Today was a bit of a trial day. I am trying to get back into work mode and ready myself to leave this weekend for Portland to attend a friends wedding. My wife called me and asked if I would run an errand for one of our church members who just had surgery on her foot. She needed someone to pick up her perscription and bring it back to her. No problem. I jumped into my car and headed down to pick up her perscription.

Three of our members live in this apartment building. Pat, Eddie and Henry. Henry has a mental conditon and has been in state care since his mother died several years back, until recent. For some reason the stated moved Henry into the Cascadian apartments. As I strolled down the street, I saw Henry sitting out front on a bench watching traffic drive by. Dozens of cars not even seeing him, yet he watched everyone.

Henry is a funny guy, in that when you talk to him he repeats whatevery you say. “Hi Henry” I said. “Hi, Hi, Hi, Hi” replied Henry… “Are you having a good day?” Henry said, Good day, good day, yes a good day.” I told him I would see him later and went to meet Pat.

I arrived at her building which is an older apartment building in our town… You know, the ones built in the 40′s with the button you push so the tenant can let you in… After announcing my arrival, I headed for the elevator and pushed the up button. I jumped in and hit the ninth floor button. The doors shut and the rattle and squeeking began. I just had to laugh. I thought this would be a terrible way to die. I remember myth busters “busting” the myth that you could jump up just before the elevator hit the floor, so I prayed that the tired moaning box that carried me to the top would make one more trip. After that I took the stairs.

I wasn’t able to return right away to bring Pat her meds. My wife and I are having a baby and today was our first real Dr. appt.. We had to fill out all the paper work and wait for our Dr. since he had been called to the hospital. When he arrived back he met us and congratulated us on out fourth child. This would be the third child he would deliver.

When he checked my wife he placed the doppler on her stomach to listen to the heart beat… He couldn’t find it. My heart sank. He called the nurse in and asked her to get the ultra-sound machine so he could get a visual. I have to admit, I was scared. My wife and I had heard the heart two weeks ago just before I left for Louisiana, so this moment was tense.

He found the baby and said the baby looked older that what we had thought, so he has set an offical ultra-sound check up for tomorrow. He apologized for the scare and sent us down so my wife could get her blood tested. It nerved me a bit.

I gathered my kids and wife and got my car as the family went home I continued with my earlier expidition. I picked up the meds for Pat and ran home for quick dinner and would drop off Pats meds on my way to church. Around 5:30 PM almost 4 hours after I had talked to Henry, I returned to the sidewalk that lead to the Cascadian apartments and found Henry still sitting on the bench, watching the traffic go by.

“Still here Henry?” “Still here, still here” I said, “Are you enjoying the sunshine?” Henry replied, “Enjoying the sunshine, yes, sunshine.” I like how Henry sees things. It is always “good, good” or “great, great” He let me see how great it is when the world stops moving and ask, “how are you?” we can respond, “good, good.”

Later that night at church, Henry saw me and moved towards me and smiled big, as only Henry can. “Hey! How are you?” I’m good, I’m good” I said. “How are you Henry?” “Good, I’m good.”

At the end of the day, I know he is… and so am I.

Peace
johno~