“ I Don’t Know About This?”( A Patient’s Initial Dialysis Treatment) Pt.24 …..Oscar

Scooting herself to happily towards the homeless man that seemed so anxious to see Mrs. Halona…. He also shared the same joy. As they hugged each other , for about a minute or two and he continued to push Mrs. Halona away alongside the asphalt onto the sidewalk off into a distance away from the Kidney Trails Dialysis Clinic. I noticed him hunched over with laughter while pushing her down the sidewalk approaching the nearby neighborhood, and her identified hand gestures moving about as I knowingly know of how she tells her animated stories. I could just imagined what was being said. As I stand still staring at them go off in a distance. It reminds of the story Mrs. Halona told me about Oscar. So let me tell What was told to me about Oscar narrated by the lovely Mrs.Halona. 

Last week I was working in Pod Bahamas and I had the liberty of taking care of Mrs.Halona. As I started her Hemodialysis treatment she says to me,” Dwelyn are you okay?”, “ You seem kinda quiet today!”,…. I replied “ I’m okay.”….. she says ,” You’re normally laughing and more talkative.”, “ Today is different. I sense a sign of sadness from you.”….. I replied..” Well I’m kind of down in my spirits , but my misery doesn’t allow any company. I’ll be okay. Don’t worry about it!”….. she replies ,” Well Dwelyn you once told me that you’ve mastered to leave your problems at the door once you enter the clinic. Even though you may not voice how you feel. We as patients can still sense your demeanor.”…… “ Oh Mrs.Halona , I truly apologize. I’m sorry.”……. “ Dwelyn don’t be sorry, let me tell you about my friend Oscar. He waits for me everyday after dialysis for the last six months to push me home. You know I stay like three blocks away. He does that because of how we met. I want you to listen to me as I share this with you. 

“I remember one day my husband and I pulled up to the gas station / convenient store to get gas after I finished my Dialysis . I was sitting in the car while my husband ran in to pickup a few things and to pay for gas. As I sat there I see this homeless guy with this mean look on his face. I couldn’t help but notice because you know I’m a people watcher , Hee Hee. I love people in general no matter who they are. He proceeded to linger around the area of the gas pumps as if he was in a daze. My twelve year old niece Hope was in the back seat reading her book from the Kidney Trails Press and  in her own thoughts. I continued to watch him curiously. As my husband exits the store with a couple of bags in his hand making his way back to the car . He bought my niece and I both a turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato, mustard, salt and pepper, hickory smoked bacon to a crisp and a bag of wheat thin chips….. “Oh God I shouldn’t be telling you this because I was cheating and not following my Renal Diet , so shhhh don’t say anything, Hee Hee….. Anyway, just listen ( as she still giggles)..” My husband starts to pump the gas after handing my niece and I our goodies. I was distracted by the homeless man so much just by his disposition. So I rolled my window down and said to him,” Hey would like to have a turkey sandwich?”….without answering me, he walks over to the car , and as he’s walking my husband is in disbelief with his eyes bulging and my niece stopped in mid chew of her sandwich. The homeless guy takes the sandwich and…….. throws it in the trash can. My husband frowns up and as just as he was about to snap, I waved my left hand at him to not say anything. My niece was in disbelief. Not only because he threw the sandwich away , but how I responded by smiling. She says to me,” Auntie why did he throw your sandwich away?”…… I replied ,” He  didn’t throw MY sandwich away. He threw HIS sandwich away and if he wants it he knows where to find it.” “ You see, Hope he appears to me that he’s homeless and possibly down on his luck. He’s probably used to eating out of the trash for some time now. We have to let him find his own way and make his own decisions of what he proceeds to do next in his life and on his journey.”….. Hope as she sits in the backseat just has a blank look on her face for a brief second …. shrugs her shoulders and then continues to enjoy her book and sandwich. Meanwhile my husband finishes pumping the gas and gets back into the car. He starts the car and drives us off. As we pull out from the gas station , just before we exit onto the street to head home. My husband looks in the rear view mirror and says ,” Well what do you know!?!?”…… The homeless man approaches the the trash can where he threw his sandwich in, grabs it and flags us down to stop. My husband gently presses the brakes on the car and proceeds to put the car in reverse. As we are backing up , the homeless guy meets us mid way in the parking lot of the gas station. Taps my side of the window. I roll it down smiling and he says to me. “ Thank you so much for the sandwich. May God bless you . I haven’t had anything to eat in days and please forgive me for the way I responded. I’m not used to people giving me anything. Especially since I’ve been down and out on my luck. I’ve gotten used to people looking at me with disgust and making fun of me. Overall teasing me with things they attempt to give me but then in return take it away from me. My deepest apologies. My name is Oscar and forgive me for being grouchy.” 

To Be Continued……..