I universe you...

It happened on a Friday. You know, the day the world tell us TGIF. Well don’t believe them, because sometimes Friday doesn’t offer us anything to be thankful for. Or at least that what I thought...and this is the day it all began.

The weather was incredible that whole month of May, so being I worked less than 2 miles away, I rode my bike. Something about riding a bike really makes the scenery so much better than driving a car. The sounds of kids playing, restaurants hopping, and lots of people jammed in traffic.

I jump off my bike, park it in my usual spot, and head into work. I think to myself how I love this place, as I pull open the heavy, and old solid wood door, just like a true Irish pub. The nostalgia of a mom and pop bar and grill, where everyone knows each-other, and the customers and workers are just happy to be there. It’s that one place in the world that makes you know the universe is more simple and more kind than the news tells us.

One of my faves comes in and sits down with his head hung low. “Hey Frank, what’s can I get you”? Frank asks me for his usual, corn beef on rye and a coke. I punch in his order and head to the kitchen.

I come back with Frank’s food, and set it in front of him. He asks me to wrap it up to go, he just doesn’t have the appetite. I put my hand on his shoulder and say, “spill the beans, what’s up”? He paused for a long while, and holding back tears he starts to tell me about his wife Raquel , and how she needs a special surgery that requires $20,000 out of his pocket, but if she doesn’t get the surgery in less than 24 hours she’ll definitely never see again. Raquel was is an accident that caused detachment of important nerves to allow us to see. The only surgery available was high risk, and needed to be done immediately while the nerves were still working. Insurance wouldn’t cover it because of the high risk nature, and also the surgery was never performed on a human to date, only a gorilla!

Raquel and Frank, they are that one couple you dream to be one day, you know, when you find your person. The love between them is something you can see, and something you can feel.

When Frank came back from the war in the Middle East , he was told he’d never walk again. He took a bullet, piercing his spine, causing his legs to stop working. But when he got home, Raquel wouldn’t give up on him, and wouldn’t let Frank give up either! She left her job, and solely worked with him every day. She pushed him hard, and 2 years later, Frank was walking like nothing ever happened! Now, they say I universe you. Which means their love is bigger than the universe.

He started to tell me that if Raquel never had to leave her job, to take care of him, to help him learn to walk again, that they’d have that money for her surgery. Like it was all his fault.

Before I could talk Frank out of blaming himself, he was already walking out the door. My heart hurt for them both.

I started trying to think of a way to come up with that kind of money, with less than 24 hours. I felt so helpless, so small. I loved my job, but it wasn’t a big money maker. I always wanted to go to college to be a nurse, but it was to expensive.

My next customer came in, Demi. She talked nonstop about her grandkids, catching me up on their latest achievements. It was nice to hear her and to see how her grandkids gave her such joy. I’m pretty sure Demi would say I universe you to them, especially if she understood it’s grandeur. She had a quick sandwich and left me her usual tip, a scratch off. I won $50 once, but mostly they are losers.

I stuck the ticket in my pocket, and continued taking care of the customers. All day, as I worked, I had that sinking feeling. To think of Frank and Raquel, and how they must feel.

I did all my side work, and emptied my pockets as usual. I organized my tips and began to count it. I used a coin to scratch of my ticket from Demi. I scratched off the first 3, no matches. But when I scratched off the last three, you’ll never guess what I saw! $20,000, $20,000, and $20,000!!! I just won’t $20,000!! The universe was listening!! I ran out the door, jumped on my bike and started to head into town where Frank lives! My head was about to explode with joy and excitement! When I got to the house I almost couldn’t talk, I was still in shock!

Frank said he couldn’t take the money, but I told him I would go to the surgeon and pay it myself if he wasn’t going too! We rushed to the hospital that Raquel was at, and told them to start the surgery. It was terrifying because there was still a chance that the surgery wouldn’t work, but with so many people praying for her, and the universe listening, I knew she’d be ok!

I took Frank’s car, and left him at the hospital to get my ticket cashed at the lottery store. When i came back, Raquel was out of surgery. We wouldn’t know if she got her vision back until tomorrow. It seemed like tomorrow was forever away! I went home for some sleep, but rushed back to the hospital to see if Raquel’s bandages were removed.

As I entered the room, Raquel and Frank were holding each other while they sobbed. I started to cry too. I assumed they were crying because it didn’t work! But guess what? It worked! I hugged them both, and the thanked me profusely. They said they would figure out how to repay me. I told them I didn’t want anything, and I would not take a penny from them!

That evening, while I was at work, a reporter and her video crew came in and Frank was with them. They did a story on me, and the story went viral. You will never guess what transpired from mine and Frank’s story.

A group of nurses heard that my dream was to be a nurse and they raised enough money to put me through nursing school. I was overwhelmed with the gesture, and with my new adventure. I couldn’t believe I was going to be a nurse.