22nd
Larry's Last Words
Just saw my step dad, Larry, in the hospital. He looks like crap. He kinda looks like that guy in The Scream, but worse.
He was sleeping and I didn’t know if I should wake him up. I hung out in the room for about 20 minutes and then I found the nurse to ask what was happening. She told me he had some Jello for breakfast, but he wanted a beer.
The nurse said the plan was for hospice care next, which means in her words “end of life.”
Then she yelled “Larry” real loud until he woke up. She asked him if he knew who I was and he struggled to say “Ivan.”
The nurse left and I stood by his bed as he labored to keep his eyes open and breathe. I told him he looked pretty beat up. He used all his energy to say “jus tryin’ ta git by” with a slight drawl. I stared at him about 30 more seconds as he lost the battle to keep his eyes open.
I sat down for a few more minutes and thought about what he said. Jus tryin’ ta git by. I guess that was Larry’s life, and now it’s over. But just gettin’ by seems like a sad way to pass.
I hope I’m not just gettin’ by.
Larry had some wisdom to impart after all.
