I was standing there to get another drink when I saw him walk into the room. he looked oddly familiar, but when I looked again, I realized that he just looked like someone else that I know. I got my drink and walked back out onto the patio.
I was seated on my perch atop of the deck railing for quite some time before he was escorted out by a woman I had seen periodically throughout the night. he stumbled up beside me and I heard her encourage him to say something to me.
great. just what I need, some drunk coming up to hit on me. I thought.
"hi, I'm Jeffrey," he managed to get out. "I'm gay, and I have Multiple Sclerosis and I'm on muscle relaxers..."
please don't tell me that you're asking for money. I lost my grandmother from complications with the disease, and I was tested for it myself a year and a half ago. if you ask me for money, I'm going to give you everything I have.
he started speaking again. I could tell he had been drinking. a lot.
"I saw you when I walked in, and I wanted to come say hello. I love you. you are beautiful. gorgeous." he turned to the woman who had walked him out and said, "I just love her. isn't she beautiful?"
he turned back to me and said, "I just want to come make some new friends."
I wanted to start crying right then and there. here was this complete stranger, obviously struggling with his life, telling me that he thinks I am beautiful.
regardless of the fact that he was intoxicated.
regardless of his strong sexual preference.
and all he really wants is someone to be his friend.
he walked around, making introductions to the others I was there with, but he made everyone else feel incredibly uncomfortable.
anytime he would walk up, they would all walk away.
it broke my heart to watch him. it obviously hurt him to have every other person he approached walk away like he was some sort of freak.
I excused myself to go to the restroom.
when I came back from the restroom, I seated myself by the bar, as everyone else had started making their ways back inside. Jeffrey made his way to the restroom, his left leg stomping noticeably more than his right.
one of the guys started laughing.
I heard one of the others say something along the lines of, "...the fact that he has MS has nothing to do with it..."
I was furious.
it does. it has everything in the world.
I went off.
"don't you sit there and say that it has NOTHING to do with it. I watched my grandmother pass away from complications with the disease, and I was tested for it a little over a year ago. I know for a fact that it does things to your body that you cannot control. and I also know how frustrating it is. not to mention, if he didn't have the disease, he wouldn't be on muscle relaxers, which wouldn't have messed with him when he drank. so I would really appreciate it if you stopped making fun of him. it offends me."
he didn't want to hear it.
I just got up and went to the restroom again.
when I came back, he had moved across the room.
across the room on the other side, Jeffrey stood alone. he was determined to walk home.
he wasn't in any condition to do so.
I went over and hugged him and told him it was nice to meet him. I wanted at least one person to show him the compassion that not many people in this world still have inside of them.
I wanted him to know that regardless of his condition, and regardless of his sexual preference, he was still a human being and he deserves to be treated as such.
I excused myself to the restroom again. while I was in there, I heard someone screaming, "someone go after him!"
Jeffrey had left and took it upon himself to find his own way home.
I knew he wouldn't make it on his own.
it took four of us to find him and convince him to come out of the woods and let someone drive him home, and three of us to take him home.
when we got to where he lives, he had quite a difficult time getting out of the vehicle. I watched him as he picked his legs up with his hands and placed them outside of the car.
he is only twenty-eight years old.
it broke my heart.
how much more time does he have? I wondered.
we walked him up to his door where he asked the other person with me to take the key and open the door. he couldn't even do that because of the muscle relaxers.
then he did the unexpected.
he hugged each of us and said, "you know, God has a special place for both of you. He hates me, but you two are angels. thank you so much. I love you both for this."
I wanted to start crying again.
a part of me felt rather accomplished. I had done a good deed. I had helped someone who need it.
another part of me felt very humbled.
this could be me. I thank God that the diagnosis wasn't MS a year and a half ago.
we walked back to the car, and I said a prayer for Jeffrey.
because God knows how much he needs it.
Very nice work. It's a touching story in its simplicity and its genuine good nature. It's nice to have a break from all the rants and the anger and the people who complain and hear a story that sounds a little more hopeful.