IT’S A BOY

Jim down at the Handee Mart has had a rough week.  It all started last Monday when he came home from his shift at the Handee Mart to find his wife, Jenny Lu, had taken everything off the shelves and bookcases in the living room and was washing them down before she dusted or cleaned each item and put it back. It would not have been bad but Jenny Lu had worked her way through the house. Each room had to be taken apart, cleaned and then put back together.

When Jim had left for work on Friday Jenny Lu had just started on the kitchen. Taking everything out of the cupboards, she had them lined up in order on every available space in the kitchen. The only thing that crossed Jim’s mind, as he kissed Jenny Lu goodbye, was that he was glad he would be able to get a cup of coffee when he arrived at the Handee Mart as it was for doggone sure he was not going to be able to find the coffee pot in the mess the kitchen was at the moment.

Jim was stocking the refrigerator, like he did every morning at 2 when the phone rang.

“I am having the baby” Jenny Lu told Jim without prelude.

His mind still on the restocking of the refrigerator, Jim Replied, I know you’re having a baby; you have been having a baby for the last 9 months.

“NO JIM, I AM HAVING THE BABY. YOU HAVE TO COME HOME NOW!!!”

It took Jim about a minute longer to absorb the news he was getting from Jenny Lu. First of all he had to make sure Jenny Lu got to the hospital then he was going to have to find someone to come in and take over for the rest of his shift.

“Shall I call 911 and have them send an ambulance for you? You know I would love to but I can’t leave work right away. I have to find someone to take the rest of my shift. How far apart are the pains? How much time do we have? The Baby isn’t due for another week. Are you sure your having labor pains and it isn’t just indigestion?”

“Let’s see my water broke about five minutes ago. The pains are about five minutes apart. I have never had a baby before so I have no idea of how much time we have. Yes I am sure I am in labor and not having indigestion,” Jenny Lu replied calmly.

“I’ll call 911 and they will come and take care of you and I will meet you at the hospital as soon as I can,” Jim replied and hung up the phone.

“911 What is your emergency?”

“I am having a baby, no I mean my wife is having a baby and I am at work and she needs someone to take her to the hospital”

“Where is your wife?” The operator asked

Jim gave the 911 operator his home address and told them what Jenny Lu had told him and was assured that an ambulance would be sent to pick up Jenny Lu. That taken care of Jim called Mike, the day manager and told him what was happening and Mike told him he would be there as soon as he could get the cobwebs out of his head and get dressed. It had to be the longest half hour in Jim’s life as he waited for Mike to show up and take over the Handee Mart.

As soon as Mike arrived Jim jumped in his car and headed for the Calhoun County Hospital to find Jenny Lu.

When Jim arrived at the hospital he parked his car in front and ran to the emergency room to locate Jenny Lu. When he got to the emergency room he asked the nurse if anyone had brought in Jenny Lu and was told she was already upstairs in the maternity ward and he was already a father.

Jim took the elevator up to the maternity ward and asked the nurse there about Jenny Lu and was told she had the baby shortly after the ambulance had arrived at their house. Jim asked if he could see Jenny Lu and was taken to her room.

For a moment he stood at the door of Jenny Lu’s room looking at her. She was not aware he was there but as Jim looked at his Jenny Lu he saw that most beautiful woman in the world. She had a glow like he had never seen before on any woman and she was holding their baby.

Jim walked into the room, leaned down and gave Jenny Lu a kiss on the forehead.  “May I see our…..” It suddenly dawned on Jim that he was not aware if he had a new son or daughter.

Jenny Lu looked up at Jim and smiled. “Say Hello to your son.”

Thus the population of Calhoun County has been raised by one. Mike will finish out Jim’s shift and Jim will fall asleep holding Jenny Lu’s hand after he has kissed her goodnight and told her he loved her, as he has every night of their marriage. In the morning Jim will go home take a shower and come back to be with Jenny Lu and their new son.

 GB

© Tina Rice

10 May 2007