Home...The Other One X

After I cleaned his apartment and refreshed it with all new linen and a fridge stocked of all friendly diabetic foods I could find I went back to the hospital.

I found him sitting in a chair by the window eating his lunch, he immediately cried when he saw me. I always ignore it, it's not his fault. The several strokes he has suffered over the years makes it impossible for him to hide emotions and cues me on being more compassionate towards him.

"Hey dad, whatcha eating?"
"Just a sandwich, it's not very good." He smiled through his tears
"I brought you your favourite chicken and a Diet Pepsi. Doc said it was all good."

He tossed his entire tray into the garbage to make room for his take out. Doc said he's amazed everyday my father wakes up so I'm allowed to spoil him with his favourite foods. Several doctors have chimed in during our meetings to express their shock that he has survived countless heart attacks and strokes, diabetes, gout and cancer. More than once I have heard, "it's an amazing anomaly that he is still breathing, he should have been dead years ago." They go so far as to even question why I would deny him cigarettes since there is no reverse in his condition...just living and suffering with it all.

I placed my own lunch down across from him and for the first time in a very long time...we had lunch, just me and my dad.