off call - chaplain

A few weeks ago, Steve's friend Vito called.  He had just gotten a great suit for 75% off and thought Steve should go look.  Steve told me "the way the world's going I'm going to need a dark suit soon."  Whatever.   I'm all for a handsome man suited up for whatever reason.  By nightfall Steve had an amazingly priced, beautiful suit.


But now, every once in a while, I wonder....when is he going to have to wear the beautiful suit?  A call will come.  From whom?  Someone.  Our hearts will sink.  The suit will come out of the closet.


Tonight Steve got a phone call from a friend, telling him that another friend just got home from an oncologist.  The test showed cancer has spread all over his chest.  Terminal.  This man is younger than Steve.  He has little children.


No.  Oh no.  Is this the suit?


I watched Steve on the phone.  Shock.  Then horror.  Then such sadness.  And helplessness.  Unchecked tears.  I thought about how different those hospital words sound when uttered in my living room.  Go away bad words.  Every day I console strangers who have just heard those words.  But here, in my house,  I don't know what to say.  So I told Steve "If I had my white coat on, and we were sitting in a consult room I would be really comforting."  Then I put my head on his shoulder and we sat quietly.


We have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee.  2 Chronicles 20:12 KJV