The Wrist Band by Angely Gonzalez

 The Wrist Band

By Angely Gonzalez

             It seemed to be made of paper and fragile; but it was not – it was made of plastic appearing as paper.  It was highly durable and comfortable as well as water proof.  It had to be durable; she had been wearing it all this time and it was still intact.  Its original color was orange, which became her favorite color for the impact it made on her.  As time went on it faded to a yellowish hue and finally to white. It had faded but still, there was no sign of it falling apart or tearing off.  She had her reasons for not taking it off, mainly that it triggered her memory to that one special night; the night she met the love of her life.

Every time she saw it, she would have conversations with whomever would listen as she gave details of when she went out and where she met him – her companion.  The man who made her feel whole.  The man’s whose body’s warmth she wanted by her side day and night – her big protector – her soulmate.  That man she yearned to have next to her for the rest of her life; but as it turned out, it would be for the rest of his life.  He too suffered from a medical condition losing his battle leaving her with only the wrist band – which triggered thoughts of a happy life.

         The wrist band she thought all along was the reminder of a great life, was her hospital tag identifying her and her medical condition.  She had a combination of medical problems: history of migraine attacks; cardiovascular disease; brain injury from a previous accident and a mild stroke.  It was almost certain she would suffer from amnesia at some point.  But it was the news and the shock of him being gone which caused her memory loss.

         How sad and happy at the same time.  Sad that she didn’t recall where she was or why; or that he was no longer with her; but happy because when she looked at the band she relived those happy moments and the joyful thoughts of the two of them being together seemed as the present.

         The interesting thing about her memory loss is that when she saw her wrist band, she didn’t see herself hospitalized.  She didn’t see a medical identification band.  She saw that orange band she had received when she entered that venue on that special day, the day she met him.  She saw herself as that young woman who conquered that man who she feels is still by her side.  The wrist band that although now replaced is what keeps her happy in a life that is no longer what she had lived and now gone; but is still there in her heart and because of it, it gave her life.  The power of love.