Chapter 12

Finny's broken leg.

As soon as we went to the stairs, the debate began of who to call at this time of night. We first called Phil Latham and then Dr. Stanpole came. Finny was extrememly calm and sat in the chair as he was brought to the infirmary. I, "Tried to phrade my question but nothing came out" (172). The question was extremely hard to put together and so I watched Finny go to the infirmary. THe only knowledge I had from Dr. Stanpole, was that he had a clean break, but a break none the less. On my way back to the infirmary, I ran into Mr. Ludsbury, who ordered me back to my dorm. He wasn't watching, so I continued on to the infirmary. I waited outside of the window, of FInny's room and heard the doctors whispering. I thought about FInny making jokes at them and I couldn't control myself from laughing. "I was laughing so hard it hurt my stomach and I could feel my face getting more and more flushed" (175). The doctors finally left and I decided to try to go into Finny's room and talk to him. He was nervous when he heard me, because he couldn't see anything. I then realized, "That his leg was bound so that he could not move very well, and that he was struggling to unleash his hate against me" (176). He was so angry he tried to get up and get to me, but fell, with his legs on the bed, and his hands on the ground. All I could do was apologize before I left the room. The next day, I had a note from Dr. Stanpole, asking me to bring Finny's things. I went to my classes and then went back to the infirmary with Finny's things. I walked in and gave him his suitcase. Our conversation started out lightly, and then he began to talk about the war. I found out the reason he hated the war was because he had asked every military if he could join, and he was rejected. He started to cry and I joked that he would mess up the war because he would be switching sides so much. Eventually, I had to go, so that Phineas could have his bone set. When I came back, Dr. Stanpole told me Phineas had died. His bone marrow had gone to his heart and stopped it. I couldn't think of anthing to say; I was speechless. I was sad about Finny, but I didn't cry, because it felt as though, this was my own funeral, and I wasn't going to cry.