The Crossing Guard

63-year-old John Davis could not have foreseen this when he was 11. The tall Pittsburgh sports fan was a good ballplayer then, batted .660 one season in little league, “had great control as a pitcher” and went on to some tryouts for big league clubs. He married Debbie and the pair raised 3 kids in Hartford, Connecticut. Over the last several years John was the crossing guard at a middle school here. “It’s a great day to be alive” he would say. This summer, John’s bone cancer spread, and his doctors say they can’t control it. He entered hospice at home this week and gripped a baseball signed by the kids from the school. “No curve balls in the house John – you don’t want to break a window,” I said. He seemed to smile a hair but didn’t have much strength. He was cuddled up with a Pittsburgh Steelers blanket, peaceful but small, a shell of that big personality we’d see at the bus stop. I wonder if John could have foreseen this, if there would have been a way to extend his survival and control the cancer. I will think of my friend when I cross with the kids for soccer at the corner of Elm and Hudson. “It’s a great day to be alive” I might say. John would like that.