Posted by S.P. Austin on February 2, 2009 at 5:51pm
( ring, ring ) Saturday morning Phone call, The dialog went something like this. " Hey girl, whats goin on ? " "Shirley, have you heard ?" "Heard what ?" "Denaro, is it true ?" "Beth, what true ?" "I got a call that Denaro was in a car accident and he is not expected to live" ( silence ) , "Beth, I just saw him on Wednesday, he came to the crib and, and......." ( I'm thinking how once again I brushed him off, I couldn't hear myself say it out loud ) "I'll call you back."As I am driving to the hospital I am pleading with God to give me one more chance. I arrive at the hospital and turn the corner, his stepfather runs to me and we embrace, I knew by his touch that something was not right. I go to Denaro's bedside and as I hold his hand I am talking to him silently, thoughtfully, lovingly. I kneal down to be as close to him as possible and as I look him over, I start from his feet and move my way up, when I get to his head, I see blood all over his face, tubes everywhere, then I saw it, I saw something which looked green coming out of his ear."Eddie, whats this green stuff ?" "Shirley its his brain, he's gone Shirley, he's gone." "What do you mean he's gone ? His brain ??" Eddie replies "his brain is swollen, he has a little to no brain function, but its slowly goin, we are just keeping him alive until his mother arrives to say her good-byes." I couldn't grasp little to none... "Eddie either its little or its none, what are you saying ??"At this time my phone rang, its my niece asking me to tell Denaro she loved him and always will. I said nothing more then Ok, and turned off my phone. This little boy who was like a brother to me is now on his death bed at 23 years old. He had so much to offer the world yet all I could think about was how I couldn't offer him my time when he needed it because of my selfishness.Sisters do not live life one more moment adding to your regrets. Do not wait for another Saturday morning phone call.
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