The Last Big Ride!

Seattle's Finest

The other day, a see him once in a while kinda friend, was carried out of his house for an emergency ride to the hospital.
I don’t think he is coming back-
He’s in his eighties, has a damaged heart, bad kidneys and liver that isn’t doing its job.
I’ve gotten to know him over the last year while I give him a rides to his doctor appointments whenever he needs to get checked, tested, probed, poked, whatever-
He has always been full of laughter, soft sarcasm, and insightful comments about the news as he shuffles towards the car for his ride.
Over the last six months he’s been moving much slower and needs a slight hand getting in and out of the car.
He makes fun of himself as he drops down into the softness of the passenger seat.

A couple of weeks ago I took him to see his heart doctor. When I picked him up he told me they kicked around the idea of surgery but that the doc thought he’d die on the operating table. He told me he didn’t want the surgery anyway and they should save their skills and help out younger folk who could use a few more years.

Before I could ask anything he told me he was ready to go. “I’ve been around death my entire life and it doesn’t scare me. I am okay with moving on. Go see what’s to be seen.”

Before retiring he spent seventy years in and around funeral homes. His dad was a mortician housing the family above the preparation rooms, viewing and remembrance rooms. He later became a mortician himself working for various cities before founding his own successful business.

He never married telling me that not too many young ladies found his career choice all that inviting. He had a couple of long term girlfriends that he spoke kindly of as he wondered what had ever happened to them.
I could feel a touch of sadness as he spoke about making this trip all on his own.

I hope he comes home.
Of course no one will tell me anything at the hospital since I’m not a relative.
Too bad just caring about someone isn’t enough in our over lawyered land…

If he’s gone I hope he gets more than he thought might be waiting up the road.