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The Guy Thing
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The Guy Thing |
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critical mass Member
since 2009-03-25
Posts 275Michigan |
It was that guy thing. The one that makes you stand in tight and take seventy mile an hour pitches when you're near sighted. I could hear it in his seven year old voice. "I wanna go with you." He was out of breath, bent over, supporting himself with his hand on his knees. I asked him where his inhaler was. He pulled it from his pocket and I wondered what it must be like to be that dependent upon something. "You sure it was Doc Greene's office?" "Yep, they said the tests are in. Can I go with you?" I wished his mother was there, but the guy thing had me too. "Sure" I said. I was thinking this was a bad idea, but he would know the results soon enough, might as well hear them from the Doc. We sat in front of Doc greene's new associate. He must be an Intern. He was telling us that "the Doc had an emergency and that he was to go over the test results with us". He said he couldn't find the age of the patient on the chart and was curious as to how old he was. I was feeling a little disapointed. I replied that he was seven, almost eight, and, did he know how long the Doc would be out of the office. He gave me an apologetic glance and continued. "The lungs are colonized. Antibiotics and steroids are not working." He paused, looked at my son then back to me. I gave him a go ahead nod. The words, "He will die", made my son shift in his chair and made me wish my wife was there. He gave him a month, maybe a week on either side. I knew what the options were. I also knew that making this Intern the hero was important. "I guess I could shoot him," I said. I gave the Intern the jump in here anytime look. "Well," he said. "I was thinking more on the lines of an injection. It will make him go to sleep. It's not as messy that way." Then my son spoke up. "Yeah, an injection, that sounds better." I told him we would wait in the car. My son gave the cat a hug, placed him in the cage and followed me to the car. We sat in the car and waited for the Intern to bring us the shoebox that held my son's best friend. It was as hard a thing as I ever had to do. I looked at him. I could see the guy thing at work. I wished I had let him see me cry, it might have helped right then. He sat there with a lump in his throat the size of a cat. "Are you going to cry?" I asked. He said "No." "Me too." And we did. That night the Redwings and Avalanche were playing game seven. My son crawled into the recliner next to me and put his head on my chest. "Dad," he asked, "Will you die someday?" I told him "Someday son." "And mom?" "Yeah I suppose so," I said, while trying to watch the game. "Then," he asked, "Who will wait in the car with me?" I sat there with a lump in my throat the size of a seven year old boy. "Dad," he asked, "Are you crying?" "No" I said. "Me too." "Hey," I said, "How about some pizza?" "What about the Wings" he asked. "I don't think they can have pizza during the playoffs." And we laughed. |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Well, at first I thought you were referring to your own child as being the one whose lungs were kaput. Especially with the inhaler. But you had me at "cat". What a tender write. Being that it was a "guy thing" and all. This was the clincher: quote: I enjoyed the mental images, the male bonding, and the struggle to overcome emotions that should have flowed. You left me with the feeling that in the darkness and under cover, they did. |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
This is good. Short, bittersweet and very touching. Welcome to Pip.  |
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critical mass Member
since 2009-03-25
Posts 275Michigan |
Sunshine serenity blaze Thanks for stopping by. Your comments are much appreciated. Sorry about the trickery in this. |
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Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN |
That was one hell of a bait and switch. You totally had me thinking exactly what you wanted me too. This was a really excellent piece of fiction. Very poignant and touching without being sappy or saccharine. There is exactly enough there, which is hard to quantify but each word was meaningful and there wasn't any fat. Truly enjoyed this, and I hope to see more! ---- Take your broken pieces and use them for protection. Take your strong pieces and use them to live on the outside of your skin - Craig Minowa |
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critical mass Member
since 2009-03-25
Posts 275Michigan |
Dusk Treader Thank you for the reply and the nice comments. Only thing is, I don't write much fiction if any, well, maybe occasionally, but none of this is fiction. This is exactly as it happened. It wrote itself. Thanks again. |
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1slick_lady Member Ascendant
since 2000-12-22
Posts 6088standing on a shadow's lace |
tender and touching i like it very much |
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latearrival Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499Florida |
This was indeed touching. I could feel your hurt and so could your little boy. Wonderful Dad story.late |
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critical mass Member
since 2009-03-25
Posts 275Michigan |
1slick_lady latearrival Thanks for the replies. Glad you enjoyed this. CM |
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