Myra-Breckinridge-Gore-Vidal

have been unconscious for ten days. I sustained twelvebroken ribs, one cracked femur, one fractured shin, adozen torn and bruised ligaments, as well as a concussionof the brain. Only my powerful physical organism was ableto save me, according to Dr. Mengers, who has been anabsolute saint during my ordeal. "Frankly we didn't think youwere going to make it," he said earlier this evening. "Butthe first moment I saw you I said to myself: that one's goingto put up a good fight, and you did. The night nurse is stillhome, convalescing." "Night nurse? What did I do?" "Bither arm to the bone." We had a merry laugh about that.Then I spoke seriously. "I'm worried about my memory,Doctor. For instance, I can recall the stars of The Uninvited(Ray Muland, Ruth Hussey, Donald Crisp) and I know thatCharles Brackett produced the film for Paramount in 1944but who... who was the director?" "Lewis Allen." He did notpause to think. I was momentarily distracted from my ownproblems at finding a doctor who knew so much aboutmovies. Apparently he too had seen every film madebetween 193 i and 1947. He was even, for a short time,Roland Young's physician. We exchanged movie loreexcitedly, and as we did, I found myself recalling more andmore details which I had thought were forever lost to me.But not until I listed every film Edith Head had worked ondid Dr. Mengers show his delight. "You see? You canremember. It's just a matter of practice. Nothing serious hashappened to your mind. With the sort of concussion yousustained, it is like having the wind knocked out of you...takes time to catch your breath. Don't worry. You're doing