He thought about everything he put himself through. The broken bones, knocked out teeth, six years in the military. All the booze, cigarettes and drugs some legal, most them not. Here he was paying for the life that he led. All the hours spent on that big two facet life. Just having to see what was over the next horizon. The wander lust in his heart. Who could have put up with that?
He thought about the girl who spent so many miles riding behind him. How he loved that woman now. Twenty-five years of good times and bad. She never left sometimes he didn’t understand why she stayed. He was grateful that she did. She was his world. Some days his temper was not to be believed. He could be moody for weeks at a time . How that woman could stand that just amazed him. Then there was their daughter.
What a spitfire she is. Whoever she marries is going to have their hands full. He thought about all the overtime he put in and how much of her life he missed. She is almost finished with university. How wild is that, his daughter in law school. Is the world ready for that? He wonders if she knows how proud of her he is. Does she know how much he loves her? Not being there for her is what hurts the most about this.
He was not going to think like that. He’ll get a transplant, stop smoking and drinking and life will go on as it has in the past. A cigarette sounds good about now he thought. The rare blood type that he has that kept in beer, money and half of his life. Is now going to be the reason that he ends dying on his back in a hospital bed. What a way to go out. Where is the blaze of glory he always figured would accompany his departure from this world. No bells or whistle just a slow fading away.
He woke up to hearing voices in his room. He looked around and saw that they had brought in another patient and put in his room. No dying alone now even if he wanted too. He saw a woman pass by the end of the other bed. She was huge. She must have been at least eight months pregnant. He thought how sad is that to have a pregnant wife and be in the ICU unit of the hospital. He could hear them talking. The mans' voice was weak and he was trying to be encourage the woman. She told the man that he needed to get some rest and that she would there when he woke up. He could hear the steady breathing of his roommate , he must have fallen on the woman’s command. He could hear the woman mumbling. He thought," prayers at this point lady, are not going to help". Then voice got a little louder and he could hear her.
She was praying. Just like he thought. But what she was praying for sent chills down his spine. “Oh God just a couple of more months. Please let him live long enough to hold our child in his arms at least once before you call him home. Please just a few more days. I know he is dying but let him see his child first.”
As he laid he thought how hard her life was going to be. He thought about the unborn child growing up without their father. What would his daughter be if he had died that early in her life. What would happen to his wife. Even with his quirks ,she loved him with all of her being. How would have she survived.
He must have drifted off again.
0 comments:
Post a Comment