The First Time.
Rick shuffled down the hospital ward hallway, his heart pounding. His hands were sweating, looking around at the pristine white walls, pushing a cart full of games, and thinking about what he would say when he entered a child's room in a hospital bed for the first time as a volunteer. He had arrived in the city about one month ago and looking to make friends. A friend suggested that volunteering is an excellent way to make friends. He found a group that did this and joined. The nerves got to him when he arrived at the hospital for his first shift. Then he remembered what his supervisor said: you are here to bring a smile to a little boy's or girl's face, nothing else. He was thinking of this when he arrived in room 18. Rick waited a minute, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. A voice from inside said, come in. Opening the door, Rick walked in.
The first-person Rick saw was a tall, attractive lady with long dark hair down to her shoulders; she smiled and said, "Hi. My name is Sarah. Rick replied, I have a trolley full of games here, and I would like to find out if a young boy called David would like to play a game.
Rick turned and saw a little boy sitting up in bed. He looked about eight years old with a small cherubic face and a big grin for a smile. Looking at his face, he could see him thinking. Scratching his chin, he reached up and rubbed the top of his bald head. Sarah turned to the little boy sitting in the bed and asked him," Davey, would you like to play a game"? He then said, "Yes," with authority. Rick called out the games available, and Davey said, "UNO." Rick pulled out the UNO pack of cards, set up the deck, and dealt the cards. They played on and on, with the tension mounting and building up until it came down to the last couple of cards.
Davey put down a card and said: the last Card ", and then, with a giant smile and tears in his eyes, he turned to his mum, and in his most prominent voice, he cried, "Mum. I Won". Tears of joy came down her face, and they hugged. Rick watched with a big smile on his face. Davey finished hugging his mum and turned and said, "Thank You. Rick then said, "Sorry, but I must go. There are other children I must see. He stood up and walked out the door pushing the cart.
Rick walked down the corridor through a set of doors marked EXIT. He then looked up at the sign saying ONCOLOGY ward and thought, "See you again, Davey, another brave little fighter.
Rick completed his duties for the rest of the day. He climbed into his car and was about to start the engine when he leaned back and thought about the impact of being a volunteer. His mind went straight to Davey, the first patient he played in the Oncology ward. The big smile and the tears of joy when Davey won the UNO game. Yes, he had made the right decision. He started the car and drove out of the hospital. Davey had lunch, and on a full stomach, he suddenly felt tired, closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.
Rick arrived home, had dinner, then rang his mates and his parents and told them about his day at the hospital playing with the children and the first game with Davey. He then watched television and then went to bed.
Davey woke up and realized it was the following day. He looked over at his mum, who was sound asleep on the couch. There was a knock on the door, and a tall man in a white coat came in. He said, "Good morning, Davey"… Davey called out, Mum! The doctor is here. Mum stirred, her eyes fluttering as she opened them. The doctor said: You can leave now. I will ring you when I get the results." Sarah replied, "Thank You, Doctor." She turned to Davey and said, "Come on, out of bed; time to go.". Davey went into the bathroom and changed. He came out, and they walked out the door together.
The week went quickly for Rick. Before he knew it, it was Friday afternoon. He finished work, went home, had dinner, watched television, then climbed into bed thinking about tomorrow, volunteering at the hospital, and wondering if Davey would be there to play another game of UNO. He then dozed off.
For Davey and Sarah, the week progressed okay. Davey was a bit sick on Tuesday. It was on Wednesday when Sarah received the call from the doctor. He said, "I have the latest test results for Davey from his treatment. Would you be able to come to my office in the hospital? I will be available at 1.00 pm on Saturday." Sarah replied: Yes. I will bring Davey in on that day and time.
Rick arrived at the hospital Saturday morning and went straight to the volunteer room. Rick packed his trolley and then played under a general ward. He played with children (deliberately losing) to see the big smile on their faces when they won. Completing his supervision, Rick returned to the volunteer room, put his games and toys away, and cleaned his trolley. Then, grabbing his bag, he signed out, walked to the lift, and caught it down to the ground floor. The lift doors opened, and he headed straight to the café. He ordered a ham, cheese, and tomato sandwich and a bottle of coke, sat down at a table, and started eating. It was 12.45.
Sarah and Davey arrived at the hospital. They caught the lift to the sixth floor, found the doctor's office, sat down in their chairs, and waited. The doctor called their name, asked them to come into his office, and closed the door.
Time clicked on, the door opened, and Davey and his mother came out, followed by the doctor. He said, Goodbye". Davey and his mother walked to the lift with no expression. The doors opened, and they walked in. The ride started going down. It stopped; the doors opened. They headed straight over to the café. Davey ordered a hamburger and a lemonade; his mother called a corn beef sandwich and a water bottle. After a couple of minutes, they received their lunches. Looking around for a table, Davey suddenly said, "Hey, that looks like Rick." He called out:' Rick. Rick looked up and said,' Hey, Davey. Walking over to his table, they sat down with him. They started eating when Davey said:' I have some news from my doctor. Rick waited, Davey tensed up, and his mum put her hand over her eyes to stop the tears from flowing. Then Davey, in an emotional voice, said: 'My doctor has cleared me; I won again. Davey reached out and pulled Rick into an embrace. Rick felt a range of emotions until Davey let go. Davey then reached into his pocket, pulled out a pack of UNO cards, and said: 'Are you willing to take on the UNO champion again". Rick said, "Sure thing, champ, but this time I get to win."
The End.
The first-person Rick saw was a tall, attractive lady with long dark hair down to her shoulders; she smiled and said, "Hi. My name is Sarah. Rick replied, I have a trolley full of games here, and I would like to find out if a young boy called David would like to play a game.
Rick turned and saw a little boy sitting up in bed. He looked about eight years old with a small cherubic face and a big grin for a smile. Looking at his face, he could see him thinking. Scratching his chin, he reached up and rubbed the top of his bald head. Sarah turned to the little boy sitting in the bed and asked him," Davey, would you like to play a game"? He then said, "Yes," with authority. Rick called out the games available, and Davey said, "UNO." Rick pulled out the UNO pack of cards, set up the deck, and dealt the cards. They played on and on, with the tension mounting and building up until it came down to the last couple of cards.
Davey put down a card and said: the last Card ", and then, with a giant smile and tears in his eyes, he turned to his mum, and in his most prominent voice, he cried, "Mum. I Won". Tears of joy came down her face, and they hugged. Rick watched with a big smile on his face. Davey finished hugging his mum and turned and said, "Thank You. Rick then said, "Sorry, but I must go. There are other children I must see. He stood up and walked out the door pushing the cart.
Rick walked down the corridor through a set of doors marked EXIT. He then looked up at the sign saying ONCOLOGY ward and thought, "See you again, Davey, another brave little fighter.
Rick completed his duties for the rest of the day. He climbed into his car and was about to start the engine when he leaned back and thought about the impact of being a volunteer. His mind went straight to Davey, the first patient he played in the Oncology ward. The big smile and the tears of joy when Davey won the UNO game. Yes, he had made the right decision. He started the car and drove out of the hospital. Davey had lunch, and on a full stomach, he suddenly felt tired, closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.
Rick arrived home, had dinner, then rang his mates and his parents and told them about his day at the hospital playing with the children and the first game with Davey. He then watched television and then went to bed.
Davey woke up and realized it was the following day. He looked over at his mum, who was sound asleep on the couch. There was a knock on the door, and a tall man in a white coat came in. He said, "Good morning, Davey"… Davey called out, Mum! The doctor is here. Mum stirred, her eyes fluttering as she opened them. The doctor said: You can leave now. I will ring you when I get the results." Sarah replied, "Thank You, Doctor." She turned to Davey and said, "Come on, out of bed; time to go.". Davey went into the bathroom and changed. He came out, and they walked out the door together.
The week went quickly for Rick. Before he knew it, it was Friday afternoon. He finished work, went home, had dinner, watched television, then climbed into bed thinking about tomorrow, volunteering at the hospital, and wondering if Davey would be there to play another game of UNO. He then dozed off.
For Davey and Sarah, the week progressed okay. Davey was a bit sick on Tuesday. It was on Wednesday when Sarah received the call from the doctor. He said, "I have the latest test results for Davey from his treatment. Would you be able to come to my office in the hospital? I will be available at 1.00 pm on Saturday." Sarah replied: Yes. I will bring Davey in on that day and time.
Rick arrived at the hospital Saturday morning and went straight to the volunteer room. Rick packed his trolley and then played under a general ward. He played with children (deliberately losing) to see the big smile on their faces when they won. Completing his supervision, Rick returned to the volunteer room, put his games and toys away, and cleaned his trolley. Then, grabbing his bag, he signed out, walked to the lift, and caught it down to the ground floor. The lift doors opened, and he headed straight to the café. He ordered a ham, cheese, and tomato sandwich and a bottle of coke, sat down at a table, and started eating. It was 12.45.
Sarah and Davey arrived at the hospital. They caught the lift to the sixth floor, found the doctor's office, sat down in their chairs, and waited. The doctor called their name, asked them to come into his office, and closed the door.
Time clicked on, the door opened, and Davey and his mother came out, followed by the doctor. He said, Goodbye". Davey and his mother walked to the lift with no expression. The doors opened, and they walked in. The ride started going down. It stopped; the doors opened. They headed straight over to the café. Davey ordered a hamburger and a lemonade; his mother called a corn beef sandwich and a water bottle. After a couple of minutes, they received their lunches. Looking around for a table, Davey suddenly said, "Hey, that looks like Rick." He called out:' Rick. Rick looked up and said,' Hey, Davey. Walking over to his table, they sat down with him. They started eating when Davey said:' I have some news from my doctor. Rick waited, Davey tensed up, and his mum put her hand over her eyes to stop the tears from flowing. Then Davey, in an emotional voice, said: 'My doctor has cleared me; I won again. Davey reached out and pulled Rick into an embrace. Rick felt a range of emotions until Davey let go. Davey then reached into his pocket, pulled out a pack of UNO cards, and said: 'Are you willing to take on the UNO champion again". Rick said, "Sure thing, champ, but this time I get to win."
The End.
