Dyin' Day

The Fire Coma Stories: "Dyin’ Day"

The room seemed ominously cold as he entered
It it was the bright blue
Ceiling and walls and the white linoleum
Floor that gave it the chill

All the hospital rooms he
Could ever remember had
A similar feeling, cold like this one
But it was the sight of his dad
Laying on the bed that seemed
To give the chill an edge it
Made him feel uneasy for the
First time in his life he
Saw his dad helpless it
Was frightening his dad was always
A beacon of strength, light
And love there was always a
Warm feeling of comfort that
He felt when he saw his dad, but now
Even at this early age he sensed
What was happening he knew
His father was dying and he
Felt pain in his heart

The young boy slowly walked to the
Side of the bed and stared
Into his father’s face his father’s
Lips were dry and cracked
His skin was pale but his face had a
Strange serenity to it it was the
Calm and peacefulness in his
Father’s face that
Took the edge off the boy’s fear

Then the big eyelids rose and the father
Stared into the face of his son

"Come here
Boy" The gravelly voice fell out of his mouth

The boy moved toward the father
And they clasped hands

"Are you afraid?", asked the father the
Boy shook his head no "Well, that’s good"

Then the boy stuttered, "Well
Maybe a little"

"Well, let me tell you something, my son"
The father weakly went on "I’m gonna tell you
About the three happiest days of my
Life the first one was the day I
Married your Mom we were very
Young then and your Mom was so so beautiful i
Can remember how nervous she
Was and how happy
I was i actually felt like I was walking
On air when you feel joy like that
You have no care in the world i only
Hope you will know this joy someday

"And the next happiest day in my life was
The first time I set eyes on you
I froze solid in my tracks and was overcome
With a great feeling of such love
And happiness that I could
Barely contain myself you
Were divinely precious beyond my
Ability to grasp
And when I look at you now, I
Still feel that same way to me
You are the most beautiful creature of all
God’s creations i only hope that someday
You will know the same joy I
Feel when I look at you"

Tears filled the boy’s eyes and
Rolled down his cheeks
While he sniffled his mouth
Tensed and trembled

"And, the next happiest day of
My life is today"

A puzzled look came over the boy’s face

"You see son, this world is a place where
We come to sort of
Take care of some business before
We go back home
For a while where we really belong
You know how it is
When you come home from school
And you’re almost home
And waiting for you at home are your Mom and
Dad with open and loving
Arms? They’re waiting for
You with love and happiness
Because they missed you
When you were gone it’s something like that"

"But, I want to go with you
" the boy declared

"When you’re done taking care of business
Here and it’s your time, then
You will move on also but, for
Now, your Mom needs you
And there are so many exciting happiest days
In your life to come i’m gonna
Be fine where I’m going and you’re
Gonna be fine here you’re the
Man of the house now and I don’t
Know anybody else that I would
Want to entrust that
Responsibility to because
You are so brave and strong"

The boy squeezed his father’s
Hand "But, why now
Dad? Why do you have to go now?"

"Because it’s my time and I have
No choice you see son, just
Because we don’t know why things
Are the way they are, that doesn’t
Mean that God doesn’t we just
Can’t see it now, but you will
Someday you’re so smart and beautiful
And remember, along with God
I am with you inside always you can
Talk to us whenever you want"

"But how do I do that when
You’re not here?" the boy puzzled

"Well, at first you close your eyes
And focus your attention right
Here" The father gently touched the
Boy’s forehead between the
Eyes "Clear your mind and start
Talking and then listen to
Your heart for an answers
That’s where we are"

"But it will be just dark, " the boy said

"At first, but in time it
Will get easier come now
I have something for you"

He reached over the bed and grabbed
A shoe box from a shelf
That ran along the window sill he
Opened the top and inside
Neatly stacked upright was a row
Of envelopes filled with letters

"Each one of these envelopes has a
Number on it on the day you reach the age of
The number on the letter, i want
You to open it and read it
The first one is to be
Opened and read on your 12th
Birthday, then on your 15th
Then 17th birthday the next on
Your 19th, and so on
Until you are 45 years old there are
Things that you will understand then
And if you miss me, you can read the
Letters" He handed the box to the boy
And stared deeply into his eyes
As a peaceful smile came over his
Face "Now, you remember, son
I love you more than my own life"
The boy smiled and wept, "I love you too dad"

The father squeezed the little boy’s
Tiny hand and signaled
The boy with a nod of his head

The boy turned and went to the door
Opened it with one hand while clutching
The box with the other

The father smiled peacefully as the
Boy turned and their
Eyes met one last time the father could
See the outline of the
Boys little body stepping
From the room, and as the door closed
The father could feel his own last
Breath race from his lungs