When I went to see Darren the next day, I was surprised to find him sitting up in bed talking on the telephone with his grandmother. I was also surprised to find his room had turned into a mini greenhouse. Various plants and floral arrangements had been delivered. I read some of the cards while he talked. He’d received flowers and plants from family members, the principal at his school, the girls on his basketball team, Patrick and Chris, Jay and Brian, and a few others whose names I didn’t recognize. Deena and I had been working the phones trying to keep everyone updated on Darren’s condition and, by now, most people he knew were aware of what had happened. I hadn’t thought to send Darren flowers myself. Since the accident, I’d barely thought about anything other than how Darren was doing
