Public Domain

A “mirror box” is a box with two mirrors in the center of it. It’s designed to help people who experience pain in their missing limbs. When the intact limb is placed in the box and viewed from an angle, the brain is tricked into “seeing” two complete limbs. This illusion allows you to “manipulate” the missing limb and move it to a less painful position. Even though consciously you know it’s not real, just seeing yourself as whole is apparently enough for some people to re-wire their brains to successfully reduce the sensation of pain.

Bagram Air Base, August 15, 2008

Davis makes it a point to visit me on my birthdays. Last year we went to the French dining facility at Camp Warehouse, but this time around we just stay in my quarters at Bagram and share a meal-ready-to-eat.

“Happy forty-first, Grandpa.” Davis glances at the family portrait of Mary, me, Ethan and Faith on my desk as he slides a present over to me.

I carefully open the wrapping to reveal three picture frames. The first is a
montage of scenery from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. I smile as I set it aside. The second is of me and Davis mugging for the camera while standing on Campus Point at UC Santa Barbara. The date-stamp on it is ‘08/21/91.’

“Why are you giving me a photo of these two strange kids?”