Swallowing Sharp Objects

A story (composited, and not about any one real human).

I had a patient (not really) named Jeremiah (not a real name), who was 14 years old (not a real age). He was in the hospital, but he hadn’t said anything to any of the doctors. He hadn’t said anything to me. He’d only talk to one person in the entire building, who was a member of the recreation staff, and would take the kids out for basketball. The part…