Author - Eric John

Rain, Sweat or a Tear

The wind and rain pelt his truck windows
Its diesel engine rattles in the night air
He pulls off his gnarled, weather worn hard hat
And scratches his sweat soaked hair

The cell phone on the dash lights up, again
And he snatches it up to his ear
He answers it in his roughest old lineman's voice
Another call is not what he wants to hear

But the voice that comes out of the phone to him
Pierces his tough lineman's shell
He sags a little in his exhausted state
He knows this little voice well

"Daddy, do you have more work tonight?"
She asks of him ounce again
"Yes, Honey, I sure do.
Now it's late and you have to go to bed."

"But I can't say my prayers tonight,
Because you are not even here."
He hears only frustration in her voice
And realizes one of his fears

He sits for a minute with nothing to say
Only clenches his hand on the wheel
Until that sweet little voice comes back
He feels worse than he could possibly feel

"I'll say them now, if you'll listen to me,"
"Because I know you have to go."
"Ok, Honey, I'll listen to you.
"He chokes back the lump in his throat

He listens intently to the prayers she prays
As the storm rages in the night
He strains to listen as her voice gets distant
With every lightning strike

The message is garbled and the connection is bad
Her little voice begins to fade
He curses the storm that keeps him away
And breaks the promises that he has made

He hears amen on the other end
And hears the sound of a sweet little kiss
The phone is static and then goes dead
He feels sad at all that he has missed

She's too young to understand why he does what he does
Only that he's gone when there's clouds in the sky
But he does what he does for many good reasons
Some day she will understand why

He sets down the phone and buttons his collar
Pulls his hard hat down a little harder
He swipes a single drop from his face as he leaves
Rain, sweat or a tear; In all it doesn't really matter