The Scene

It was quite some years ago. My dad is in a hospital bed. His Doctor, a wonderful woman named Dr. Moore, walks into the room. My dad is surrounded by his children and his wife. He has been falling...the last fall was the third in one month. Although he has a distrust of doctors and hospitals and just generally doesn't like any fuss made over him, the latest spill convinced him tests were necessary. Dr. Moore is carrying the chart. She is looking in it as she enters the room...no doubt reacquainting herself with the results of the tests. She takes his hand and speaks directly to him. "Hello Richard. How do you feel?" My dad answers as if he isn't in a hospital bed, "Not bad, how are you?" "Fine," she says softly. The softness of her response tells us the news isn't going to be great.

The Test Results

"Richard, you have quite a bit of blockage, your heart isn't receiving all it needs right now. You are in need of bypass surgery."

Silence sits patiently in the room for a full minute.

The Reaction

My dad shifts in the bed. He says in a completely calm voice, "No, that's ok. I don't want to go to all that bother."

We wait.

My mom says, "Richard, she is saying you need the surgery."

My dad says, "I know. But, the thing is...the Giants are playing really well."

We know my dad has loved the S.F. Giants forever. Still, we are confused. What could the Giants have to do with this moment?

He continues, sensing the confusion, "If I have to die, and we all do, I would rather die while they are still playing well. Eventually, they will start to lose a lot of games in a row and i would rather not be around to see it."

The Result

We remind my dad that baseball isn't the only reason to live or die. We remind him that his children and his wife would like for him to be around. It takes some doing, but my dad agrees to the operation.

My dad survives the triple bypass surgery. He lives for many more years. He was right about the Giants though. They begin to lose and lose and lose. The season ends and my dad is heart broken once again.

Fast Forward

He dies many Januarys later, after falling and breaking his hip. Complications of the heart made him not survive the night he came home from his hip surgery.

Fast Forward Two More Years

Two years after we lose him, his beloved Giants win the World Series. (2010) If there was one person in the world that deserved to see that series..it was my dad. I was ecstatic: so happy that our team had finally won. I was also so sad my dad wasn't there to see it. From him I learned to love the game. From him I learned to love the Giants. From him I learned what it is to enjoy the win and cry over the loss.