Two Lives
Goodbye Uncle Sam
They both walked through the hospital’s revolving doors. Faye was admiring the salmon coloured walls and the pink coloured ‘Welcome to Sydney Hospital’ rug. They slowly moved towards the information desk and inquired about Sam Fisher (Faye’s uncle if you remember) “Ward 22, Accident and emergency. First floor and then on your left.” The lady spoke with a rather gentle tone to her voice.
“Thank you” Faye and her mum chorused.
Within a couple of minutes they were there. Uncle Sam was in the bed on the right side of the room next to the window. This ward was very quiet and peaceful. The nurse had just left Uncle Sam with some orange juice and some soup on a wooden tray. He was just perched up and looking out of the window, watching the rain fall and splatter on it and carefully balancing the tray on his knee.
“Uncle Sam?” Faye said, trying not to cry.
He turned his head casually towards them. “Hello darlings.”
“Are you OK?” Said Faye’s mum, passing the orange juice to him.
“Thank you, No I’m not.”
Faye and her mum both gulped waiting for more. A few coughs and splutters came from him and he continued. “I have till the rain stops.”
Faye cried “NO!”
Her mother put her head to the window, peering out of it. The rain was getting lighter and she knew Uncle Sam didn’t have much longer.
“Pass me my bag please Faye.” He said.
She reached over and grabbed from the bedside cabinet. He took it and then put his hand inside feeling all around in it. He pulled out a little black wallet. “Take it!” He said “Share it. Its not much use to me anymore.”
Faye’s mum took it, “Thank you very much!” She slid it into her trouser pocket and held on tight to her brother's hand. “Taylor, I love you! I am going to miss you.”
She sighed. “You too Sam!” She burst out in tears. “A…and you too Fa…” He was beginning to choke. He coughed and then Faye’s mum looked out of the window.
The rain had stopped.
“No, no, NO!” Faye screamed.
“It’s too late Faye. Leave him to rest. Forever.”
Faye was searching all over for the button to press to get the doctors here immediately.
Her mother gripped on tight to his hand and then his head fell back and his eyes closed. Faye stood there and her mother was kneeling next to the bed with her face down on it and still holding tight onto his hand. He grew cold and they both started to cry. The machine made a long ‘beeeeeeeeeep’ and the green line stayed still. It was over. Faye and her mum both gave their last touch of Uncle Sam and then left with one arm wrapped around each other.
In the car on the way back Faye thought it was the right time to tell her mum all about what she and Xander were talking about over the internet.
“So can we please go mom?”
Faye’s mum was still weeping. She pulled over, wiped the tears away from her eyes and then fetched the black wallet. It was full of cash. She was gawping into it. Faye grew curious of what she was looking at and took a look herself. “Where did he get all this from?”
“I really don’t have a clue Faye!”
“So can we go mom? Now we have enough!”
“Faye…”
“Yes mom?”
“Were going to Hawaii!”
“Thank you” Faye and her mum chorused.
Within a couple of minutes they were there. Uncle Sam was in the bed on the right side of the room next to the window. This ward was very quiet and peaceful. The nurse had just left Uncle Sam with some orange juice and some soup on a wooden tray. He was just perched up and looking out of the window, watching the rain fall and splatter on it and carefully balancing the tray on his knee.
“Uncle Sam?” Faye said, trying not to cry.
He turned his head casually towards them. “Hello darlings.”
“Are you OK?” Said Faye’s mum, passing the orange juice to him.
“Thank you, No I’m not.”
Faye and her mum both gulped waiting for more. A few coughs and splutters came from him and he continued. “I have till the rain stops.”
Faye cried “NO!”
Her mother put her head to the window, peering out of it. The rain was getting lighter and she knew Uncle Sam didn’t have much longer.
“Pass me my bag please Faye.” He said.
She reached over and grabbed from the bedside cabinet. He took it and then put his hand inside feeling all around in it. He pulled out a little black wallet. “Take it!” He said “Share it. Its not much use to me anymore.”
Faye’s mum took it, “Thank you very much!” She slid it into her trouser pocket and held on tight to her brother's hand. “Taylor, I love you! I am going to miss you.”
She sighed. “You too Sam!” She burst out in tears. “A…and you too Fa…” He was beginning to choke. He coughed and then Faye’s mum looked out of the window.
The rain had stopped.
“No, no, NO!” Faye screamed.
“It’s too late Faye. Leave him to rest. Forever.”
Faye was searching all over for the button to press to get the doctors here immediately.
Her mother gripped on tight to his hand and then his head fell back and his eyes closed. Faye stood there and her mother was kneeling next to the bed with her face down on it and still holding tight onto his hand. He grew cold and they both started to cry. The machine made a long ‘beeeeeeeeeep’ and the green line stayed still. It was over. Faye and her mum both gave their last touch of Uncle Sam and then left with one arm wrapped around each other.
In the car on the way back Faye thought it was the right time to tell her mum all about what she and Xander were talking about over the internet.
“So can we please go mom?”
Faye’s mum was still weeping. She pulled over, wiped the tears away from her eyes and then fetched the black wallet. It was full of cash. She was gawping into it. Faye grew curious of what she was looking at and took a look herself. “Where did he get all this from?”
“I really don’t have a clue Faye!”
“So can we go mom? Now we have enough!”
“Faye…”
“Yes mom?”
“Were going to Hawaii!”