Archive for December 3rd, 2008

There were once 2 patients  who stayed in the same hospital room. Both of them were bedridden, but one called James was fortunate enough to have his bed by the window . Since Henry couldn’t see what it was like outside the window so James would describe to him what he saw. He’d describe how beautiful it was outside the window. The green grass, the people, children, birds and so on. Henry always felt happy listening to the descriptions but  he grew envious everyday. Instead of listening about it, he wanted to see it for himself. Often enough he’d asked to switch beds with James so he could see the view outside the window, and was turned down every time.

One night, Henry woke up with a start. He heard that James was breathing heavily, obviously in pain. So much pain that he couldn’t even holler for help. Henry kept quiet and didn’t call for the nurse, thinking perhaps if James dies, he would finally get the bed by the window. Few minutes later, all was silent.

Sure enough,early in the morning, the nurse found poor James dead. Henry finally got the bed by the window. When he looked outside the window for the first time all he could see was a lone dumpster and a grey wall. All this while, James had been lying. Lies that made Henry happy and yet envious and most of all selfish.

James saw the things that he wanted to see in the view outside the window. The beautiful things.

Note: Rewrote from a story I once read…