A Fork in Davids Road.A Story About My Father

Homer Bell

Narrative Biographical

Mrs. Kahn

12/12/05

David’s Fork In The Road

The rain was so intense, the Sacramento River was on the brink of spilling over. The gray clouded sky expressed all that David felt deep in himself. Waiting on the cold table searching the walls for a soothing sight but all that’s found is thermometers, cotton, tongue depressors, and gauze. Someone’s footsteps could be heard in the distance. They seemed like his executioner walking the steps toward a guillotine with an axe in hand. The doctor’s strides are slow down the endless hall. The doorknob turns and Dr. Shaw, stone faced holding the folder that decides David’s fate, enters now without a sound in the room. All that can be heard is the rain pounding the window.

“Well doc, what is it?” Trying to hold back his anxiety, David struggles to speak the words.

“I am not good with sugar-coating these sort of situations, so here it is: You’re fine, David.”

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His name repeats in his head but the voice turns into his alarm clock screaming in his ear. As he opens his eyes they begin to focus on the clock… 6:00 a.m., today’s the day.

“Today I’ll know if these dreams are truth of myth.” He thinks as he rises up from his silk sheets. “Oh no, not again,” his head throbs,” when will these headaches end. I must have sat up too fast.” His head throbbing, he tries to get a glance through the large window, soft graceful curtains filters sunlight into a room furnished for a king. With assortments of antique furniture and walls with rare artworks. This headache subsides as David walks down the grand staircase and into the kitchen where his wife, Glenda, is slaving over the stove. He didn’t bother to tell his two sons about the doctor’s appointment that will turn his world upside down After breakfast, Glenda decides to go with David for moral support, even though he never hints at the idea. He thinks that this is his own problem and that he can handle it himself.

The roads are buzzing with people going along with their everyday lives. Glenda drives the car because David was complaining about his blurry vision and constant headaches that felt like a crowbar being jammed into his skull and twisted over and over.

The parking lot of the hospital is deserted, except for a few clusters of vehicles, so finding a spot to park was a breeze. David glances up at the clouds and they seem to begin to cry a gentle stream of tears as they enter the hospital. The rain gives David a cold chill threw his entire being as the de-ja-vu of his last nights dream hits him like no feeling he’s ever felt, still he tosses it aside as nothing.

The nurse leased him and his wife to the exam room where they sit for what seems like a eternity. Then suddenly the sound of the doctor’s footsteps in the hallway seems to be played out to David, as they’ve haunted his every dream since taking the CT-Scan. Dr. Shaw enters the sterile exam room, lays the folder with the results on the counter and sits facing David man to man.

“Well doc? Why did you call me so soon? You said it would take at least a week for the results but its only been two days.” David pauses taking in a deep breath that smells like hospitals always do, as clean as clean can smell, “did you find something?”

“I am not good with sugar-coating this sort of situation, so here it is; we found a tennis ball sized mass in the right side of your brain, we have to remove it as soon as possible.” Dr. Shaw explains slowly so it has