Out of My Comfort Zone

[Wutzit Tewya]

A man down on his luck. No house, no wife or children.
He sleeps in abandoned buildin's. Abandoned is how he's feelin.
Severely malnourished. Hunger pain is like a knife in his ribs.
Beggin' for change, feelin' embarrassed, see this is the life he lives....

The most kind hearted man you'd ever meet, but never met him.
A Vietnam vet. So quick his country forgets him.
Pants shredded at the knees, he holds a cup in his hands..
Nobody gives a second look, so he looks for his lunch in cans.

He laid his life on the line, for people like you and I.
Now all he's thinking is "Who am I?"
Considering suicide.

"So hungry."

He's fed up. Nobody shows an interest in his story,
Assumptions of booze and drugs, "He prolly just wants a forty."

People yelling "Get a job!" PTSD hasn't allowed it.
Ya see he's chemically imbalanced. Also, physically challenged.
He stands upon a splintered wooden leg, feeling ashamed.
In his years of being homeless, not a soul's asked for his name.
Understanding that it isn't getting better, he decides
that if this is how it is... no reason to be alive.
Although he hasn't touched a drink, he limps into the liquor store.
Slides a bottle in his bomber, then hobbles back out the door.

Unable to fight the tears, he's sipping between the whimpers.
Admitting that he is shit. Forgetting he was the victor.
But the war's been over. Decades. Now he fights a different battle.
Trapped outside, mocked by those who live inside the castle.

Even though he nearly lost his life in their defense.

He hates himself, and in that, the courage to die arises.
For the first time in a while, desire's behind his eyelids.
"The bridge isn't too far, and it's plenty of a drop."
Determined to do it. "Screw it." To give up is all he's got.

"The bridge."

He's reached his calling. A submissive feeling of joy.
Looking forward to the final mission in which he will be deployed.

I mean destroyed.

He works his way uphill upon his quest to meet his fate,
when he sees a little boy ahead. Too far to see his face.
"This boy is far too young to be out on this bridge alone."
Immediately sober, a chill ran deep in his bones.

He sees this boy is standing in the spot he planned to jump.
Asking God to "Give me strength, just need enough for me to run."

And he did.

He hasn't ran a step in years, and he was certain that he couldn't.
Wasn't perfect form, but good. That is, until he lost his footin'.
He lost his lumber leg and hit the ground, but "Keep it movin'"..
Army crawling, bloody, bruised and crying, loudly screaming to him...

"Wait! Don't do it!! WAIIIIIT!!!"

The pain upon his face was not caused by his own incisions.
It's was purely that the boy was 'bout to make the same decision.

But suddenly, the boys head turned.

He must've heard and seen him. He jumped back across the railing.
Started sprinting towards the one legged man who's arms were flailing.
He knelt beside the man, and he held his head in his arms.
For a second, everything the boy was running from was gone.
"Are you ok?" The young man asked, with the most genuine concern.
Lying, the man said "No. My face is bleeding. It burns.
Can you help me?"

Without a question, in a second his sleeve over his hand,
as he gently wiped the blood from his face. "I'll help you the best I can."

"You can start by telling me what you are doing on this bridge."
"Well, I WAS about to leap from it, just like my daddy did.
Mom says she wishes it was me. It's cause of me my daddy jumped."

Thump. Thump. Thump.
The man swallowed a giant lump.

"I get bullied everyday when I'm at school, and no one likes me.
Momma beats me when she's drunk. Even gave me this black eye. See?"

In that moment..there was a twinge, and weight on the man's chest.
he'd never guess..
that in such a brief encounter he'd feel like his own flesh.

"Never feel the need to die my boy. Sombody out there needs you."
"But who?" the boy responded. "Me. It's very nice to meet you."

"You saved me kid."

"No, see it was you who stopped ME, sir!"
But the man just stared into his eyes. Completely undeterred.

"One day you'll hear my story, son, but now is not the time.
Go tell your mom you love her. Hug her. Try not to get out of line.
And you meet me here on any day you want, and I'll be waiting.
I have lost a lot of brothers. Don't want you, too, to be taken.
We're friends now, and friends will help each other when they're hurt."

The man used his finger to draw a cross in the dirt.

"I was going to jump too, son. I haven't a dad or mother.
I haven't anything.....but you now. God planned us to meet each other.
A soldiers promise to you that I always got your back.
Just like you helped me out today, I'd like to thank you for that.
Life is a constant war, it comes in many variations.
Stay patient, my son. You'll see, it can exceed all your expectations"

A soldier, no longer lonely.
A boy who is heading home.
A bond that will not be broken.
A story of mended woes