Be A Friend

               A few weeks ago, on my way home from work, I received a call from a person I had not spoken to since he dropped out of high school (which was just before the second semester of our senior year). I answered with an excited “Hello!” but got an unexpected response. Sounding scared and desperate he said, “I need you to do me a favor. I need you to take me to the hospital.” That’s all he said. Without hesitation, I turned around as fast as I could to go to his house. Upon my arrival he immediately stumbled to the car and got in. He did not speak much on the 15 minute drive, which seemed to me more like 15 hours. But what I did come to understand, by the cuts on his arms and the stench of alcohol on his breath, was that he had attempted to kill himself on this night. We arrived at the hospital and I rushed him into the ER where we were instantly admitted. I told them everything I knew and watched helplessly as they ******** him down and started testing every part of him to see where the harm was done. There was nothing more for me to do than to be his support. I could not show my vulnerability to him at this time, but when I was asked to leave the room temporarily I broke down. Needless to say, this was not exactly how I had expected to finish out my Sunday night, which lasted well into Monday morning; There was no way that I could have abandoned him after he had relied and trusted me literally with his entire life. I cannot be sure why, after almost a year of not communicating, he chose me to be the person to assist in saving his life; but I am so grateful that he did.
               A few days have passed now since this incident and we have kept better communication. He asked to take me out to dinner so he could explain everything to me. I agreed. While he told the story, what I did not expect, was how big of a role I actually played in his rescue. He told me his story. He replayed that night back, as difficult as that was. He relayed his exact thoughts when he fully comprehended what he was doing. He said he thought “Maggie, if she won’t help me there must be no one that can” He said that I was his first, only, and last life line that he had. I still do not fully understand everything that happened during that night, but what I do know is that he believed that I was trustworthy, reliable, compassionate, and genuine.
               There is one thing that he said that I cannot seem to get off replay in my mind. He said, “It took a lot of courage to do what you did for me. Most of my friends would have just said ‘suck it up, man’, that’s why I called you. I knew that you had a passion for people and life the first time I met you (He had approached me about Pro-Life day a few days afterward, after finding that I was in charge of the group at school). I know that you are going to help many people because you have such a big heart. Thank you.” 

Marj1023