Hank’s Dying Story

Why Hank? Why Me?
Why did I have to be there?
The hospital
All I heard was Oakland Kaiser
He’s at Oakland Kaiser
He was not doing well
I told my daughter
She cried
“Not Hank, Not Hank.”
“I need to see him.”
I don’t know where he is.
So, I had to find him
Find him I did.
Room 623
In the worst shape possible
Did he know it was me?
Half of the time
But he knew two Leticias
He was trying to figure out which one
Many words
Some I understood
A repeated story
I already had heard
Held his hand
He was hanging on for dear life
Dear it was
He was fading fast
The small black box
Where is it?
Small black box
Second request
Nothing I could see
Minutes later
Under his arm
The button to push for relief of the agonizing pain
It was agonizing for me too
Oh, the black box
Gray and round
I felt responsible for his pain
Held his hand
Smoothed his hair
No brush
“I’m not doing it for the man.”
Sang songs
Insty spider
Sang last three word with me
You don’t have to be tough as nails, No
Tough as nails
Tough as nails
It is okay to let go
His last words to me
Two days before he died
Thank you
Insty Spider
Up the spout again