Stroked Out

The town thermometer read 101…

I borrowed a window unit from my dad.

Had to have something or I would have been had.

Two hours spent in the noon day sun cleaning the unit was not fun.

I did have the help of John David, Jan’s well mannered son.

Yet before the unit was in, which in turn did not work.

I found my eyes grow dark against a scorching sky as I kissed the dirt.

Stroked out was I…the presence of death, ever nigh.

The fireman across the street and John David came to the rescue.

 Then next door to my mother-in-laws house they carried me.

My head was burning from the inside out and I could hardly breathe.

On the floor of my mother-in laws did I now in silence lay.

Jan came running to my side and with cool cloths on my head as she and Ms. Looney prayed.

Never felt this way before as darkness danced before my eyes.

Oh the trials of these last two years have been more than I should survive.

Bless my neighbor’s heart as he went into town for a new unit.

He came back with a new one and installed it for me to boot.

I wrote him a check for 350.00, more than the unit itself cost.

I had to have some relief or all would have been lost.

Thank God now it is only in the house a reading of 82 where earlier it was 102.

J. Allen Wilson © 6/14/2010