As I lay down on the bed that he has been sleeping on
since he returned from the hospital almost 2 months ago... A return that was supposed to be the beginning of his end, I couldn't
help but to also think about what happened to my friend Don Blackmon earlier this year.
Don was my friend from 1975 to the day he died. I knew his mother
and brothers from Florida, rented him places to live, sold him some of my personal cars as well as a few taxicabs and even
had the displeasure of having to terminate his contract due to his behavior. Still we remained good friends and enjoyed
all the fun we had with life in Austin, Texas. Don had a low blood count and they told him at Seton that there was nothing
else they could do for him and they recommended Hospice. He called me one day, his voice breaking and I could hear the
lostness in his voice. Imagine knowing that everyone who can help you to live says they offer you no hope except to
die. It was just like that. And die he did.
My dad went home and not Hospiice and looks better than he looked before
he got sick. Maybe he is an anomoly but I think it's the difference between having people care about you that will not
give up on you and who are fighting with you as well as for you.
Don didn't have the resources and health insurance that my dad has.
So that's why this election is so important. It's not about crazy
preachers or even the price of fuel as much as it should be about us looking after each other and our best interests, health
being key to all the rest.
