Close Up

Mr. Gene tells Hershy
"You re a good guy, the best," _
-as he works on his hair.

11/28
1997

82

quadriplegic, injured in a diving acci-
dent.
Dr. Levinson describes his relation-
ship with Chaya Leah as "a team. She
is my expert [on Canavans disease],
and we work together," he says. "A lot
of doctors have a hard time with that,
but I don't."
Though he qualifies statements by
saying he's not an authority on
Canavans, Dr. Levinson is not opti-
mistic about Hershy's future. "There's
no reason I would expect him to dra-
matically go through a lot of improve-
ments," he says.
Yet like Chaya Leah, he sees intrin-
sic value in Hershy for-exactly who he
is. Hershy may not be able to under-
stand much, he says, "but that doesn't
take away from the value or the quali-
ty of his life. He's an integral part of
that family. Aspects of caring for him
are burdensome, but clearly he's not a
burden."
When the shots are done, a nurse
places a 101 Dalmatians bandage on
one of Hershey's arms, a Barney one
on the other. Then it's time to pack up
again — Hershy's myriad pillows to
make his arms comfortable on the
wheelchair, his hat and sock-gloves,
his food and medicine. And then back
to the van, and the ramp that, merci-
fully, has not broken down again.
Today's last stop is the barber.
It took time to find Gene Rea,
known to everyone as "Mr. Gene" of
Mr. Gene's in Bloomfield Hills.
Hershy is not the typical customer.
Because he has no motor control, he
can't hold his head up. The barber will
have to work around the wheelchair
and be patient to a fault. That's Mr.
Gene, Chaya Leah says. "He's a fine,
fine man."
Before she can park, Chaya Leah
must deal with the cluster of shopping
carts blocking the head of the handi-
capped-only spot. It's getting colder .
outside now, too, and she pulls
Hershy's coat close around his neck as
she takes him out of the van and into
the barber.
"Mr. Gene's" is an old-fashioned-
looking place. Magazines are strewn
about the waiting area and towels
from golf courses around the world
are pinned to every wall. Golf bags,
slightly worn, are for sale at the back,
where there are yellow-green chairs
that look like carousel horses for the
younger clientele.
Hershy, though, will stay at the
front, in his wheelchair.
"How's my buddy?"- Mr. Gene says
as he begins to snip, snip on Hershy's