Remembering Grey

~ the act of kindness ~

Leaving the coffee shop next to Captain's I wave to Pepsi and Ashton. Ashton had suggested that we sit and talk in there rather than Captain's because he thought Ernie would keep harassing me if I stayed. We spent at least forty-five minutes there, going over the kids habits, my schedule, payment, everything before we exchanged numbers and parted ways. I'm excited to tell my mom about my new job I could really help with Milo's medical bills now, even though she never asked me to I knew she needed the help so I stepped up. At Captain's I'd been making nine dollars and seventy-five cents an hour but now I'd be making fifty dollars an hour plus extra and I'm not talking five or ten dollars, no, more like forty and that's the lowest. With the thought of finally helping my mom I start down the street beyond ecstatic so ecstatic that I'm completely unaware of the darkness that was now covering the sky and the old man that is walking toward me, cane in hand. I didn't notice him until he was about eight feet away. He's stumbling and swaying like he's drunk but the way he's gripping his chest tells me that isn't the case. He cries out, gripping the stucco building next to him and dropping his cane, I jog to him before he falls over.

"Sir, are you okay, can I call anyone for you?"

"It's my chest, call an ambulance." I quickly pull out my old phone and dial 911. Look at the old man I take note that he is at least ninety with frail hands and too big clothes covering his body. An ice cold breeze swirls around us and the mans hand flies to his chest, he's clutching and gasping as I tell the operator our location. I urge him to sit down and I follow him, laying his head on my leg.

"An ambulance is on the way."

"Thank you young lady." He pants. I use a left over napkin from the coffee shop to wipe sweat from his forehead.

"My name is David Heenkley."

"Cypress Adner."

"I didn't know people like you still existed." He gives me a pained smile. He hasn't had another episode and his breathing is almost normal.

"Maybe we don't." I can hear the sirens in the distance and seconds later they're turning the corner coming to a stop directly in front of us. The EMT's rush to David pulling out equipment and firing questions that he can barely answer.

"We're going to need you to ride with us ma'am."

"Wait." I run to grab David's cane before jumping into the back of the ambulance. Once the doors shut I notice that it's freezing, like icy breath and aching limbs freezing. Shivering I look around at everyone else, David, the dark haired EMT, the EMT taking David's temperature, they all have one thing in common, they aren't cold in fact they're burning up one EMT is even pulling his jacket off. The iciness is still surrounding me, smothering me, like it's right next to me. Why am I the only one that's cold?

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