He's crumpled in a heap, motionless. My bare knees on the rough sidewalk, my hand to his shoulder, I’m shouting, “Hey mister, take a breath!” Nothing. No pulse. Cells die in five minutes, but how many have already passed? One or two or … ? I hear my voice, yelling to the gym patrons, “call 911, get an AED!” I lift his damp t-shirt, run my fingers along the lowest rib to his breastbone, stack my hands and push straight down, hard and fast. I worry for days, then a card arrives at the gym. Thank you for saving my life.
Cathryn Vogeley is a retired nurse specialist turned writer. Her memoir, I Need to Tell You, was published this month. She's also been published in Grande Dame Literary. Find Cathryn at cathrynreadsandwrites.com.
MY PRIVILEGE was a finalist in Five Minutes’ 2022 Spring Contest: Second Chances. Congratulations, Cathryn!