THE CALL

THE CALL

     To see him lying there, so still, his hands so cold was a feeling unlike any I have ever felt.  Who would of known twenty-four years ago when that precious baby boy came into this world with skin so soft and eyes so big and brown, that his life would of ended so sudden, so abrupt, so silent.  As I stood by his side, holding his hand , I  looked down at the Ohio State shirt under the greenish plaid button down I had picked him out to wear a few days prior.  He loved Ohio State.  I thought it would be comfortable for him.  Maybe it would remind him of home.  After all.  He would be wearing it forever. As I look around I see people everywhere, crying. I didn't think we knew that many people.  People I had not seen for years hugging me, giving their condolences, saying "if I need anything...just let them know."  What are they going to do?  Are they going to bring him back?  I just wish they would all go away.  I don't care what anyone has to say.  Why would I....after all,  I buried my oldest son today. 
   
     It was three thirty in the morning on December second two thousand and twelve when I received the call.  There was no warning, there was no time to prepare.  As I looked at my phone, my father's name appeared on caller ID.  I thought it was my oldest son Christopher.  He had absolutely no sense of time...ever.  When he wanted to call...he would just pick up the phone and call.  I picked up and looked at my cell phone debating on answering.  Christopher always had his way, even in the early morning hours, of pissing people off.  So all I thought to myself was, 'What did he do now? Was he in trouble? Did he wake my parents with something totally off the wall?'  I don't know, not really sure what I was expecting, but I do know that I was not expecting the next words out of my fathers mouth to haunt me the rest of my days, I was not expecting the next words to change my life, my families lives forever.  As I picked up my phone, still groggy, I said, "Hello?" and without warning, my father yelled, "CHRISTOPHER IS DEAD!"  I started screaming at him..."How could you call and tell me these lies!!"  As I sobbed uncontrollably, the phone dropped from my hands and my husband, who woke to our worst fear, raced to catch me as I fell to my knees, looking at him with tears in my eyes, crying the words, "Our boy is gone, Christopher is gone!"