Last words

 **This isn't the first post I did along these lines, but it is different from the other.

   I lost a coworker this week, though he technically was gone long before that. On the Wednesday before Christmas, on his last day as a security guard at the hospital, he had a heart attack and never woke up. After a month on machines, they unplugged him, and he passed away.

   Ever since it became obvious that he was not going to come out of this, my last 2 conversations with him have been going through my head. A couple of weeks prior, one of the afternoon shift guards had shown me a picture of a man to keep an eye out for who may possibly come in and cause trouble. I was over near the security office later, and Randy showed me the picture and asked if I knew about it. I affirmed I did, then he got a smirk on his face and kept looking at the picture and then at me, and said "hmmm".The guy also had a shaved head. I knew he what he was inferring, so I laughed and said "very funny, you're an idiot." He laughed and I went my way.

   A few days later, I was again near the office and he was in there with a couple of other guards. I walked in and said "Know what this blockhead did?" I related the story, and we all laughed, then I headed back to my work area.

 Last words. If we knew it was the last time we'd talk to someone, what would we say?

   I read something a lady wrote a few years back. She related that she and her husband made a pact that any time they parted, they would say "I love you." And they did. She said sometimes he would be leaving after a big argument, and she was screaming it at his departing car. He died unexpectedly - I think a car accident. She said it was a comfort to know that the last words she said to him were "I love you."

   I like to joke and tease a lot, and  this has been on my mind for a few weeks, especially this week. I eat lunch  in the coffee shop every work day I am at the Beaver hospital, whether I buy their food or take my own. The ladies like me pretty well, and I joke around with them a lot, and good naturedly pick on them. Yestrday, as I was waiting for my hot fudge Sunday, I told them I wanted to tell them something. It went something like this: "I am serious when I say this. There are people in this hospital who brighten my day, and you ladies are at the top of that list." I got some "awws" and similar replies. The boss lady asked "so we make you look forward to coming to work?" I laughed, and said "no, but it does help me not dread it......you'll just have to be happy with that."

  I walked out into the lobby and gave my housekeeper friend a hug, and told her she is one of my favorite people in the hospital. I tease her a lot. Yeah, there's a pattern there.

   These people know I like and love them, but if I knew I was talking to one of them for the last time, would I tell a joke, give a teasing remark, or........

   No, we can't be morbid individuals always acting morose like we will never see our family and friends again when we part, but how often are we unkind, rude, short, and other such things with people in our lives off line and on?

   And I am not experiencing any guilt over my last conversations with Randy. He and I were always joking around with each other. But it has made me think a lot about how we treat people and the words we say. How would we feel if the last words we said to a friend or family member were not kind words?