About ten minutes later, Robin was transported to the hospital. No one else seemed to have been hurt, or at least no other patients were in the back of the ambulance with him. Only he and the female paramedic were in the back of the ambulance.
"What grade are you in, Robin?" She asked him.
"Ninth." He answered, his throat feeling a bit sore.
"Do you have a boy friend yet?"
Robin shook his head, 'No.'
"Don't worry, a girl as pretty as you will soon have lots of boys interested in you."
Robin wasn't sure if he was glad that the paramedic thought he was a girl and not a boy dressed as a girl; or if he was sad that she thought he was a girl.
By the time the ambulance reached the hospital, he had decided as much as he didn't want people thinking him a girl, it was better than them thinking him a boy dressing as a girl.
Robin was moved into the emergency room where someone in 'doctor clothes', either a doctor or a nurse, checked him out. "You breathed in a bit of smoke, didn't you Robin. It doesn't seemed to have affected your lungs. Still I think you should spend the night, just so we can be sure. Any problems?" She asked him.
Robin said, "My throat is a bit sore." His voice sounded 'gravely'.
"Not surprising." The doctor said. "I'll give you some throat lozenges to suck on to cut down the pain. We will get you moved to a room in just a couple of minutes."
About a half hour later Robin was in a semi-private room.
"Hi. I am Susan." His room mate said. "Heard you got caught in a fire. How bad was it?"
Robin tried to comprehend that he was in a semi-private room with a girl, which meant that the hospital thought he was a girl as well. He then remembered the question Susan had asked. "Sore throat." He managed to croak out.
Just then a nurse entered the room. "Well Robin, we have to get you out of your smoky clothes. I have a standard issue, hospital gown. That means it is two sizes too small and none too comfortable to wear. Can you get undressed by yourself, or do you need some help?"
"I can do it." Robin croaked out.
The nurse handed Robin the gown and pointed him to the bathroom. "You can change in there."
