The nurse at the doctor's office gave us his history, but we still had to ask.
Yo hablo un poco español. Un poco poco.
He smiled and nodded, explaining as simply as he could that he had pain in his lower back and down his left leg, and he couldn't feel his left foot.
O.K.? got him comfortably situated on the stretcher, and O.K.? made sure he was still comfortable after we loaded him into the ambulance.
He replied that he was fine, just the pain in his back.
Two minutes later, at the triage line at the ER, I asked for the two things missing from the doctor's transfer sheet.
ID? Driver's License? accompanied by a finger outline of their size.
He passed me his Medicaid card and learner's permit. I jotted the insurance and his address onto my paperwork and grinned as I handed them back.
Only a learner's permit? I teased, tapping the big words at the top of his shiny new ID.
He laughed and grinned back in understanding, then pulled a picture from his wallet.
His great-grandson.
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