Donor

There comes a time in every boy’s life when he feels like a man. Mine was the day I turned sixteen. The moment had come when it was time to get my license. I could hardly wait to go to the D.M.V. to pick up my new freedom. This is where my story begins...



My name is John Brown this is my story. I lived here in Deer View for all of my 16 years. The day had come for me to get my license. I was so excited, the freedom of having my own way to go places. My parents bought me a sweet car, a Nova SS. This car runs as mean as it looks. I cant wait to get behind the wheel of this bad boy. I heard my dad call for me down the hall. It was time to go.

Once we arrived at the D.M.V. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach. I walked up to the counter and the lady handed me all the paperwork I needed to fill out so she could process my license. I moved quickly to the table and started filling in the blanks. I returned to the counter with the stack of paperwork in tow. The lady behind the counter said I forgot to fill out one part of the paperwork. My heart sank, I thought I would never get through all of this. The lady must have seen the dumb founded look on my face. “It’s the part that states if you would like to be an organ donor or not.” The lady replied. I quickly checked the yes box and handed back the paper to the lady. With a few keystrokes of her computer she said my license would be ready in about ten minutes. Those where the longest ten minutes of my life I thought. The lady soon called me to counter. I could still feel the warmth of them laminating it. my dad asked if I would like to drive the family car back home. I told him it was okay I was going to wait and save it for my old blue friend in the driveway.


I was going everywhere in that old car. The car felt as if it where an extension of my own body. I knew every inch of that car inside and out.I was always looking for a reason to get behind that wheel. To hear that engine roar and to turn loose those horses under the hood. I was in heaven every time I drove.

Friday had arrived I was heading out of the school building when I ran into Joey Walsh. I guess you could say Joey was kinda a school bully. He was popular among most of the school. He is head of the shop class and has a sweet dodge pickup.
His truck is fully loaded from rims to stereo. Him and I never have seen eye to eye on many things. I could see the smirk on his face widen as he got closer to me. “Hey there short stuff.” He said to me in his evil little way. I just nodded and kept walking. he seemed to follow me. I turned and asked him what he wanted. He told me he wanted to race me. His truck against my Nova. I asked him if he was insane and all he did was laugh. Who laughs at something like that honestly? He said he was dead serious, but if I was too chicken he understood. I told him I was no chicken, my car could beat his crappy truck anyway. He got this evil grin and said he would see me on Old Yorktown Rd. tomorrow. I told him I would be there with bells on. As he turned and walked away I thought I was going to get sick. What am I thinking, racing Joey. Well I guess I will cross that bridge when I get there.


At home all I could think about was the race tomorrow. If I back out everyone at school will call me chicken. I walked out onto the driveway. There she sat my blue steel horse. I walked around my car running my finger tips across the hood. I can do this. We will beat Joey tomorrow I can feel it. My mind is made up, I will race him and beat him. I headed back inside the house. I could feel the excitement building up inside. If I beat Joey in this race I could be the new cool kid in school. I could hardly sleep that night. I tossed and turned with thoughts of me making it to the end of Old Yorktown road before Joey did.


The next morning I awoke very early. I grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed out to my car. I climbed in and headed to the race spot. Old Yorktown Rd., a winding stretch of road that if you made it straight would be about 2 miles in length. With all the curves and bends it seems allot longer than that. I could see that Joey was already waiting at the stop sign for me. I could see the smirk still on his face as he sat in his truck He rolled down his window and asked if I was going to do this. I told him I am ready when he is. Joey said on the count of ten they go. I can still hear the echo of Joey counting in my head. One,Two,Three,Four,Five,Six,Seven,Eight,Nine,Ten. We took off in a cloud of white smoke.It appeared that this was going to be a close race. Joey’s truck was staying right beside my Nova. I finaly gain the lead and Joey was right behind me. We were whipping around the tight turns at breakneck speeds. The trees on both sides of the road looked like one big brown and green blur. Joey went into the left hand lane as if to pass me. I was watching him in my mirror. When i looked ahead again I could see a logging truck coming around the bend. Joey seen the same thing I did. He Tried to get back over into my lane. I hit my brakes and Joey turned right into my driver side back finder. I heard tires screeching and glass breaking. There was a bright flash of light and sharp pain all over my body. Then there was blackness.


I couldn’t tell u how long I spent in my mangled car or even if I was alive. Now just darkness, an empty void. It is as if I was walking in a huge pitch black warehouse. I can hear my thoughts echo through the darkness. I think I am walking, not sure if I am moving at all. I think there is little flashes of what I think are memories. But they are jumbled out of order. One when I am 3 years old playing in my yard with a truck. Then when I was 14 and the neighbor girl kissed me on my porch. What does all of this mean? Am i dead and this is how I am to spend my eternal rest. If I am dead where are the angels waiting to lead me into the kingdom of heaven? A voice! I head a voice! I know I did. It sounded like somebody calling my name. It was very faint. But I still heard it. I tried to call out. But no sounds came from my lips. I can’t talk. Great I can’t see and I can’t talk. What’s next. I tried to run toward where I thought the voice was coming from. Then all of a sudden my right arm quit working. I stopped in my tracks. I could move my left. Ya I know I am moving it. Sure of it. There the voice is again. I heard the voice say John would have wanted that. It sounded like my mother’s voice. What would I have wanted. Surly not this! I started to run toward where the voice was coming from. My Right arm just hanging like a damp towel. As I was running my left arm went limp. I stopped once again. I sat down, now both arms are not working. What is happening to me. Am I dreaming? This has to be some horrible nightmare. I went to get up but now both of my legs don’t work. I tried to cry but no tears. The voice! I hear the voice again. This time it is a mans voice, but not my fathers. I heard him say “ If you wish to say good-bye now would be the time.” Good-bye? Good-bye to what? I have nothing left that can stop working. Another voice,wait voices. I can hear two voices now. It’s my parents! They are talking to me! I tried to answer as hard as I could. But nothing would move past my lips. Then I hear the most horrible thing in the world. My father was talking to me. He said “Son you have been in a coma for ten years now. We donated your eyes to a little blind girl. Your arms went to a boy that was in a car crash. Your legs now belong to a young marine that stepped on a land mine over-seas. We donated all of your organs that we could. Well almost. Today your heart will go into your mother who will be able to live here with me until the time comes for us to see you again.” I heard my father say he loved me and my mother loves me too. I don’t know how much time passed after the voices stopped. I slumped to the floor. Then I felt this warmth around me and then I was gone....


I’m glad I checked that little box at the D.M.V. asking me if I would like to donate my organs...