I burst
into song:
“Are you going to San Francisco?
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair…”
The kids looked and giggled. They
were surprised I knew all the words to the old song. When I finished I thought
about how quickly everything had changed over the years and how fast you grow
old.
I looked over to Mr. G.’s I Pod. It
was the latest technology playing that song in his American History class that
I was co-teaching with him. The special education teacher was gone and I was
subbing in his place until the end of the year.
The bell rang; I strolled to
homeroom in the gleaming sunshine in a relatively good mood. It was going to be
an easy day, I thought. I was about to take attendance in homeroom and humming when
my phone rang. It was Bob.
“I don’t feel good!” he gasped. “I
have chest pains! I think I’m having a heart attack! Can you get home soon as
you can?” I was a little reluctant to leave as my mood came crashing down to
earth. “I’ll call you right back!” I responded as I quickly took attendance. I
hung up and told the kids.
“Should I go home? My husband’s
having a heart attack!”
“Call the ambulance, Miss!” One of
them said and soon all of the others chimed in.
As the bell rung for my planning
period, I called him back.
“The kids just told me you should
call an ambulance.”
“Okay, I’ll do it!” He yelled and
hung up.
I ran out the door and right into
Mrs. Bergen dragging her load of books down the open hallway.
“What’s the matter?” she asked when
she saw the expression on my face.
“Should I go home? I think my
husband’s having a heart attack?”
“Yes, of course! Go home! Someone
else will cover your afternoon classes. Tell Mrs. Dunley and she’ll take care
of it!”
I mumbled okay and quickly called
back Bob.
“Did you call an ambulance yet?”
“Yeah, I did. Are you coming home?”
“Yes, I am leaving right now!”
I ran down the hall and almost into
Mrs. Gold, the aide, and told her what was going on. Fortunately, I only needed
someone to cover 5th, 6th
and 7th periods. She agreed to do it for me. I went by Mrs. Dunley’s
room, too and told her and she said it was no problem.
I signed out at the front desk
knowing I wouldn’t be paid for the rest of the day and wrote “family emergency”
next to my name. My knight-in-rusty-armor
was in trouble!
When I got home, the paramedics were
there checking him out. He looked ashen and afraid. His blood pressure was
elevated. However, his EKG was normal so that meant I could drive him to the
hospital and the ambulance wouldn’t have to take him.
I waited a long time in the ER but
they took him right away. They ran a lot of tests. Finally, the doctor came in
to the room and looked at us. “We recommend, Mr. Bentz, that you stay overnight
to be observed just in case anything happens again.”
We looked at each other and Bob told
him he didn’t want to do it.
“Doctor, I just want to go home and
sleep in my own bed.”
The
doctor left and the nurse came in and convinced him he had to stay and get more
tests just in case.
“Don’t you want to go home?” I
asked.
“Yes, but I got to do this. I could die…”
“And you’d be with Jesus…”
“Yeah, but I will miss the
grandchildren.”
“Oh, yes, of course, the
grandchildren.” The next generation.
I took his hand. “I understand, hon.
We’ve made it 30 years. I guess we can make it 30 years more.”
“Yes, exactly.”
So he stayed overnight in a room
with three other men all with various health problems. One was a Puerto Rican
with chest pains, one was an African American and one was a big guy with only
half a leg who was diabetic. The Puerto
Rican looked a little lonely. He told me his wife was far away in PR and he
missed her. I gave him a “Smile, Jesus Loves You” tract and he lit up with joy.
“I am a Christian already, but, thank you, I needed this. I’m putting it right
here.” And he stuck it next to his glass of water.
“How ya doin’, hon?” I asked Bob
when I saw him.
“Fine. But what a way to spend my
birthday.”
“Did they find anything wrong?”
“No, I’m fine. I just want to go
home.”
They gave him a steak dinner and a
birthday card. He had a clean bill of health.
God’s goodness reaches all of us
even when we don’t deserve it. So this day, his birthday, was the best birthday
ever. It made us both appreciate life even more.
“Summertime will be a love-in there…”
“Redeeming
the time because the days are evil. "(Ephesians 5:17)
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