An_Unworldly_Experience

An Unworldly Experience Around 6:30 on a hot Houston Saturday morning my Mother burst into my room calmly telling me that my Father had experienced a stroke and she needed my help getting him into the car. An ambulance would have taken to long, for we lived in an isolated neighborhood roughly twenty-five miles away from downtown and at least twenty minutes from the nearest hospital. I offered to go to the hospital with them; my Mom declined my offer and told me to go back to bed. Somehow, I managed to go back to sleep, only to be awoken by the phone-my Mom informed me that the situation was graver than she feared and that my Father was being airlifted to another area hospital that was better equipped to handle his illness. I was to get ready for the day and she would be coming home to shower and dress and we would go to the hospital together. I was waiting at the door when she arrived home. I spent the next half an hour just trying to take care of little details – anything to keep me busy – gathering up cell phones, my Mom’s phone book, getting cash from father, time, life, hospital, go, back, vodka, take, people, out, needed, mom, make, even, waiting, very, until, trying, told, though, stroke, smell, sister, really, mother, last, just, home, getting, felt, family, day, am, always