I have written a short story of Henry and I would like to share it with all of you. The Shack: The story of Henry Cardinal I met Henry a little over a year ago while I was working for the Dollar Tree.It was my first week there and I was seeing so many new faces.. Im kinda shy when I first meet some one so I wasnt asking people their names...they all would call me by Karen but thats because I had a name tag. But when Henry walked in the door and looked at me and smiled.. I knew I had to ask him his name. He came over to me and he said hello young lady and I asked him his name...when he told me it was Henry the first thing I said is that I would never forget his name because that was my maiden! That my friends was the beginning of a new friendship. Henry would come in a few times a week and if I was working he always made a point of going through my line. Even if there was a shorter line open. He always had something nice to say to me...dont get me wrong...he complained about it being so blasted hot and how he had worked hard on the ranch...but thats just normal stuff to talk about. He was proud of the work he did...hed say how these younger folks just didnt have the work ethics that us old folks do...hed laugh and say he did the job faster and better than any of those hoodlums! I never doubted that at all. I admired him. Its funny cause it took me a long time to realize that he was homeless... Dont know why ... he told me one day that he was going home to his shack...I thought he was joking. It was Thanksgiving and he came into the store and said that I should be home with my family not working... I assured him that I enjoyed working holidays cause everyone was always in a good mood and were thankful that we were open for those last minutes items they forgot to buy. He went on his way to do his shopping. He never bought much of anything, usually candles, batteries and those little sausages that come in the can. This time however he splurged..he bought a loaf of bread, mayonnaise, turkey lunch meat, instant potatoes, peas and a frozen apple pie. That was his feast! He explained that he had a makeshift propane oven that he could cook the pie in and heat the potatoes and peas. He was going to go home and listen to his radio and have his dinner. It broke my heart to know that this man would be spending the holiday alone. I should have asked him to our house...but Im sure he would have declined the offer. He was a very proud man. As the months went by Henry and I would talk on my breaks or before I started work. We got to know each other fairly well... He worried about me a lot, I worry about you girl He could tell when something was wrong and when I was happy. He cared and that is what made the difference between him being just a customer and being my friend. In one of our many conversation Henry told me that he had battled cancer before and he fought back and it had went into remission. He was afraid that it would return. I think he knew at that time that the cancer had returned but just didnt want to worry all of us at the store. Time was going by really fast and I started to notice that Henry wasnt coming around as often. At times a few weeks would go by before I saw him again. When I finally saw him again he looked very pale and had lost weight. I asked what was going on and he said that indeed the cancer had returned. He had been in the hospital going through more treatment but it wasnt helping. The cancer was all through his body. As we sat there and talked he told me that he was going to refuse further treatment. It made me very sad but I understood. I asked him if we could pray and he said. I put my arm around him and softly prayed for him. I asked God to please make the time he had left here on earth as painless as possible and that when his time comes that he goes peacefully. I had to get back to work so I said goodbye and he left. A few weeks after that Henry came into the store and walked up to me...he was so gray, his skin was cold.. you could tell that the time was close. When he looked up at me his eyes lite up. His face was full of color and I saw the angels surrounding him. He told me thank you for praying with him and said that most people wouldnt speak to him in the manner that I did. He felt comforted. When he was done talking, his eyes turned almost opaque...like there was no life in him...skin was ashen, his head down he walked out the door. Soon after this event Henry was put into Parkhurst Place and hospice had been called in. I had called him and asked him if I could come see him and if it was alright if I brought a recorder...I wanted to learn more about this man. We had such a wonderful visit and I felt so blessed to be able to share his story. We talked about him growing up and how his dad and how he drank and would get violent throwing things and knocking his mother out cold. Beating on Henry was a daily occurrence. He could not wait to get out underneath his father thumb. He mother had passed and the Vietnam War had been going on. His family told him he should enlist instead of getting drafted. He lied about his age and signed up for the Army. He was in the Army for 4 years and earned a Purple Heart with two clusters. After the Army he came home and tried to get a job but back in those days we as Americans treated the returning soldier like hell (sorry) He was married and had two children, a daughter and a son. So he re-enlisted in the Marines. He served another three years. He had odd jobs from driving Tonis Pizza trucks all over the US, worked in the timber industry, he even was a Carny for a time. He moved his family to Bingen, WA . After 19 years of marriage his wife passed away. They had been in a car accident and she ruptured her colon. While she was having surgery to fix it they found it was full of cancer. She passed away just a few weeks later. Financially it ruined them...they were broke..they had nothing. His daughter who was 16 at the time took an OD of herion and died shortly after his wife. Henry was lost...didnt know what to do... so he shipped his son off to family members. His son never forgave him for that. Henry knew that I was moving to SD soon and told me that I could not leave The Dalles until he died. What do you say to a dying man in that circumstance. So I promised him I wouldnt. I am so glad that I didnt have to break that promise. That is when he became homeless...and by choice for the most part stayed homeless. He had told me that he didnt mind living up in that shack alone. It was quiet, serene, he had a roof over his head...to him his shack was his palace. Henry knew he didnt have much time left but he was not afraid. He had faith in God and he was tired. I knew that Henry had slipped into almost a comma state of mind, and the good people who took care of him said that I could come and see him but he wouldnt realize I was there. He hadnt woke up for three days. When I walked into his room I felt a since of peace in the room... it was like the day I saw the angels. I sat beside his bed , held his hand, and spoke to him as if he was wide awake. I talked about the guys at work and how much they missed him.. I made jokes...his eye brows would move back and forth every once in awhile and I know he heard somewhere in his head. I told him our boss Joe told me to tell him that he still owed him 5 bucks (he didnt really say that) but I wanted some humor. When I said that though the eyebrows were scowling! I swear he was saying, Do I...Im so sorry Once again I prayed, I held him in my arms and prayed that GOD would take him home. I told Henry it was ok to go. I kissed his forehead I would see him in heaven....and just a few hours later he passed away. I knew that Henry was destitute and while that is true as far him living in a shack, being poor and not really having anything. Henry was never destitute in heart or in soul. He was a RICH man with so much love and compassion for others. He loved, he lost, he made mistakes...just like all of us. Henry dealt with his life with pride and dignity. A house does not define a man...his character does... and Henry character defined him as a wonderful human being. Rest in peace my dear friend. I love you. LikeLike · · Share
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 04:00:31 +0000
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