Character Study

This boy breaks my heart. He knows every staff member by name: the guy that cleans the rooms, the lady that passes out meals, the therapists, the social workers, the nurses, the doctors. He tucks his t-shirt into his shorts, which sit high on his waist, and his hair is always combed. He is quiet and polite and looks at you like handed him the world when you sneak him chocolate milk off the dinner cart. His sister has a combination of acute myelogenous and lymphocytic leukemia, which in laymen’s terms, sucks. She has been here about a month. Today was the first day I didn’t see him. It was his first day of 6th grade. His sister was pretty out of it most of the day. I entered her room quietly with her late afternoon medications. He was standing by her bed in his crisp school uniform whispering to her softly in Spanish. He didn’t know I had entered. I watched as he, without thinking, untangled her IV tubing, straightened her covers, and moved the thin wisps of hair she has left off her face. He finished talking and kissed her brow. I slipped back into the hall, embarrassed to have intruded upon such a tender moment. If character is who we are when no one is watching, this kid’s got it.