My son Josh was a very social little boy and many times the
boys in our neighborhood use to gather at our house. Back in
the mid �80�s Nintendo was the most exciting game system
ever to be introduced to my children. They use to sit for
hours playing Nintendo games. Often the neighborhood boys
came and would all gather around the TV in the living room
to play Nintendo games. I didn??™t mind, because they were
usually good and rarely got into arguments. Come the
weekend, often one of the boys spent the night and they
would stay up late playing games.
When I
first met Jimmy I really didn??™t know what to think about
him. He was a sassy little creature and a very outspoken
child. Little did I know that he was a very sick little boy.
A champion player at Nintendo was he! When he was around the
boys would sit back in amazement and watch him win game
after game. He was the King of Nintendo.
Jimmy
and Josh became the best of friends. They both had the same
interests in just about everything. Another thing they liked
was baseball. When there was a Cardinals baseball game on TV
they would sit and watch the game. Back then Todd Ziele was
on the Cardinals baseball team and he was their favorite
baseball player.
Jimmy
became very sick and had to have a kidney transplant. He
spent several weeks in Barnes Children??™s??™ Hospital in
St. Louis,
Missouri.
During this time Josh was very concerned about his friend.
My
sister Reba and her husband, Marcus lived in Maryland
Heights, which is a suburb of St. Louis. Also, my husband
Jerry worked for a company in which he had to travel to St.
Louis about once a week. Sometimes when he??™d go to
St. Louis they??™d all go out to dinner.
On one
of Jerry??™s trips to St. Louis he took Josh with him to my
sister Reba??™s home. Josh stayed with her while his dad went
to work. Their plans were for Reba to take Josh to the
hospital to see Jimmy and that evening after Jerry and
Marcus was to get off work, they all planned to go to a
Cardinals baseball game. It happened that the Cardinals were
to play against the Philadelphia Phillies. I??™ve always
wished I could have gone, but I had a full time job and had
to stay home and work and take care of Josh??™s little
brother, Eric.
Well,
Reba took Josh to see Jimmy in the hospital that day. They
were both very happy to see each other. Josh filled Jimmy in
on everything that was going on at home and Jimmy told Josh
all about his stay in the hospital. While they were talking
and catching up on things, in walks Don Carmen, a pitcher
for the Philadelphia Phillies. Now you can imagine how
surprised and happy this made these two boys. To actually
meet a professional baseball player! This was an only once
in a lifetime kind of thing. Mr. Carmen talked to the boys
for a little bit and gave each of them an autographed
baseball card. Josh told Mr. Carmen that he was going to be
at the baseball game that evening. Mr. Carmen said that if
he would come down to the dugout then he would give him an
autographed baseball. Josh then asked Mr. Carmen if he could
get him a signed baseball from Todd Ziele (sorry Mr.
Carmen). Don Carmen, being the nice guy he is, said he knew
him and he would see what he could do. Mr. Carmen visited a
little while longer then had to leave to go visit the other
sick children. The boys couldn??™t believe their good fortune.
They had met a professional baseball player and he had given
them an autographed baseball card! Josh spent quiet some
time with Jimmy that day. He knew Jimmy was doing well and
would be going home soon.
Finally
it was time to go to the baseball game. Josh was very
excited about going to see the Cardinals play, especially
since he had met Don Carmen. Reba took Josh down to the
dugout after the game. They tried very hard to get Don
Carmen's attention but wasn't able to. After a while they
finally gave up. As they were leaving Reba ran into one of
the Stadium??™s employees that she knew. This person happened
to be a boyfriend to one of the girls that Reba works with.
She was very surprised to see him. Reba explained to him
what had happened earlier that day and about the boys
meeting Don Carmen. He was very kind and said he would try
to see if he could talk to Don Carmen. A little disappointed
but still in hopes of getting the autographed baseball, they
left for home.
A couple
of days later when Reba went to work her co-worker had a
nice surprise waiting for her. She handed her the baseball
signed by Todd Ziele! What a wonderful surprise! She knew
her nephew would be very happy.
When
Josh received the baseball he was beside himself with
happiness. He put it up on one of the shelves on his dresser
for safe keeping. What a great guy this Don Carmen was to
get this for him.
After a
few weeks Jimmy came home from the hospital. He was doing
ok, but still had a long way to go. Josh was very glad that
his best friend was finally home. He wrapped the much
treasured baseball and gave it to his best friend, Jimmy.
It??™s
been about 14 years ago since Jimmy had the surgery. We
haven??™t heard from him in a while, but the last we heard he
was doing fine.
Both of
my children have taught me so much about love through the
years. This is just one example of love and friendship I
will never forget.
?© 2003
by Mary Ann Featherston |
