“The ambulance is on its way, but they are not here yet. I cannot think clearly, although I think about concentrating… think Brian, Think…You know, when confronted with the real possibility of dying, a strange calm envelops you. I breathed easier facing the obvious conclusion…I was going to die today.

As the time for my heart transplant comes closer, I find myself thinking about the whole experience. Yes, the thought of getting a new heart is an exciting prospect. I have been sick for a long time. And yes, it is a bit scary too. Imagine looking at your chest. Then imagine what it would look like with a big cut running right down the middle.

“Death’s Kiss”

My name is Jack. I grew up on the streets of New York. Regardless the time of day, through my eyes the streets always looked like midnight. Didn’t matter the season, New York was always as cold as a frost-bitten day in January. Hardly a good vision, but perfect for a guy like me. And with so many people crowded into such a small place, I could always blend in and there would be an ample supply of victims.