English Task Narrative Story

8/3/2019 English Task Narrative Story

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Keep On Singing

Like any good mother, when Karen found out that another baby was on the way, she

did what she could to help her 3-year-old son, Michael, prepare for a new sibling.

They find out that the new baby is going to be a girl, and day after day, night after

night, Michael sings to his sister in Mommy's tummy.

The pregnancy progresses normally for Karen, an active member of the Panther Creek

United Methodist Church in Morristown, Tennessee. Then the labor pains come.

Every five minutes, every minute. But complications arise during delivery. Hours of

labor. Would a C-section be required?

Finally, Michael's little sister is born. But she is in serious condition. With siren

howling in the night, the ambulance rushes the infant to the neonatal intensive careunit at St. Mary's Hospital, Knoxville, Tennessee. The days inch by. The little girl

gets worse. The pediatric specialist tells the parents, "There is very little hope. Be

prepared for the worst."

Karen and her husband contact a local cemetery about a burial plot. They have fixed

up a special room in their home for the new baby now they plan a funeral. Michael,

keeps begging his parents to let him see his sister, "I want to sing to her," he says.

Week two in intensive care. It looks as if a funeral will come before the week is over.

Michael keeps nagging about singing to his sister, but kids are never allowed in

Intensive Care. But Karen makes up her mind. She will take Michael whether they

like it or not. If he doesn't see his sister now, he may never see her alive.

She dresses him in an oversized scrub suit and marches him into ICU. He looks like a

walking laundry basket, but the head nurse recognizes him as a child and bellows,

"Get that kid out of here now! No children are allowed. The mother rises up strong in

Karen, and the usually mild-mannered lady glares steel-eyed into the head nurse's

face, her lips a firm line.

"He is not leaving until he sings to his sister!"

Karen tows Michael to his sister's bedside. He gazes at the tiny infant losing the battle

to live. And he begins to sing. In the pure hearted voice of a 3-year-old, Michael

sings:

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, you make me happy when skies are gray..."

Instantly the baby girl responds. The pulse rate becomes calm and steady.

Keep on singing, Michael.

"You never know, dear, how much I love you, Please don't take my sunshine away..."


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The ragged, strained breathing becomes as smooth as a kitten's purr.


"The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping, I dreamed I held you in my arms..."

Michael's little sister relaxes as rest, healing rest, seems to sweep over her.


Tears conquer the face of the bossy head nurse. Karen glows.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. Please don't, take my sunshine away."

Funeral plans are scrapped. The next day, the very next day, the little girl is well

enough to go home! Woman's Day magazine called it "the miracle of a brother'ssong." The medical staff just called it a miracle. Karen called it a miracle of God's

love!


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A Gift of Love

The passengers on the bus watched sympathetically as the attractive young woman

with the white cane made her way carefully up the steps. She paid the driver and,

using her hands to feel the location of the seats, walked down the aisle and found theseat he'd told her was empty. Then she settled in, placed her briefcase on her lap and

rested her cane against her leg.

It had been a year since Susan, 34, became blind. Due to a medical misdiagnosis she

had been rendered sightless, and she was suddenly thrown into a world of darkness,

anger, frustration and self-pity. And all she had to cling to was her husband, Mark.

Mark was an Air Force officer and he loved Susan with all his heart. When she first

lost her sight, he watched her sink into despair and was determined to help his wife

gain the strength and confidence she needed to become independent again.

Finally, Susan felt ready to return to her job, but how would she get there? She used

to take the bus, but was now too frightened to get around the city by herself. Mark

volunteered to drive her to work each day, even though they worked at opposite ends

of the city. At first, this comforted Susan, and fulfilled Mark's need to protect his

sightless wife who was so insecure about performing the slightest task.

Soon, however, Mark realized the arrangement wasn't working. Susan is going to

have to start taking the bus again, he admitted to himself. But she was still so fragile,

so angry - how would she react? Just as he predicted, Susan was horrified at the idea

of taking the bus again.

"I'm blind!", she responded bitterly. "How am I supposed to know where I am going?

I feel like you're abandoning me."

Mark's heart broke to hear these words, but he knew what had to be done. He

promised Susan that each morning and evening he would ride the bus with her, for as

long as it took, until she got the hang of it. And that is exactly what happened. For

two solid weeks, Mark, military uniform and all, accompanied Susan to and from

work each day.

He taught her how to rely on her other senses, specifically her hearing, to determinewhere she was and how to adapt to her new environment. He helped her befriend the

bus drivers who could watch out for her, and save her a seat.

Finally, Susan decided that she was ready to try the trip on her own. Monday morning

arrived, and before she left, she threw her arms around Mark, her temporary bus-

riding companion, her husband, and her best friend. Her eyes filled with tears of

gratitude for his loyalty, his patience, And his love. She said good-bye, and for the

first time, they went their separate ways. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday...

Each day on her own went perfectly, and Susan had never felt better. She was doing

it! She was going to work all by herself.


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On Friday morning, Susan took the bus to work as usual. As she was paying the fare

to exit the bus, the driver said, "Boy, I sure do envy you." Susan wasn't sure if the

driver was speaking to her or not. After all, who on earth would ever envy a blind

woman who had struggled just to find the courage to live for the past year? Curious,

she asked the driver, "Why do you say that you envy me?"

The driver responded, "It must feel good to be taken care of and protected like you

are." Susan had no idea what the driver was talking about, and again asked, "What do

you mean?"

The driver answered, "You know, every morning for the past week, a fine-looking

gentleman in a military uniform has been standing across the corner watching you as

you get off the bus. He makes sure you cross the street safely and he watches until

you enter your office building.

Then he blows you a kiss, gives you a little salute and walks away. You are one luckylady." Tears of happiness poured down Susan's cheeks. For although she couldn't

physically see him, she had always felt Mark's presence. She was lucky, so lucky, for

he had given her a gift more powerful than sight, a gift she didn't need to see to

believe - the gift of love that can bring light where there is darkness.

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English Task Narrative Story