This best short story about time was written by Authoress Beatrice to remind everyone of the significance of the moment we spend with our families. Time is so valuable but short, make good use of it when you still have enough.
Rachael: “Emmanuel I can’t be late again today. Doctor Daniel told me ‘one more time’ and I’m fired. I can’t lose this job.”
Emmanuel: “But I need you to go with me to the bank.”
Rachael: “Why?”.
Rachael sighed over the phone. He was temperamental She got that.
Emmanuel: “I can’t get the loan without your signature”.
Rachael: “Can’t I come in when I get off work?”.
Emmanuel: “No. The deadline is noon today. I know, I know, I waited too long. I kept thinking something would come up and I wouldn’t have to apply, but it didn’t and I absolutely can’t get the money without your co-signature, we need this for the kids”
It was against everything Rachel knew about banking. If Emmanuel got the loan, she would be responsible. She could barely keep up with working 3 jobs and it still wasn’t enough, what she earned and what Emmanuel earned could not pay the bills, or give their kids the life they wanted.
Emmanuel: “What have I always told you, living and giving our kids a better life is worth this loan, we could start a business to pay off slowly trust me, this is for our future”.
“Emmanuel… I can’t. And I have to go. If you still want to talk about it, meet me
after work. I have a ninety-year-old patient coming in for an operation this
morning and Dr Daniel warned me that I better not be late. I have to go
now.”
She hung up, grabbed her purse and ran out the door before the phone
rang again. By the time she reached the second floor of the hospital, she heard it ringing. Muting her cell, she put it back in her purse.
When she arrived in Radiology twenty minutes later, she actually got there
before Dr Daniel thankfully.
“Good morning, Mr Maxwell,” she said to the ninety-year-old frightened
man on the table in Operating Room One.
“I have a couple of pills that Dr Daniel suggested you take this morning.” She handed him two blue pills.
Mr Maxwell had been through operations before. He knew about the
little blue pills. He knew that once he took them, he wouldn’t remember anything that he said that day.
Maxwell: “Good morning Rachael”.
“These,” he said, looking at the little pills in his hand while accepting the glass of water that Rachael gave him, “are magic.”
Rachael: “Yes, they are,”
Mr Maxwell: “I’d like a dozen,”
Rachael laughed. “What would you do with a dozen of those?” she asked.
Maxwell: “I’d give them to wife, son and his wife and then they wouldn’t remember
anything I said to them for the next… how long?”
Rachael: “About an hour.”
Mr Maxwell: “An hour. That would be time enough for me to say what I want to tell
them.”
Rachael: “But, Mr Maxwell, you wouldn’t say anything you’d regret, would you?”
Mr Maxwell: “I wouldn’t regret and they wouldn’t remember. I’d feel better getting it
off my chest in case I don’t… you know… make it tomorrow morning.”
Rachael: “Of course, you’re going to wake up tomorrow.”
Mr Maxwell “Maybe. No guarantees, I want to tell them that I know I’m a burden, and I’m sorry that I can’t leave them a lot of money, stock, a good house and college tuition for their two kids, but I never made a lot of money. All I had was my baker’s shop and my wife, I love her and I am sorry that I could never be strong enough to work, 90 years of my life I spent with her, the happy moments I can count them and they weren’t many, if I knew what they had been through I would hate myself and if they knew what I risked for them they would forgive me for not being good enough, a man could only be strong enough for his family and I have tried my best if this is my time then let it be so.”
Rachael was fighting back tears.
Rachael: “That was beautiful, Mr Maxwell, Why wouldn’t you want them to remember what you said ?”
Mr Maxwell: “Because a grumpy old man is easier to bury and forget than wasting their money on me, let me have peaceful sleep”
Rachael: “I just-
The door is opened by another nurse who steps in with Doctor Daniel who offers a smile to Mr Maxwell.
Doctor Daniel: I see you early today Rachael, good day to you Mr Maxwell, how are you feeling today?
Mr Maxwell: like always my past haunts me” he said offering a weak smile.
Doctor Daniel: I assure you, you’re going to be just fine after your brain tumour is removed, help me lay him down, Rachael”.
They both lay him down on the bed, while they get ready to operate on him.
Mr Maxwell: where is my family, Rachael?
Rachael: your wife’s in The lobby waiting, your son, his wife and grandchildren will be here soon”.
Mr Maxwell: Tell them to forgive me for the last time, for I will fail them yet again”
Rachael: What are you saying sir, you’re going to be okay, please be positive”
Mr Maxwell: it is better for them to let me sleep forever than using their money on a man like me, I have nothing to offer than bother them”.
Doctor Daniel: You are not a burden, Mr Maxwell you are a good man, your family love and wants to see you get better”.
Offering them a weak smile, Mr Maxwell sighed while he stared at them.
Mr Maxwell: All my life I could offer nothing, let this be my gift to them, Rachael you are still young listen to this old man, do anything to provide and be with your family, our time shall pass and theirs shall come, what history or memory we leave behind is what we shall be remembered by”
He closed his eyes to sleep, whole Rachael stared at Doctor Daniel who gave her a nod, for the operation to begin, the operation was done after 3 hours, Rachael could only weep as she and the Doctor came out with sad faces.
Mrs Maxwell: How is he, how was the operation, is he ok?
She frantically asked seeing their faces.
Doctor Daniel: Please be calm Madam, we did everything we could I’m sorry but we lost him.
The lobby was filled with the cries of his family as they wept in agony, Mrs Maxwell went into shock and was immediately hospitalized but she couldn’t make it, her blood pressure had gone too high leading to cardiac arrest.
Rachael left the hospital after telling Mr Maxwell’s son everything he told her, she phoned Emmanuel. There was still time to take lunch with her family and get to the bank before noon. She didn’t want to regret her life, spending as much time with her family was the only thing she wanted.
Time is something we do not have,
It runs, and some are left with no dime,
Believing it was fast, what could they possibly have,
Left with little help, we all strive for a better life,
A child, we all shall have,
The will to give them a better life,
Is a love a father and mother have,
