第8部分(第2/6 頁)

came　a　close　friend　of　mine；　even　though　he　responded　with　only　an　occasional　squeeze2　of　my　hand。　Mr。　Gillespie　was　in　a　a3。

I　left　for　a　week　to　vacation　with　my　parents；　and　when　I　came　back；　Mr。　Gillespie　was　gone。　I　didn’t　have　the　nerve　to　ask　any　of　the　nurses　where　he　was；　for　fear　they　might　tell　me　he　had　died。　So　with　many　questions　unanswered；　I　continued　to　volunteer　there　through　my　eighth…grade　year。

Several　years　later；　When　I　was　a　junior　in　high　school；　I　was　at　the　gas　station　when　I　noticed　a　familiar　face。　When　I　realized　who　it　was；　my　eyes　filled　with　tears。　He　was　alive！　I　got　up　the　nerve　to　ask　him　if　his　name　was　Mr。　Gillespie；　and　if　he　had　been　in　a　a　about　five　years　ago。　With　an　uncertain　look　on　his　face；　he　replied　yes。　I　explained　how　I　knew　him；　and　that　I　had　spent　many　hours　talking　with　him　in　the　hospital。　His　eyes　welled　up　with　tears；　and　he　gave　me　the　warmest　hug　I　had　ever　received。

He　began　to　tell　me　how；　as　he　lay　there　atose4；　he　could　hear　me　talking　to　him　and　could　feel　me　holding　his　hand　the　whole　time。　He　thought　it　was　an　angel；　not　a　person；　who　was　there　with　him。　Mr。　Gillespie　firmly　believed　that　it　was　my　voice　and　touch　that　had　kept　him　alive。

Then　he　told　me　about　his　life　and　what　happened　to　him　to　put　him　in　the　a。　We　both　cried　for　a　while　and　exchanged　a　hug；　said　our　good…byes　and　went　our　separate　ways。

Although　I　haven’t　seen　him　since；　he　fills　my　heart　with　joy　every　da