Knowing he was on blood thinners, I dashed into their home searching fruitlessly for something to staunch the flow and ran back out asking what I should do. Less stunned now, he calmly told me where to find medical supplies before suggesting I just bring out a roll of paper towels. I returned with both but stood shaking and useless, offering little more than a hug.
Just days prior a doctor removed fourteen staples after a freak accident (he’d been walking around the foot of his bed!), gouged open that exact area. I’m ashamed to have done nothing much but stand there yesterday, eyes averted from the wound, when I should have called his wife. I didn’t know she would soon return.
Lucky for us both she did and charged over shouting, “What are you doing? What are you doing?” I can only imagine how angry the whole situation and especially that careless neighbor’s junk pile made her.
What stands out to me is how calm he stayed, complaining about ruining a good pair of jeans and kindly telling me to stop shaking. He even apologized to the scrap collector for bleeding on her driveway. This morning he sent a text message thanking me for my caring concern and love.
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| I need to share this with the neighbors, a lucky photo taken earlier this week... |
Can you believe what appeared to be a catastrophic wound required just six stitches? And isn’t it funny this very same neighbor, in a dream last night, said his wife would provide me first aid training? -
