A nurse took the tired, Anxious serviceman to the bed side.''Your son is here'' She said to the old man.
She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened........
Heavily sedated because of the pain of his hart attack, He dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The young Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old mans limp ones, Squeezing a message of love and encouragement.......
The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit besides the bed. All though the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward. Holding the old manes hand and offering him words of love and strength' Occasionally the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile, He refused......
Whenever the nurse came into the ward , The Marine was oblivious of her and the night noises of the hospital, The clanking of the oxygen tank, The laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, The cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, Only held tightly to his Son all through the night.......
Along towards dawn, The old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding all night and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, He waited......
Finally she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, But the Marine interrupted her ,
''Who was that man?'', He asked.......
The nurse was startled, ''He was your Father,'' She said!.....
No he wasn't, The Marine said, I never saw him before in my life'''
Then why didn't you say something when i took you to him?.....
I knew right away there had been a mistake, But i also knew he needed his son, And his Son just wasn't here. Then when i realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not i was his Son, Knowing how much he needed me, I stayed. I came here tonight to find a Mr William Gray. His Son was killed in Iraq today, And i was sent to inform him. What was this Gentleman's name?......
The nurse with tears in her eyes answered ,''Mr William Gray''......
Next time someone needs you...... Just be there ,''Stay''.
She had to repeat the words several times before the patient's eyes opened........
Heavily sedated because of the pain of his hart attack, He dimly saw the young uniformed Marine standing outside the oxygen tent. He reached out his hand. The young Marine wrapped his toughened fingers around the old mans limp ones, Squeezing a message of love and encouragement.......
The nurse brought a chair so that the Marine could sit besides the bed. All though the night the young Marine sat there in the poorly lighted ward. Holding the old manes hand and offering him words of love and strength' Occasionally the nurse suggested that the Marine move away and rest awhile, He refused......
Whenever the nurse came into the ward , The Marine was oblivious of her and the night noises of the hospital, The clanking of the oxygen tank, The laughter of the night staff members exchanging greetings, The cries and moans of the other patients. Now and then she heard him say a few gentle words. The dying man said nothing, Only held tightly to his Son all through the night.......
Along towards dawn, The old man died. The Marine released the now lifeless hand he had been holding all night and went to tell the nurse. While she did what she had to do, He waited......
Finally she returned. She started to offer words of sympathy, But the Marine interrupted her ,
''Who was that man?'', He asked.......
The nurse was startled, ''He was your Father,'' She said!.....
No he wasn't, The Marine said, I never saw him before in my life'''
Then why didn't you say something when i took you to him?.....
I knew right away there had been a mistake, But i also knew he needed his son, And his Son just wasn't here. Then when i realized that he was too sick to tell whether or not i was his Son, Knowing how much he needed me, I stayed. I came here tonight to find a Mr William Gray. His Son was killed in Iraq today, And i was sent to inform him. What was this Gentleman's name?......
The nurse with tears in her eyes answered ,''Mr William Gray''......
Next time someone needs you...... Just be there ,''Stay''.
