The Phone Call

Summary

The narrative recounts a distressing late-night phone call regarding the speaker's sister, who is in a medical crisis, and the subsequent rush to be by her side.

Abstract

The speaker reveals an uncharacteristic decision to distance themselves from their phone but is compelled to answer a late-night call, anticipating it to be from their sister's boyfriend. The call confirms their fears about the sister's health, prompting the speaker to guide the boyfriend through a crisis, urging him to call emergency services. Despite the gravity of the situation, the speaker finds solace in the sister's survival and is determined to support her, even as she faces the challenges of her condition. The narrative concludes with the sister being taken home and the speaker reflecting on the close call, expressing relief that it was not the last time they would hear from her.

Opinions

The speaker harbors doubts about divine intervention, questioning their faith in the face of their sister's recurring health issues.
There is a sense of helplessness and frustration with the healthcare system, as the sister is quickly discharged despite her serious condition.
The speaker feels a deep responsibility for their sister's well-being, despite the emotional toll it takes on them.
The speaker values family connections and is willing to go to great lengths, including financial strain, to ensure their sister's safety and recovery.
There is an underlying fear of losing the sister, which is juxtaposed with the relief that she survives the crisis.

The Phone Call

I don’t turn my phone off. If I’m being honest, I actually don’t know how to turn off my work phone, but when it comes to my phone, it’s more of a personal decision. But tonight, I do something different, walk down the hallway, plug my phone in somewhere else until the morning, or at least that’s what I’d planned on doing. But things rarely go as planned.

It’s probably midnight, I know if anybody’s gonna be on the other end of the line it’ll be him, I don’t wanna talk but when it’s her boyfriend, that can only mean one thing, so I don’t even let the phone ring.

This is probably the one thing that leaves me second-guessing God, even though that’s sin, even though I should know better. I’ll be okay if this goes like last time. I’m praying that this won’t be the last time.

Just a year ago, my sister was my lifeline. Now I’m talking to her man and telling him to dial lifeline, 211 and then tell me what they say. This can be like last time, please just not the last day. I was just asleep but now I’m wide awake. I’ve done this before and usually I know what to say, this time, though, nothing’s going the same way.

Lifeline couldn’t help, call a different line, says she’s throwing up blood, everybody’s running out of time. And I know that in an hour, everyone will have something to say, but I need her to make it through to the next day and then the next day. I tell her man that it’s his call to make. Even though no matter what, I’ll be the one to pay, I don’t care what voices from tomorrow have to say. Tomorrow is another day.

Ambulances drive fast and I have no gas in my car, I leave anyway, clouds are covering the stars, pull up but they tell me that I can’t come in, yeah on paper that’s my sister, but to me, that’s my kid. Just a month or two ago, she said this might be her way to go, she knew I’d say no and tell her how she had a long way to go, how she had life to live, how she hasn’t seen tomorrow, how she’s got so much to give. Tonight it feels like every second’s borrowed, I need her to see tomorrow.

I’m running out of gas and I’m running on empty, I’m ten seconds from home when I look down to see who’s calling me, I’m glad that she’s alive. I’m glad that she survived. She’ll be mad once she’s sober but I’ll take that tonight. I probably should have known but I was still upset when she told me they gave her a cup of water and then told her she was all set, that she could go home now, find someone to pick you up, you can hit the road now.

Took her back to college, looked down to see who’s calling me, who’s calling my phone now? I’m about to fill gas, I’m finally off the road now, too expensive but I’m my only way home now. Yes, dad, she’s home now. She’ll see you tomorrow, on a flight to California, you guys are the reason why she has to borrow time, time all the time from the other side, but it’s late and this seems like a conversation for another time.

I’m so relieved that this was like last time. Not sure what I would do if it had to be the last time.