reports said that the other driver was drunk. The car was totaled but Kip and his leader appeared to be all right. Kip kept complaining about his head and neck hurting so we decided to take him to the emergency room for a checkup.

Arriving at the emergency room we were all talking and he was telling us about the accident. The doctor came and looked him over and decided to take him back and have some x-rays taken. We waited and waited then the doctor came back and had a strange look on his face. Apparently in the performance of taking x-rays Kip fell into traumatic amnesia. He could not remember anything about the accident, he wondered why he was in the hospital and his whole personality changed in the twinkling of an eye.

He was brought out to where we were and he did not recognize any of us; this about devastated his mother. The kids were there and he asked who are these guys. He looked at me and I asked him if he recognized me and his answer was, "You must be Dad because you have an authoritative manner about you." He never used big words like authoritative!

We took him home and he was completely lost in the house. He did not know where the bathroom was, which room was his bedroom; nothing. The next day the kids were horsing around like they normally would and he asked his mother if those kids always acted that way. He was polite, well mannered, helped around the house (now that is a miracle) and most of all he wanted to read books like they were a new entity in his life. He never liked to read.

He went to school and all the kids kept asking what was wrong with him. He was too well mannered, he did not recognize his friends and the teachers were shocked that he was doing so much better. (Silver linings on dark clouds)

To make a long story shorter, we went through a LOT of therapy. It took a long time but his memory did come back although even today we notice some things that stuck with him. He still likes to read quite a bit. So needless to say that there were no scars on the outside this time but there are some emotional scars that have remained.

One last thing about Kip on this day. All through school he hardly ever passed a test. It would frustrate me to no end. When it came time for him to get his drivers license I did not worry about it because I knew he would not pass the written test. His driving was good (his dad taught him correctly) but the written; no way!! So one day he begged to go and take the written and I smirked all day long. I'll be doggoned but that brat passed his written and our cars were never safe from that day forward.

I will have other stories about Kip but this should do for a while. I have the story of when I took him hunting. AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

Have a nice day everyone.