2017-10-27 - Hospitals Can Make You Sick

The nurse is prim and proper and despite her short stature somewhat intimidating. She pushes her glasses up on her nose and with cool detachment plucks a sample bottle off the patient's tray. She holds the glass of amber fluid up to the light and says, "My, we're a little cloudy today ..." She couldn't sound more condescending.

Ted Grant will not be condescended to. He glares at her a moment and then with a swift motion plucks the flask out of the nurse's hand.

"Gee, sorry about that," he says smiling. "Let me run it through again for ya." He downs the fluid in a single gulp.

The nurse flees the hospital room and runs down the corridor. Ted sits up in his hospital bed, puts aside the flask he’d filled with apple juice and pulls an ancient tablet out. He begins doing a word puzzle cackling to himself. "Ahhhh citizens ..."

Polly had gotten the call when at the manor to 'bring my suit dammit'. It was the where that had her worried since she'd last seen Ted at Leslie's when she dropped him off after testing out a new toy. Quickly donning her usual disguise, just so no one would question why Carrie Kelley was visiting a bruiser like Ted, she makes a quick stop by his place to grab the suit in a gym bag. It's slung over her shoulder as she enters looking worried. Which is why she had also told Dick she'd be visiting. "I hope this isn't my fault," she mutters to herself as she finds his room by watching the nurse run out. "... Driving off the women as usual, huh?"

Dick Grayson enters just in time to hear that last line and he laughs, "I think he is an old hand at that, at least if the tales at the gym are true."

Ted Grant cranes forward in the bed a little shocked. "That was a WOMAN?" He head shakes. Ted sneers a little and says, "I have never wanted for female companionship. And those apes at the gym shouldn't speak ill of their betters, or anyone can bench over 300! Hello young man, I seen you out and about but we never had a face to face. Nice of you to come see an old pug." Ted sticks his huge hand out to Dick.

Polly rolls her eyes and groans a bit at his bold remarks. "Don't really want to know about your sex life, Ted, thanks." Smirking some she just lets him finish off his tirade and greet Dick casting him a sidelong glance. She didn't usually wear this disguise around anyone but Ted, and Damian, so she wasn't a hundred percent sure... Nah, he could probably figure it out. Hefting the gym bag up to the bed she dumps it on top of Ted's legs. "Why the hell are you in here anyway? I didn't hit you that hard, did I?”

Dick Grayson shakes his head, "Well I figured it was about time I met you." He shakes his hand and then he looks over at 'Polly' and comments, "Did you just confess to assult? You are luck I am not on duty ma'am." He says with just the hint of a grin. "so what did happen any way from the stories i have heard it would take a lot to put you in here.”

Ted Grant tells Dick I gave her a new style set of brass knocks and let her try them out. They worked. Now I got Nurse ratchet out there bugging me. I drank a little apple juice to scare her off a while. He growls a little but then gives Polly a genuine and surprisingly warm smile. "Punkin you couldn't hit me that hard on your best day ever no offense meant. No one ever did except the Boss himself. But ... Dr. Thompkins stuck me with a needle and I woke up in an ambulance on my way here. She wanted me under observation fer 48 hours. Did I ever tell you I have a ... thing about needles. Them poor EMTs. Anyway ... that bought me another 24 hours observation. Then I saw some odd stuff here ... and I said some stuff so they'd hold me for a psychiatric examination." Ted gets that gleam in his eyes.

"I told them I thought I was Batman."

Ted says, “I told them I thought I was ... Batman.”

Polly glances sharply over at Dick when he pulls the 'concerned cop' schtick on her. "In my defense, he told me to," she quips back with a gesture at Ted. Jesting or not once he assures her, in his usual brusque manner, that she didn't really hurt him she lets out a sigh of relief. "Okay, well... Wait you did what now?" Furrowing her brow with a frown she just stares at him. "I'm too young to have an identity crisis, Ted, don't mess with me."

Dick Grayson looks at Ted and smiles, 'Not tall enough to be him." he says dryly and he moves closer asking softly, "Just what did you notice?" he looks aorund to spot the security cameras and how to avoid them.

Ted Grant grabs the gym bag eagerly. "Nah nah. That was a farce. I wanted to be checked in for a few days, voluntarily of course. So I told them ... I'm Batman. ... junior, I got a couple inches on the Boss and you know it. Ah anyway, guys in the psychiatric ward are saying they're missing their friends. Old guys, homeless, the ones fall through the cracks without ever touching the sides. I believe them. Too many complaining and some of them are just in that ward to get three squares and a bed, you know? That's as far as I got ... oh crap. This is my old suit, the one with the tail. I don't wear *this* suit anymore. Ehhh. Good enough.”

Carrie Kelley bats her eyes innocently enough. "Well I thought you might want it since Dr. Thompkins is so fond of the tail..." The corners of her lips quirk into a smirk and she steps back just a bit in case she was swatted at. It was his own fault for trying to prank her with that fake phone call. Glancing toward Dick she nods silently at him, nudging her chin toward a camera out in the hall which she was currently positioning herself to block the line of sight of. "Ah... Yeah, that sounds like something worth looking into.”

Ted Grant looks to Grayson and says with a nod towards Carrie, "Ain't she sweet? Don't you want to just give her a hug and then hold her feet in the fire for a bit? Anyway ... someone suggested to the Boss you should take a turn at candy striping and he says it's cool, you like giving unsolicited medical advice and inoculations already. I think ... he was laughing a little. I didn't know he does that. It's a little scary. You know? Like it pains him."

Dick Grayson nods in agreement with Carrie, "Yeah, where there is smoke like that fire is normally not far behind." he smiles when he sees the tail and nods, "I think the tail looks good, Mr. Grant." He look back at ted, "I think it does.”

Polly rolls her eyes with a groan. "Oh man I thought I was done with going undercover from my old Boss." Sighing quietly she shrugs; hey she did kind of bring it on herself. "Not my fault I got stuck being medic and general back home. ... Though I think Dick would look more interesting in a candy striper dress. Do they even still DO that?”

Ted Grant nods. "See, Polly, respect! The man knows respect.”

Dick Grayson looks at Polly, "Well I probably have the legs for it but not sure I have time for a fourth job, three is enough." He grins, "Heck I might be at four already.”

Polly sighs again, dejected. "You guys are really killing into my college time, and work, and work, and dating.. I mean..." She glances abruptly at Dick then away before deciding to change the subject. "S'pose no one else can do it like I could." Smiling she lifts her hands to smack one fist into the palm of her opposite hand as she sing-songs in a voice half an octave higher than normal, and sugary sweet. "Want me to fluff your pillow, Mr. Grant?”

Ted Grant looks very dubious. "You just stay there. I ain't letting you near me for a while."

Dick Grayson laughs at her raise of voice, and he shakes his head, "Let's compare schedules sometime, Polly, I think i would still win even with out dating being included."