I’m Coming Home…
Jerry was released from military service after having fought in the war. He was excited for the chance to finally go home and yet afraid. Hesitantly, he made a call to his parents from Los Angeles Airport.
“Mom, it’s me, Jerry.”
“Oh, Jerry! (Dan, Dan, it’s Jerry!) Jerry, we missed you so much. When are you coming home?” And the mother put the phone on speaker mode.
“Mom, Dad, I’m at the airport. I’m coming home… but I… I…” Jerry stuttered. He stopped, took a deep breath, “Mom, Dad, I’ve a favor to ask. I’d like to bring a buddy home with me.”
“Sure,” they replied, “we’d love to meet him.”
“There’s… there’s something you should know,” Jerry’s voice softened. “He was hurt pretty badly in the war… Lost his left arm and leg after stepping on a land mine. He has nowhere else to go, so I’m bringing him home with me.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Jerry. I’m sure we can put him up a few days while he look for a place to stay.” said the mother.
“No, Mom, I don’t mean a few days,” Jerry got emotional. “I mean I want him to live with us for the rest of his life,”
“Jerry, do you understand what you’re asking?” the father sounded a bit stern. “Do you know how much your friend will disrupt our lives? How big a burden he’ll be on us? We’ve a life of our own to live. We can’t take care of him for the rest of his life. Forget about this guy and just come home. He’ll survive on his own somehow.”
“… click.” Jerry hung up and didn’t call home again.
Three days later, the police from Los Angeles called Jerry’s parents up. They found Jerry’s body behind a tall building. Apparently he jumped down from the roof top.
The parents were devastated. They hardly knew how they managed to fly into Los Angeles. The police took them straight to the morgue to identify the body upon their arrival. Though his face was disfigured from the fall, the parents still recognized Jerry immediately when the staff uncovered it. Then…
“Dan, oh Dan!” the mother cried in horror. “Where’s Jerry’s left arm? Where’s his left leg?”
Tears just kept rolling down the cheeks of the father.
