The hospital window

       

The hospital window

       

The hospital window

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for

　　an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window.The

　　other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

　　The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their

　　involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. Every afternoon when the man in the bed

　　by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see

　　outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be

　　broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

　　The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed

　　their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline

　　could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other

　　side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

The hospital window

　　One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn't

　　hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words.

　　Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should he have all the pleasure of seeing everything while I

　　never get to see anything ? It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented the man felt ashamed at first. But as the

　　days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He

　　began to brood and he found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - that thought now controlled his life.

　　Late one night as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the

　　fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the

　　button to call for help. Listening from across the room he never moved, never pushed his own button which would

　　have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound

　　of breathing. Now there was only silence ----- deathly silence.

　　The following morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of

　　the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take it away -- no works, no fuss.

　　As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was

　　happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

　　Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of

　　seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

        It faced a blank wall.

The hospital window