" Good night dad I love you too ".

I have been away for quite some time, staring at my thoughts far too long this time. Searching for reasons to get up. But comes along Sal and the reasons are, the sandwich, the mail, the little bit of paper that hit me on the head and is expected to be shot back, the scooter needs to be plugged in, the ball needs to be carefully bounced back without breaking the vase of black tulips. The deals I've made and the promises I can't remember, but the reasons he comes up with are meant, I guess to distract me from the motionless, mindless, image I have become of late. He figures I was sitting still a little too long. My son takes me by the hand and leads me to bed, leaning back on my tall stack of soft, white, feather pillows and following my routine, he turns on the heating pad and gentle is his hand on my shoulder with his firm, cool touch, he coaxes me forward and slips the warm pad behind me saying " its ready Dad ", with his reassurances I have what is needed, he sets my extra pillow on my lap and hands me my current book from aside the bed table, opens it to the bookmark that which he sets anew in latter pages. Gathering the nightly tools he sets out about the apartment to play the rituals before bed, like laying a snake of beans under the door to bust the draft, shut out the lights, cover the Guinea pig and before he puts his phone on the bed table beside my water bottle, he tells me he will be back, again. Shuffling into the room with his arms full from his bed trunk pillows, old quilt, one arm he throws them to the floor and asks me " are you OK dad?" I hmmm and mumble " yes Son " he whispers " good, good " patting me on my hand, he rubs my shoulder, turns around and shuts the light... now, I am sitting here, propped up in my bed, with my extra pillow on my lap with which nestles in it my favorite book, a chilled water bottle and the phone at arms reach, my son camping out on the floor beside me and its PITCH BLACK! I guess you just had to have it happen to you. " Good night son I love you ". " Good night dad I love you too ".