Paul.

Boy meets girl, typical love scene of the nineties.
Girl falls for boy, boy catches her.
And with a diamond ring on her finger,
She tells the church the story of that day.
"A typical party, boys and girls with drinks all around,
We were just there to have a good time with some friends,
Until the house got a little too rowdy
And a neighbor had called the cops.
Everyone fled outside and tried to take off.
I suggested we take a cab, but he, of course
Wanted to drive his motorcycle.
I didn't want to let him drive it, let alone get on the back,
But as he jumped on I had no choice;
I didn't want to be left stranded there.
As we fled down the windy highway, I asked him to slow down.
He kept going the same speed, I was crying and he knew it.
But as he handed me his helmet and told me to put it on
I couldn'thelp myself but wonder why.
But, I did as he asked.
He asked me to put my arms around him and so I did.
And before I knew it, my life was up in smoke.
And I woke up in the hospital bed.
People were surrounding me,
doctors were pushing pills to wards me and no one had the guts to tell me the truth, until an innocent little girl
Who had lost her only big brother walked up to me and said"
"Miss, I am so sorry for your loss, but with every loss there comes a gain,
a gain of pain, and a gain of hopelessness,
but if you hold in strong with me,
I promise to never leave your side, and I will be here for you when you are sad."
And as she looked up at me with those innocent eyes,
So young and pure with pain, and she held my hand in hers.
"For you have lost your boyfriend, and I have lost my brother,
Paul was a guy of many great deeds, and one who was always there for me,
And he was the greatest big brother anyone could have ever asked for.
And I know that if he was here with us,
He would have wanted smiles instead of frowns;
And laughter instead of tears.
He was a protector and a lover,
for in the last moments of his life
He had realized that the breaks on his bike were gone,
And he wanted you to live through if it meant his own life would end."
And with my own heart beating faster than I knew it could
I choked back my tears and smiled down at the angel holding my hand
And took her in my arms
and for just a moment,
I felt his spirit in her warmth
and I knew he was there in that room with us.
Happy as could be that we were alright,
Watching over us in sickness and in health.
And I know that no matter where I am, as long as I am smiling,
There is a piece of Paul everywhere with me.
© Jenna Elphick
August 6, 2006