Chapter Twelve
The windowless exhibition room veils the time of day. Nicholas Strothers learns to approximate time by way of visits from his nurses and various conversational references to daily events such as meals and sunny afternoons. He sleeps, or more likely passes out, knowing to wake himself with any urge to roll over or engage in some other unconscious form of movement that would impair his exposed cords and end his maleness.
Time is spent mentally battling depression interspersed with periods of euphoria in which he pictures himself remaining very much intact and serving as Miss Angelica’s pony boy...whatever that entails.
The boredom is punctuated with sponge baths, feedings, and the most humiliating process of having to be assisted and supervised in emptying bladder and bowel
