Saturday, June 22, 2013

LIFE HAPPENS !!


                            LIFE HAPPENS !!

        (A Fictional Story That Proves Again That Life Can  Be Unfair)

In spite of all that had happened in the last six months, Wilbur (Wil) Madison had a spring in his step as he passed through the revolving front door of the County General Hospital.  On this day, Wil was filled with an abundance of pride and joy as he pushed the third floor button on the elevator.

When the elevator door opened he smiled as he walked past the OB/GYN nurses’ station and immediately went to Room 324. There his wife Sharon was nursing their two-day old daughter---Roslyn---Wil already called her Rosie. Sharon’s mother was taking care of their two boys---Michael and Steven. He kissed his wife and gently placed a fatherly butterfly kiss on the back of Rosie’s small head.

Sharon told Wil that she and Roslyn would be going home tomorrow and asked Wil a dozen questions about preparations to receive her and their new baby.  Wil assured her everything was ready. An hour and a half later Wil gave goodbye kisses and started for home.

On the drive home the events of the past half year automatically started playing in his head. Right after the first of the year the dog collar factory where Wil and 20 other employees worked ceased operations and all of the jobs went to Mexico. (The bosses said they wanted more buck for the bark!)

His unemployment check, combined with severe belt tightening, enabled the Madison family to survive for two months. After three months of no payments, the “Buy Here—Pay Here” car lot reposed Sharon’s mini-van.

That was just the beginning of sorrows: Sharon’s father died from a heart attack during a pickup Dodge Ball game at the YMCA. At the funeral the assistant second shift supervisor at the YMCA said that in her Dad’s last Dodge Ball game he was the last man standing;  Wil’s 20 year old brother---Larry--- ran off with a 47 year old waitress who worked at an all-night Denny’s; Steven’s cat was run over by a sugar crazed skateboarder; Michael was bitten at kindergarten by his pet ground squirrel (Bucky) during show and tell---the squirrel escaped from the school and the sheriff’s SWAT was called in to locate and put down the freedom-loving rodent. The squirrel was determined by a County Public Health janitor not to be rabid. Little Michael has watched so much TV he is considering filing a law suit against the sheriff’s department for excessive force against his ground squirrel.

Wil’s life was no picnic either: While collecting aluminum cans he was beaten up by two homeless guys who accused him of jumping their claim; The Salvation Army had a free Easter ham give away and while he was standing in line he had his cashless wallet lifted by a drifter from West Virginia---at least that’s what he told police when he was arrested. Wil contracted head lice at the ham give away; Wil took some of the aluminum can money and bought a snorkel and mask at Wal-Mart and searched for golf balls in a large and deep water hazard near the 3rd hole. One day he got a late start and was unaware the course had opened for play.  He surfaced without warning and was struck repeatedly by an elderly gentleman welding a nine iron. Fortunately, the snorkel and mask absorbed most of swings. The old golfer was assessed a quadruple bogey by the other three members of the foursome for all of his extra swings!

That night Wil took a call from a classmate who had just opened a small manufacturing plant and immediately accepted a job offer that paid almost as much as he was making at the dog collar factory. The benefits were much better.  Wil couldn’t wait to tell Sharon and he called her at once. She cried and said to Wil that Roslyn had already changed their luck. 

The next day the trip home with the new baby was very, very happy. When they arrived at home there was a note on the front door. It read, “Sorry we missed you. Enter again next year.” It was signed, “Publishers Clearing House 10 Million Dollar Prize Patrol.”

Glenn  <><   6-21-13

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