The Hospital Con

By Caitlyn (Age 11)

One day, a strange looking man came over to my house. He came and sat on the porch. He looked like he wanted to rest, so I let him stay there for awhile. He stayed there for an hour but he didn't move. I started to feel uncomfortable and went outside to see if he was okay. When I came he immediately stood up, then fell down as if he were ill and fainted. I was so shocked that I didn't know what to do. Then a thought came into my mind and I called the ambulance. It came in less than a minute and I thought that was strange, but I did not pay attention to it. I was concentrated on helping this poor man.

We arrived at the hospital and a stretcher was waiting for the man. He was out on a stretcher and I was taken to be questioned. The doctors asked me if I was related to the man or not. I told them that I was not related to him and that I had found him sitting on my porch and he looked like he was waiting or resting.

The questioning lasted a whole hour and I was beginning to feel funny and I asked if I could visit the sick man. They let me go. My ears were ringing from all the questions the doctors had asked, like "How long did the man sit there?" and "Did he stand up quickly when you came?"

I ran out to the nearest flower shop and bought the most expensive flower I could find and ran back to the hospital. A nurse showed me to the sick man's room and I gave him the flowers. He looked very happy, and I was glad that I had helped the man. I had never helped anyone like that before. When I turned to leave I saw the sick man wink at a doctor. I ignored that too because I was so happy.

Each day I visited the sick man until one day he said that he was better and he wanted to leave, so I asked the nurses to help him into my car while I paid for his room fee. When I went to the cashier the person behind said I had to pay $100,000,000. I turned pale, but I was responsible for the sick man and I was from a wealthy family, so I paid.

I ran back to the car because I didn't want the man to be waiting too long. Behind me I heard the cashier person snicker. I thought that was strange, because:

• The ambulance came in a few seconds which was not possible unless it was already waiting for the man to get hurt.
• Why did the sick man wink at the doctor?
• Why was the bill so expensive? The hospital that I went to was supposed to be cheap.
• Why did the cashier person snicker?

I pushed those thoughts away and concentrated on driving. When I asked the man where he lived, he said he didn't have a house. I invited him to stay at my house until I found a good house. I finally found one. It cost $100,000,000! I again was shocked, but I was responsible for the man and I was from a healthy family, so I bought it.

When I showed the house to the man, he was happy and rushed inside to live in it. I was glad that he was happy. Then, again, a strange thought came to my mind.

• The ambulance came in a few seconds which was not possible unless it was already waiting for the man to get hurt.
• Why did the sick man wink at the doctor?
• Why was the bill so expensive? The hospital that I went to was supposed to be cheap.
• Why did the cashier person snicker?
• And why was the cost of the house the same as the hospital bill?

I was beginning to feel that something was going on. The next day I went over to the man's house, but I saw that someone else was living there! I was shocked! I had been tricked! Then I knew what had happened. The man sat on my porch because he knew that my family was rich. He was waiting for me to come out so he could "faint." The ambulance was already waiting on the next block. The people who were driving it were the man's partners, and so were the doctors, cashier, and the housekeeper! I was really mad at myself and everyone. I was robbed!

I can't trust any stranger any more! I never will!