A Kick in the Pants
Yesterday, yes it really was just yesterday, started as a normal winter rainy and cold Saturday. I had thought it would be a good day to do a backyard burn but the then the rain started and the winds started to whip up and that idea went by the wayside. So, inside I came. Sitting on the couch, thinking of what to do.
The phone rings.
I look down and its my wife’s sister-in-law. The estranged wife of Paul, my wife’s brother, the person I have not talked to in 10 years. What the heck does she want? Like, should I even answer the phone or should I let it go to voicemail? She probably wants something, no?
Ring one. Ring two. Ring three. Ok, I’ll answer it. Put it on speakerphone so my wife can hear as well.
“Sanj, help. Paul is not breathing. I don’t know what to do. I called 911 and they are on their way. I am doing CPR and he is not breathing. I can’t call his parents or his sister. I don’t know what to do.”
Holy shit. I am awake now. Wide awake.
I told her she was doing everything right, to keep doing it and asked if she wanted us to come. She said, “Yes, please. Come. Come.”
We both changed into clothes in the fastest way possible. Got in the car. Drove the 35 minutes into town. On the way, called her and she said that he was gone. No pulse. The fire / ambulance people had tried to intubate him, to get a heartbeat going; but he was gone.
We got there and hugged the wife and daughter. Damn. The daughter was the love of Paul’s life. He did everything with her. He was her best friend. Since she was little, they were a pair. More on that later.
And, then we waited for the parents to get there. Called them and made up a story on why they should meet us there — did not want them to be driving with the pain. Wanted to tell them in person.
Telling the parents was the hardest part — that task fell to my wife. Losing a child, at an advanced age, is not what anyone expects. They aged 20 years right in front of our eyes. Their pain and agony. It sucks.
A Kick in the Pants.
That’s how dad described it (yea, he is my wife’s dad but that’s what I call him too). He just wanted to crawl into a hole and die.
A Kick in the Pants. That is what it was.
Paul was in his early 50’s. Younger than me. Goddamn it. It sucks.
So, f me. This freaking sucks.
Life changes in an instant, no?
[This is part 1 of a multi-part series. More to come….. ]
