He's Born that Way

”Come on push!”

The man cried in desperation, panting along with the soon to be Mother, trying to remain as calm as possible. All while the thought of his baby being born just now, when there was a fucking hospital not too far down from here and the baby just had to be born right the fuck now.

He could see the head sticking out just a bit, and he choked on vomit. He couldn’t decide if he wanted this baby out or to run scared and shove it back in.

Beside him she screamed, she dug her nails that she insisted getting sharpened and filed into his wrist and yelled into the quiet night. Her kicks, cries, and tears were that of a wild animal. But he insisted that the Mother never looked more beautiful.

“For Christ sake push!”

“Fuck…you!”

She screamed on her last breath and he heard a shrill cry. They smiled as they used his t-shirt to wipe up blood and clean their child off and to relax as the new parents cried and held their baby boy.

The Mother, despite her exhaustion held her boy in her arms and looked up towards the sky to the bright stars that she hadn’t ever seen.

“Make a wish Gerard.”

It was storming out, a cold spring shower that was quickly filling the back of my pick up truck. I didn’t move though, I wanted to celebrate my birthday as I have been for the past thirty-two years, which consisted of me, my mama, and a night under the stars. I was born in the back of this old pick up, my Dad had gotten it the day before my parents divorced, but she took the car though, trying to drive through the roads to the hospital when I just was ready to be born.

“How’d I get born Mama? Did you get to the hospital?”

I can almost taste the memory of taking my first breath. It was pure country air that was my first sip, and although the pollution that now fills my lungs is still a favorite of mine, nothin’ beats clear air and dirt roads. My Mama would smile at me and hold me closer as she told me how I was born in the back of the pick up.

I was told of the immense pain she was in, along with being anxious as a mother for the first time at the young age of eighteen. My father even has these red marks on his wrist that still; to this exact day bring up the story of my birth.

So here I sit under the rain, trails of smoke filling the air and the black sky seemed even darker, bringing out the best stars this night could see. Even though I stopped long ago making wishes on the stars, having little faith in anything any more, I decided to just hope for something, anything to happen.

The best part about hopping is that it’s okay to be disappointed.

--

I awoke to the sound of rustling, and the feeling of immense warmth and comfort. I never wanted to leave the peaceful emptiness of my mind and the smell of tea wafting through the air.

Then I felt my eyes open, and I couldn’t believe it. I was in a small room, littered with knick-knacks and teddy bears, and quilts hung on the wall. In the corner was an old fashioned fire place, the flames flickered and made me smile happily. I couldn’t help the kicking my feet and snuggling further into the blanket.

I didn’t really think about this not being my home until I saw the man in the door way. He had a famers tan and wore a wife beater and blue jeans with so many holes that it was a surprise they were not falling apart at the seams.

“You sure are lucky, kid.”

His hair shined in the small light from the window, his eyes glowed and smiled slightly. He had a cowboy hat on his head and he tipped it and walked toward me.

“Oh, I um, I’m not a kid. I’m like thirty-two.” I admitted, although happy that I was mistaken for being younger I had to face the facts, I was getting middle aged and I didn’t even have kids yet myself.

He wiped his brow and sighed in relief.

“Good, cause if you were a kid, then I’d feel pretty bad for checking you out.”
I felt embarrassed at his compliment, and surprised by being so forward. He sat down on the bed, and placed an arm around me pulling me close. He then kissed my cheek and grinned.

“You could’ve gotten sick from being out there so long, were you havin’ car troubles?”

I shook my head; I couldn’t speak as he reprimanded me for falling asleep out there. I honestly did feel a bit ill, but it could just be the fact that this man I don’t know is acting all friendly with me.

“I guess I’m just lucky.”

He nodded and then told me about how he wished he met more people often; the property his grandfather owned was so out in the country he didn’t meet people that much. Especially not many from the city, they really didn’t stay to chat to some “measly famer who must be stupid because of his southern accent.”

I told him how I loved his voice, and I didn’t really notice any accent until he mentioned it. He smiled and made us breakfast, which really filled me up as he said my diet of coffee and cigarettes was making me too skinny.

We laughed and really enjoyed each others company. He then turned to me at dusk as I told him about my birth and why I spent the night in a pick up in the rain.

“I always wished this sort of thing would happen.”

I kissed him gently, soft and sensuous. Then whispered as we stared at the night sky.

“Me too.”