I sat on a bed in the critical injury unit, dejected and desolate. I felt as if the world keeps moving on up and up and has left me to drown in a place where no hope exists. It has no colour, sound or smell, just nothing, no hope and no way out. A broken leg might be enough but the doctors discover I might have bone cancer.

My physiotherapist decides to break the bad news.

 

"Lee, the leg is just broken in a way that no physiotherapy could fix it, the chances of you to walk are slim to zero"

My whole world crumbled into million pieces.

 

 

I was speeding and then crashed into a wall. In a distant moment, I felt like I was dead as a doornail.

Of course, ask me why I did it, I asked myself that question thousand times yet I do not know the answer. All I do know is I regret it badly.

 

So there I sat wondering how on earth am I going to get out. Suddenly a red-headed man entered the room and a wheelchair with a huge smile plastered on his face.

 

"Who are you?"

 

I groaned loudly. I didn't mean to do it yet I thought it would scare him away. It didn't

 

"Hey man! Linda told me all about you and I just had to come over here, I'm right next to you, Room 15 innit? and..hey why not happy to see me?"

 

"Your smile is irksome," I said it boldly

 

"Oh usually it's contagious but not to you" he shrugged happily

 

"Well, why so happy, you are in a wheelchair and you cannot walk again, doesn't that bother you?"

 

"Well someone pushing me is way nicer than walking on foot" he laughed

 

"Oh you just put a positive spin on everything don't you"

 

" Alacrity is the only thing I have. I have no family, friends or legs. But being happy is the one thing I can depend on."

 

Unfortunately, his happiness was contagious. I smiled.

 

"Well, I have a likely chance I'll end up like you" I sadly said

 

"I used to be an athlete you know, then thanks to my over exercise and my excessive running, my foot felt strange yet I ignored it and continued. My ignorance landed me here today"

"That's horrible" I gasped

 

"Well, my wife died, my children decided to leave me here and never visit me, I have nothing yet happiness makes me feel I'm in a better place now"

I contemplated over his story and realized that I'm far luckier than him yet I grumble so badly.

"Don't lose hope my friend and don't waste those prunes!" he said wheeling out of the room

I smiled, he made me feel much better "Planning not too!" I laughed

 

Soon, it was hours of darkness, "Jeopardy!" was running on the television in front of me but my mind wandered off to that happy red-headed man.

 

Nurse Linda walked in with my vitamins and supplements and laid them on the table next to me.

"Hey Linda is the man in Room 15 okay, he just talked to me and made me feel better so that's why"

She looked at me sharply "Lee, there's a woman in there"

"Huh? No, a red-headed man with a scar above his upper lip on a wheelchair, do you know him"

She now is distracted and looks at me wide-eyed "You couldn't have possibly seen him..you're dreaming!"

"Why?"

 

She took a deep breath and announced "He died a week ago"