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 patients eyes opened.....
Heavily sedated because 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 the Marine could sit besides the bed. All though the night the young Marine sat there in the
poorly lighted ward. Holding the old mans 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 greeting, 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 thought 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 now much he needed me,... I stayed, I came here
tonight to find a Mr. William Gray. His son was killed in Iraq yesterday , 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 patients eyes opened.....
Heavily sedated because 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 the Marine could sit besides the bed. All though the night the young Marine sat there in the
poorly lighted ward. Holding the old mans 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 greeting, 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 thought 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 now much he needed me,... I stayed, I came here
tonight to find a Mr. William Gray. His son was killed in Iraq yesterday , 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'';
