TWO MEN IN A HOSPITAL

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon. His bed was next to the rooms only window. The other man had to stay flat on his back all day. The two men would spend time all day talking about their wives, kids, jobs, and hopes. The man by the window would tell the other man about the world outside. The man would live for the time of day when the world outside the window would be described to him. Men and women walked along. Ducks swam in the pond, as grand old oaks swayed in the breeze. One day the man described a parade that was passing by. Even though the man couldn't hear the band he visualized the parade. Then one day an unexpected thought entered the man's mind. Why should the other man get the window bed. It was not fair. As the days passed the man was obsessed with getting the window. He couldn't sleep during the night because of this. Then late one night the man by the window began to cough. He groped for the call button. The man beside him heard him, but didn't hit the button that would bring the nurses scrambling into the room. Finnaly the room grew quiet. The next morning the nurse arrived to bring water for their baths, and found the dead man. He was then takin away. The man then asked the nurse if he could have the bed by the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch. As soon as she left the man propped himself up on one elbow and painfully turned toward the window. He would finnally be able to see the wonderfull scene outside. He turned to look out the window. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled the man to talk of such scenes outside the window. The nurse replied" Well, the man was blind, maybe he just wanted to encourage you."