A Simple Act of Kindness

~~~~~~

I graduated high school with scholarship offers from eight different colleges. The really cool part about that...was that out of the eight scholarships that I was offered, only two of them were football related. The rest of them were academic scholarships and my parents were simply beside themselves with excitement.

There was, however, something rather peculiar about graduation, and if I hadn't been told about it in advance, I would've thought it to be rather strange. M.J. Smith wasn't at the graduation ceremony, and when I asked about it, I was told that she graduated early, right after mid terms, and because she was going to college out of state, she wouldn't be at graduation.

When I thought about it, I really didn't blame her; bless her kind and gentle heart, especially because so many people, not me, but so many other people had treated her so awful. I only hoped that wherever she was, and whatever she was doing, she was doing what she enjoyed, and also I hoped that she was happy. She had always been very sweet to me, and I tried to be as nice to her as I knew how. Besides, she was also one of the smartest people, if not the smartest person, in our whole school; and the fact that she was able to graduate early proved it...

~~~~~~

"That doesn't surprise me one bit, Kyle," Dad said, about the academic scholarships I'd been awarded, "You've always been a smart boy."

"Yeah, yeah," Laura, my sister, giggled, "A smart ass maybe..."

"Leave him alone, Laura," Mom smiled, "You're Dad is right about how smart your brother is."

"I agree; he is a smart guy," Laura grinned, "But I'm his sister so; I'm supposed to bust his chops."

"But I never once teased you," I reminded her, "Not even when you first started wearing a bra to hold up those bee stings that you call boobs," and then I began to laugh.

"See what I mean, Mom?" Laura snorted, "He's being mean to me...again."

"Again?" I disbelievingly asked, "Did you not hear what I just said? I was never mean to you...not once, well," and I laughed again, "Not until now."

"You two knock it off," Dad chuckled, and then looked at Laura, "Any grief that your brother gives you is well deserved, young lady so; quit your whining, Missy."

By this time both Mom and Dad, and even me, were all three laughing which made my sister just shake her head grinning and say, "Ya'll know what you can do, don't' you? And stop calling me Missy, dammit."

"Now, now, Laura," I teased, "There's no need to be nasty...but I understand, because you are beginning to age, old girl."

"Oh yeah?" she conceitedly, but playfully spat, "Well, you can kiss my old ass, little brother."

"Goodness me, and you eat with that nasty mouth of yours?" I continued teasing, "I'm surprised that you haven't caught a disease yet."

"Oh, you shut up," Laura giggled, "You aggravating turd."

Mom and Dad, as always, simply laughed at the banter and light-hearted teasing that almost always went on between my sister and I, but it was only because we had always gotten along so well, even as children.

Where most siblings were either screaming at one another and/or fighting like cats and dogs, Laura and I never did that. And it was because of the fact that we were taught from the time we could talk, that we should love and cherish one another, because one never knew when it could suddenly end.

Those teachings were driven home by the fact that, when we were kids, we saw on the news where two separate families had been involved in a very bad car wreck when a diesel tractor/trailer jack-knifed on the highway, sadly claiming the lives of well over half of both families.

Therefore, our parents were quick to point out that anything could happen at any time so; it was necessary that we love and protect each other, hence the reason that, as siblings, Laura and I were very close growing up.

~~~~~~

The next step was to choose which college I wanted to attend; but there were many things that I had to take into consideration first before making a choice. Three of the eight colleges that had offered me scholarships were here in Tennessee; two were in the greater Nashville area, one at Belmont University, where Laura was attending, one was at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) in Murfreesboro, thirty miles away, which of course was only a twenty minute drive. And then the last one of the three was at the University of Tennessee, in Knoxville, which was a little less than two hundred miles away, making it at least a three, to three and a half hour drive, depending on how fast you were willing to go.

Middle Tennessee State University was out of the question, as far as I was concerned, and also the University of Tennessee for the obvious reason, which was the distance. The five other colleges, which, even though I would be attending as a scholarship student, the terms of my scholarship did not include the out of state tax that would have to paid before my scholarship would be activated. So; it looked like I was going to be attending Belmont University, just like Laura.

That was alright, though; because, once again, my big sister would be there doing the same thing she did for me when I started going to high school; and that was to keep me from making a total fool of myself once I stepped on campus. However, there was also another dividend that I hadn't considered until then, and it was that Laura would be there to help me through the required classes that I would have to take, all of which she had already taken and passed. So; with that in mind, I felt like I was better prepared than most incoming freshman, and I more or less, had a much appreciated advantage that would come in very handy when my classes convened.

~~~~~~

Chapter Three

The moment I stepped onto campus I felt like I was in another world, and the freedoms that I didn't have in high school made me feel almost like an adult. However, I felt somewhat complacent my first year there, and I didn't really know what it was I wanted to do with my life. That all changed late in the spring semester of my first year there when, one afternoon at the racquetball courts; I met a girl named Tara Miles. I recognized her from my English class and that's how we started our conversation.

Tara was a nice girl, and while she wasn't what most guys would call pretty, she still had a very special quality about her that exuded kindness in its purest form, and for me; it was refreshing just being around her. We spoke of our classes, and because we were both freshmen, had a mutual understanding of how it felt being on a college campus that first year.

She, too, was a local girl, and had gone to Father Ryan High School, a catholic school on the other side of Nashville, the wealthier side of town. Still though, from talking to her, I could clearly see that she didn't act like your typical spoiled rich bitch, which was the way that almost all of the girls from that side of town tended to behave.

She asked me what I was majoring in, and when I told her that I hadn't really declared a major, she told me about how she had an older brother who was born with a mental disability and that she was going to major in athletics for the mentally disabled, or in other words, she wanted to be a counselor in the "Special Olympics".

Coming from an athletic background, and I had no delusions of ever going pro; I thought that maybe this sounded like something I might be interested in. Hell, I had always enjoyed helping other people so, I went home that afternoon with the information Tara had given me weighing heavily on my mind.

~~~~~~

After dinner that night, I got Laura out in the back yard and asked her what she thought about all of this.

"I think you'd be really good at something like that," she said, "Do you remember the time you got into that fight when you were in the fifth grade with Jamie Anderson for picking on Ray Knox, that boy in special education?"

"Of course I remember," I grinned, "And even though I got a three-day suspension from school for fighting, Mom and Dad weren't mad at all. Hell, Dad took three days of his vacation time from work and took me fishing."

"That's right," Laura smiled, "I remember how sweet Mom thought you were for taking up for that boy, too."

"Yeah," I said, smiling at that memory, "So, do you think I should do it then?"

"What I think isn't important, sweetie," she gently replied, "But I really believe you would be awesome at it, because, believe it or not; people really like you, Kyle."

"I don't know about all of that," I humbly replied, "You're just saying that because you're my sister."

"Listen to me," she told me, looking me directly in the eyes; "I've never tried to bullshit you, ever, have I?"

"No," I quietly replied, "No, you haven't."

"Alright then," she said, "Do you remember when Stan Moore came to the house last year to tell us about how Cindy Meyers paid David Trask to knock you in the head with a baseball bat, which ended up smearing your nose all over your face?"

"Of course I do," I said, "It took me three months to heal from that shit."

"Alright then," she said, "Did the thought ever occur to you that he didn't have to do that?"

"No," I replied, "But while we're on the subject, why did he do it?"

"Because...you big dummy," she laughed, "You and Stan have been friends for a long time, just like he said...remember?"

"Oh," I stupidly answered, "I guess you're right, huh?"

"Duh," she giggled, "So, what're you going to do now?"

"I guess I'm going to declare a major this next year, "I grinned, "But I'm going to need to talk to my friend, Tara, and see what I have to do to get the ball rolling."

~~~~~~

That next afternoon at the racquetball courts I made it a point to seek Tara out, not only to talk to her, but also to find out what I needed to do in order to declare a major in the type of field she was going into. However, I wanted have a degree that said in no uncertain terms that I was able and knowledgeable to help people with mental handicaps and disorders.

She told me all of the classes I needed to take, including the fact that I was going to need a lot of hands-on, or in this case, clinical experience. I then knew that I would be going to a facility here in Nashville that specifically dealt with people who had mental handicaps, called, "Cloverbottom Developmental Center for the Mentally Handicapped", which was not very far from where I lived and grew up.

I remember going there when I was in Choir during High School, and how we always performed Christmas concerts there every year. I also remember how my heart would break for the people that lived there, how I would always come home in near tears, thanking God for how fortunate I was to have been born whole, and in tact. And it was then that I knew that I was making the right choice for my life by doing for those who were less fortunate than me.

~~~~~~

Over the period of the next three years, I studied everything I could get my hands on. I also decided to go to college during the summer semesters; in order to get a four-year degree and become a Registered Nurse, specializing in Developmental Psychology.

However, to get the particular type of degree I was going to need to be able to truly do what I wanted to do, I had to extend for an additional year and transfer to Vanderbuilt University, also in Nashville. But, in order to be able to afford the tuition, I had to try out for a football scholarship, which I got.

I'm still thankful that the courses I'd taken thus far had all transferred and been accepted by Vanderbuilt. Plus, it was at the beginning of what would've been my senior year at Belmont, and only my junior year at Vanderbuilt that I transferred. And, it was also with great trepidation that I decided to go ahead and play football again; especially after having been out of it for so long.

~~~~~~

The Vanderbuilt defense had been lacking as of late and the Coaches, every single one, were ecstatic that they'd finally found a middle linebacker who could penetrate the opposing offensive line as easily as I was able to do. Granted, we didn't win as many games that first year as the coaches would've liked, but the other, bigger, college teams that we went up against, had a tougher time scoring, and in the end, beat us by only a very small margin; much less than in years past.

~~~~~~

It was during the last game of the season during my second and final year at Vanderbuilt that my life changed forever. We had won every game of the season, been undefeated thus far, and were playing against the University of Tennessee, one of our biggest rivals. The score had been tied, fourteen to fourteen, for the whole second half; and because of an earlier fumble by Tennessee's offense, we had them on their own two yard line with less than fifteen seconds left in the game.

It was their fourth down, and I knew that the quarterback was going to drop back for a "Hail Mary Pass" from the way their wide receivers were lined up. The moment the ball was snapped, we blitzed, which meant that the linebackers went across the offensive line. Less than a second after the center had snapped the ball, it had been preplanned; and knowing what I was going to do, our defensive nose guard, a guy named David Stansfield, allowed me to step up onto his back; and then he helped to launch me into the air, over the center and onto the quarterback, just before he could drop back into the pocket.

In doing this, not only did their quarterback fumble the ball in the Tennessee end zone, but I recovered it for a two point safety. However, I was suddenly tackled by several people right before the ref blew his whistle, and upon impact I felt a sharp and intense pain emanating from my lower back and then it shot throughout the rest of my body, temporarily paralyzing me from the waist down. However, the last thing I remembered before everything went black...was the sound of the big air horn on the scoreboard blowing, indicating that the game was over...

~~~~~~

When I awoke, it was so dark that I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I could hear noises all about me, all of which sounded like whirring and buzzing, but I couldn't quite make out what they were, or from whence they came. Suddenly I heard a soft female voice that told me, "Take it easy Kyle, you've been hurt very badly; and you need to rest now, sweetie..." and then I went out again.

I dreamed of my parents and my sister, and I felt like I could see them looking at me, watching me while I slept. Both my mother and my sister were crying, each of them holding my hands, while my father stood steadfast nearby, silent tears raining down his cheeks.

I had been lying in the bed for what seemed like an eternity until a nurse appeared that I didn't know. She had long blonde hair, but I couldn't quite make out her face. She looked at my chart, and then when she read my name and recognized who I was, I saw her shoulders begin to shake as if she was crying, and then she leaned down and kissed my cheek. This went on for what felt like hours on end, never stopping, only dreaming. My family would come and go, staying for a few moments at a time, until, while sadly shaking their heads as tears rolled down their faces, they slowly walked away.

Still though, this same nurse repeatedly came to my bedside, staying for hours at a time, and then she would leave. However, right before she would walk away, I could see that it wasn't with sadness she would leave, but in her unknown but somehow still familiar face, there shined a light of hope...and love. And right before she would leave, she'd always leaned down and kiss my cheek.

And while I could see all of this happening right in front of me, it was like I was peeping through a small hole in the wall of a closed room; a room in which I was trapped in a terrifying world of darkness all around me. The hours passed slowly by, and people, mostly doctors and nurses, came and went. However, every time after they left me, the same beautiful blonde haired nurse I just mentioned, and, who I still didn't recognize and didn't know, would always come and sit with me.

This same series of events kept repeating themselves, over and over again; until I began to feel like it had been eons since I was awake and aware of my surroundings, and, I still remained in a constant state of limbo, stuck in an ebbing motion of continual repetition. I could only hope and pray that I wasn't going to remain here for all eternity. But...little did I know that there was a light approaching me on the horizon? The bad thing about that was that I wouldn't be able to see the light until it was well past me so; therefore I had no idea whether it would be good or bad. However, it was still coming none the less.

~~~~~~

The hours, days, and nights continually and slowly passed, until all of a sudden, I unexpectedly heard a loud ringing in my ears one morning, ringing so loudly that it jarred me from the dream like state that I had been trapped in. And when I opened my eyes for the first time, the light was so bright that I couldn't see anything around me, and therefore had to close them again just to be able to function.

"What the hell is going on here?" I dryly croaked, "Why can't I see?"

And it was then that I heard that same female voice I'd initially heard the first time...it was soft, feminine, and very relaxing.

"Take it easy, Kyle," she softly said, gently taking my hand, "You've been in a coma for almost six months, and it's going to take you a moment or two to get used to seeing again."

"Where am I?" I asked, "What happened to me and where is my family? Can I please have something to drink?"

"You're in the Intensive Care Unit at Vanderbuilt Hospital," she said, "You were injured in a football game and you were knocked unconscious. Your family is being notified as we speak and will be here shortly."

I slowly opened my eyes again, only this time, I barely lifted my eyelids until I was able to focus correctly. And once my eyes were open, I encountered the most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and she was pouring a glass of water for me. However, this time, there was something I recognized about her, I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but I somehow knew that I knew her.

"You look familiar," I said, "Do I know you?"

"We'll talk about that later," she sweetly smiled, as her deep blue eyes sparkled brightly, "Right now I want you to take this drink of the water that I'm about to give you, because I know that your throat has got to be parched."

She was right, because as I sipped the water through the straw that she held at my mouth, the nice cool refreshing water slowly revived me as it made its way down my throat. Then I remembered the football game I was playing in when all of this shit started.

"The game," I suddenly asked, "Who won the game?"

"Vanderbuilt won the game because of you," she softly and knowingly smiled, while I took another sip of water, "But they got beat in the playoffs."

Suddenly I tried to sit up straight in the bed, and when I discovered that I couldn't move my legs, I looked at her with what I'm certain had to be panic written across my face and asked, "My legs, why can't I move my legs?"

However, before she could answer, a man dressed in a white lab coat with pale green scrubs on underneath it, walked into my room and pleasantly said, "Hello Kyle, it's good to see you awake. My name is Doctor Thomas Lerner, and I'm your Neurosurgeon."

"Why can't I move my legs, Doctor," I asked, still in a panic, "Will I be able to walk again?"

"Relax," he gently told me, "You took several hard blows to your upper and lower spine when you were tackled, but I ordered some x-rays the moment you were brought to the emergency room, and thank God, nothing is broken. However, we still need to run a series of tests to determine why you can't feel your legs. In the mean time I want you to get all of the rest you can, okay?"