One man 's last day on the job and another 's first . What is the last conversation they have before parting ways [ WP ]

I was so ecstatic I could n't sit still. He was perfect, and Anna would be out of surgery soon. I felt like I was very big. I felt as though I was a very large important cog in the universe to be tasked with such an important job. I would raise a son. 
 
 I was pacing around the lobby, closer to breaking out into dance than walking though, waiting for my best friend, my big brother to get there. I had brought along two cold imported beers to celebrate and I wanted to share my joy with someone else. 
 
 But my brother was running late and I looked around the deserted room for someone else to share with. There was a small woman there with a young looking girl who appeared to be sick. They were speaking in hushed Spanish and it did n't look like they wanted company. I do n't know what I was expecting being that it was 4:30 in the morning but I felt like I was going to burst if I did n't get some human interaction. The best thing about joy is sharing it with someone else. 
 
 Then a man came from the side room where they kept the vending machines. He looked to be about my age as he sat carefully on the edge of a couch. He was holding something in his hand. His face was sort of grey but he looked calm, not upset so I sat next to him and held out a beer. 
 
 `` Here you go buddy, we're celebrating!'' 
 
 He looked at me for a long moment. He sat so still and looked fragile. He seemed like a very small part of the universe, a cog that had been forgotten about, a cog that was no longer needed. 
 
 `` I...'' His voice cracked. 
 
 Shit. 
 
 He gestured to show me what he held in his hand. It was a pack of Starbursts candy. 
 
 `` After I finish eating these I'm going to go say goodbye to my son. He's going to die today. I'm going to kill him. Well I'm not but I'm going to pull the plug. Honestly he's been dead for about a week. He wo n't come out of the coma. My wife is n't here...'' 
 
 He trailed off. 
 
 My heart fell into the pit of my stomach. No this is n't right. This day is n't about death. This is n't the same day. We're sitting right next to each other but we're not in the same day. 
 
 `` So what are we celebrating?'' 
 
 `` I..I..I..'' 
 
 I do n't know what to say. He opens the packet of candy and takes out the first one. They are all individually wrapped. He unwraps it and looks at me. He pops the candy into his mouth. 
 
 `` I am so sorry.'' I finally stutter out. `` I ca n't imagine...'' 
 
 He nods his head a few beats. `` Yeah.'' He says slowly. He unwraps and pops another candy into his mouth. I want to tell him to slow down. 
 
 `` How...?'' I say slowly. 
 
 `` Cancer.'' He says. Of course. 
 
 `` What are we celebrating?'' He says again. 
 
 I want to tell him to go away. `` Nothing.'' I say while shaking my head. 
 
 `` Time goes by really fast. Sometimes you'll feel like you're in control but you never are. Time is the fourth dimension you know? We literally move through it. But I think we fall through it. You can control your movements but not when you're falling. You ca n't control it, you're falling through time and you only stop falling...'' 
 
 He has eaten four of the candies now. 
 
 He crinkles his eyes and exhales a puff of air. It's the ghost of a laugh. 
 
 `` Well they say it's not the fall that kills you it's the sudden stop at the end.'' 
 
 I look at my hands, they're covered in sweat. I have never been so uncomfortable in my life. 
 
 `` I'm sorry'' I say standing up and backing away from him, `` I have to go.'' 
 
 He nods staring at his candy. There's three left. 
 
 I hurry into the warmth of the maternity ward out of that cold lonely space in the lobby. 
 
 The day rushes by. First feeding, first burp, first crying, first diaper change. Then second feeding, second burp... wait was it the third burp? I really ca n't keep up. Family comes and goes, everyone oohs and ahhs. 48 hours come and go in a flash. 
 
 As we walk out of the hospital laden down in gifts and happy wishes from the staff I get the urge to dig my heels in. It feels like I'm falling. 
 
 

