DAVID

This story is about me my name is David. I just turned 21 and told
my dad that I wanted to go out on my own and travel around, he said do
you have any place in mind? I don't know I've heard a lot about
Laughlin Nevada. I don't think you have that kind of money for that
town, I'm not going there to gamble just want to see what it looks like
an maybe get a job there. I'll be ok dad. I'll work my way there and
look for little jobs along the way, I just want to get away and out on
my own. Ok, if that's what you want to do but keep in touch with me and
be careful. I started out working my way towards Laughlin Nevada when I came upon this town, I glanced at the gas gauge and it was getting
close to empty. Better stop and get gas, as I turned off the main
highway I notice this guy standing alongside the road beside an empty
wheel chair. I thought that is strange, why isn't he sitting in the
chair? I was going to stop but I seen the gas station was right there.
He didn't have far to go and there was this large truck behind me, he
was blowing his horn as I slowed up to stop, he was so close to me I
couldn't stop so I continued on into this small town. I knew nothing
about this town. I stopped at this gas station and as I got out of the
car I looked around. Not a real large town but it looked nice. I went
up to the attendant and gave him a hundred-dollar bill; I need about
$12 in gas. Ok, I can take care of that. I started making small talk
with the guy. I am working my way towards Laughlin, the attendant said
it's not far from here you going to gamble? No, I'm looking for a job
is anybody hiring around here, yes across the street. As I turned
looking across the street there was a sign that said help wanted in the
window. It's a barbershop? The attendant said yes and I think he is a
bookie laughing, tell him I sent you over, I know the guy, you don't
need experience for the job. This is not a large town but you could
pick up some gas money to get you going. Yes I could use it, thank you.
Soon as I turned I bumped into this guy standing behind me, excuse me I
said. As I walked a way, I think he was the one I passed on the road.
Well I better go get my gas. I started to get in my car and thought
maybe I better go see about that job, what I have left won't get me
far. I need to make some money. I ask the attendant if I could leave my
car on the side near the garage, I'm going to see about the job across
the street. Yes, leave it there. As I started to walk across the street
a car was backing up a long side of the curb as I jump out of its way a
young guy putting gas in his car yelled out at the same time watch out
for the car behind you as I jumped again a pick up truck was speeding
and hit me. I fell against another car and as I lay there bleeding I
slowly turned my head and looked at the truck. He stopped for a second
and then sped off. It seemed like just a few seconds there were people
all around me trying to help me. I slowly reached up and grabbed the
attendant by his hand, please take care of my car, that's all I have.
Over his shoulder I noticed that the same guy I bumped into coming out
of the station. When I looked at his face I suddenly had no pain, I
could not see any thing else just his face everything else was a blur.
I heard him say you will be ok and then everything faded and I blacked
out. I woke up a few days later in the hospital. There was no one else
in the room I looked towards the doorway and I thought I had seen that
same guy standing there. I closed my eyes for a second and then the
doctor came walking in. 0h you're a wake, Well you have no broken bones your bleeding a little inside but we fixed that, you have a slight case of pneumonia building up, we will need to keep you here for a least two weeks, we will take good care of you. Thank you Doctor. A few hours
later I woke up and that guy was standing next to my bed. I was so
scared, I told him don't touch me he said David you will be ok and have
a long and rich life. I was so scared I could not move or talk, I kept
mumbling go way don't touch me, he slowly reached over and touched my hand, I turn my head for a second and when I looked back he was gone.
Suddenly I had no pain at all. My pain was gone. The doctor then
examined me; he had this look on his face. I don't believe it, what
happened to your fever? It's gone, bleeding stopped and the wounds were
healed. I have heard of this happening before but I've never seen it. I
can't find anything wrong with you, I need to get some doctors in here,
I just can't believe there's nothing wrong with you. That guy was in
here and touched me on my hand. The doctor said, we did not see anyone,
we just came down the hallway we didn't see anyone at all coming out of
your room. The doctor told the nurses to watch me; He would be back in
a minute. As the doctor left, I sat up on the side of the bed; the
doctor came back with a crew of doctors. They were all examining me and
they were all saying they couldn't believe what happened. As they were
leaving the room they were taking notes and talking about what had
happened. A few minutes later it was just the one doctor in the room.
We will keep you tonight and if you are ok we will release you
tomorrow. The next morning the doctor came in and said we are releasing
you. The doctor handed me some papers and said the police found the guy
that hit you, his insurance will take care of everything and the
insurance has put your car in storage for you and would take care of
all bills. The next day I went to see the guy at the gas station, I
thanked him for watching my car. He said he had a lawyer friend that I
should talk to. I went to see him the next day, he would take care of
everything he told me I would be getting some money from the accident
but it would take a while, I told him that I was traveling around and
had no money or anything. I gave him my dad's address and told him my
dad and he could work things out. My dad will call you in a day or so.
I was surprised how good I felt after the accident and I wanted to get
on the road as soon as possible and get on my way. My father wired me a
few dollars to get me going. I headed towards Laughlin hoping to find a
good job there. When I finally got there I got a room and settled in. I
went down to get something to eat, as I got off the elevator I notice
there was a wheel chair near the wall, I kind of laughed, it reminded
me of the guy I'd seen on the road. As I walked towards the casino I
looked back at the wheel chair, someone was sitting in it; I turned
around and went back. I went up to the man in the chair, who are you?
He looked to his right and as I looked that way there was a sign, apply
here. It had jobs listed underneath it. As I turned back to say what is
going on here, he was heading into the casino in his wheelchair; he
disappeared in the crowd. I wanted to talk to him and find out why he
seemed to be everywhere that I was. I'm sure I will see him again. I
went in and applied for a job that I thought I was qualified for. It
was kind of strange they hired me right away as a back up supervisor in
reservations. It was scary but I think the guy in the wheelchair knew I
would get this job. A few days later as I was getting off work I went
to play a slot machine. One of the workers saw me and said, you cannot
play in the same casino you work at. I didn't know I said. As I walked
away from the slot machine I went outside looked across to the casino
next door. As I was walking towards it, that man in the wheelchair was
in front of the casino near the entrance door. I had to talk to this
man and find out what is going on. I see him everywhere. As I got
closer to him I notice that he was trying to give away pencils, I
walked up right in front of him and grabbed both of his hands and I
looked right into his eyes, when I did that it was like being in
Paradise. I have never experienced anything like that; I cannot explain
how I felt. My whole life appeared in front of me in a split second, it
was beautiful. I had this feeling over my body that I've never felt
anything like it before. I tried to let go of him but I couldn't, it
was like my whole body was frozen and he was looking right into my
eyes, he blinked his eyes. My hands let go and I backed up I said, who
are you? With out talking I heard him say I am here to help you. I felt
so peaceful looking into his eyes. As I reached up to wipe my eyes, he
was reaching into his stack of pencils he had in front of him. He said,
this is a special pencil for you, I am looking at him and he never
spoke but I knew what he was saying. As he handed it to me he said
there is a special number on it for you. As I moved back wards I rubbed
my eyes, when I looked again he was gone. I felt so peaceful I walked
into the casino and sat in a chair for a longtime, I said I must be
dreaming. I went and had something to eat then did a little gambling. I
could not get him off of my mind. I saw a friend of mine I worked with
sitting at a slot machine; I sat down next to him. Did you see a guy in
a wheelchair in front of the casino as you came in? There was no one
out there that I saw. There was this guy in the wheelchair; he gave me
this pencil. He said there was a special number on it, What's the
number? 336 he said look, that's the same number on the machine in
front of you. Maybe it's lucky, put in three-quarters and see what
happens. I really don't feel like playing. I'm still trying to figure
out that guy. Try it, put some money in and maybe you will be lucky. I
put in three-quarters and pulled the handle, I couldn't believe it, I
hit the jackpot. I didn't know what was going on, all different kinds
of lights were flashing and going on and off, bells ringing people
started running around telling me don't touch the machine. You won the
jackpot. I didn't know what happened for a few seconds. My friend said
you hit the big jackpot. There were supervisors coming from all
different directions. I said how much did I win, one supervisor said
about 600,000 I almost passed out. I grabbed the pencil the man gave me
I didn't want to lose it. I kept staring at the number on it. I was so
excited I could not believe I hit this huge jackpot. After everything
settled down, I went looking for him. I wanted to thank him and give
some money to him. I couldn't find this guy in the wheelchair. I asked
all around and nobody had ever seen him or knew anything about him.
They kept saying they didn't know what I was talking about, they
thought I was making some sort of story up about a guy in a wheelchair.
I have to find him, I tried but I never saw him ever again after that
day. After winning, I went up to my room and I sat down for a few
moments to collect my thoughts. Why me? I called my father. Dad you're
not going to believe this."

This is a short story by Norman Clifford 2-9-2002