Dessicate

Dry thoroughly (v.)

While chopping bunches of grapes en route to the dehydration processor, Merlin cut the tip of this thumb with a large machete.
"Fuck!" he screamed.
Reeling from the sudden sting, he looked down and saw blood seeping into the chopped grapes, staining the cellulose and skin of the fruit a faint black. He shook his head and dropped the knife and, in a stupor, grabbed his cut thumb with his other hand and ran to the small bathroom near the entrance of the barn. When he got there he held his thumb under cold running water and watched the blood mix with the tap water and circle into the drain. Then he looked up into the mirror at his bloodshot eyes and felt his head spinning. He sighed at himself.
He walked to his house and called his daughter Mona. She drove over and bandaged his thumb and spent the night with him on the farm. In the morning, she was making eggs and pancakes and he wobbled into the kitchen holding his palm to his forehead. Mona placed a plate of eggs and pancakes in front of him and sat down.
"Dad, you have to get some help."
"Mona, please..."
"Look at yourself!" she said, "You chopped a piece of your finger off! It could have been much worse. I mean you're here alone, for Chrissake. Alone with these machines and..."
She paused and looked at her father's tired eyes, bags beneath them that were the color and consistency of the raisins he so lonesomely produced.
"And you're drinking again."
"Mona, no, absolutely not, I..."
"I smelled it last night. I saw the bottle in the barn. You can't do this anymore."
His face fell in shame. He brought the corner of his mouth up slightly and scratched the back of his head.
"Drinking alone and working so much, it's just not good..." Mona said.
"I just," he struggled to clear his throat and defend himself, "I have this huge SunMaid order to fill by the end of the week and...and ever since your mother left I haven't..."
"Dad," she interuppted, "that was almost three years ago."
He hung his head again and exhaled. Mona rolled her eyes and got lost in a thought. She looked down at her watch and took a decisive breath after a moment of consideration and said,
"Okay, let's go."
"What?" Merlin asked.
"Let's go," she got up and put her coat on,"we're leaving."
"To go where?"
"You'll see."
"Mona, no, I have to get this..."
"Now, Dad."
And Merlin looked at his thumb. There was a throbbing pain swelling within the cut that pounded in rhythm with the throb of his hangover. He looked into his daughter's eyes. She was holding his coat out to him. He sighed again and took it and followed her to her car.

They drove to the community center and Mona pulled up to the main entrance.
"Go to room 405, I looked it up," she said.
He looked out of his window and back at her.
"Aren't you coming in, too?" he asked.
"Nope, I'll be back in an hour or so to come get you. Room 405, don't forget."
Merlin looked at her again, still feeling the throb beneath the bandage.
"C'mon Dad."
"Alright," he said as he unbuckled his seatbelt and rose slowly out of the car, making sure to close the car door with his fist to protect his thumb.
He walked into the building and saw a long hallway of identical doors, all of them closed. He walked slowly, passing the numbered doors until he reached 405. He furrowed his brow and put his hand on the handle and pushed.
When he poked his head through the crack in the door a circle of faces looked up at him. They were all tired, all his age, and all half-smiling like they were glad to see him. The exhausted warmth in their faces kept him in the doorway. Before he could think twice, a woman with a purple blouse said,
"Welcome, welcome, come on in."
"Hi," he said, "I don't know if, uh..."
"AA? Yup, you found us, what's your name, sir?"
He was nervous but also strangely willing, so Merlin stepped into the room and declared,
"My name is Merlin. I make raisins."
"Hi Merlin," the circle of people chanted to him.
"Why don't you have a seat?" the woman in the purple said, pointing to an open chair next to a chubby Asian man. Merlin walked over, rested his hands on his thighs, and let himself fall into the straight-backed chair.
As soon as Merlin sat down the Asian man began talking.
"As I was saying, I haven't even wanted a beer for 5 months and it just feels..."
Merlin decided to give this man his full attention and when he did he forgot about the throbbing in his thumb.