A man named Bradly

My name is Eloise Pearson and I like to write about suicide. I do not want to commit it, just write about it. My story for today may be a happy one or not, I don't really know yet. I was walking in the darker places of the city, the slums and the crime areas, when I saw a man on top of an apartment building. He looked like he might death drop right in front of me. I went up to the roof of the building. He was standing next to the ledge. I walked up to him and said, "Nice night. Isn't it?" I turned to look at him. He looked like a family man who just lost his job. He wasn't shaven and was wearing a button down shirt and a disheveled suit. He looked like he hadn't slept in several days. He looked at me and had a sullen expression on his face. "I guess it is." He sighed and turned back to look at the ground. "What happened?" I asked, guessing that he had either lost his job and couldn't tell his wife or that he had just gotten a divorce. "I just lost my job and I don't know how to tell my wife and kids." He looked even sadder then before. "I was the only person in the household who could make any money. My wife can't walk and my kids are too young." He started leaning towards the edge but I put my hand on his shoulder. "Have you tried to tell her about it?" I asked. He shook his head, in fact he was shaking all over. He had started crying. I managed to get him to back up from the edge a little and I put my hand on his back. "What do your kids look like?" I asked, trying to get him to talk about his family. "My youngest is a sweat little girl who looks almost exactly like her mother, blond hair and a beautiful smile. My boys both have brown hair with blue eyes." He was still shaking but I could tell that he was starting to calm down a little.

"Well, you don't want to make them sad, right? Why don't we go sit down?" I asked, hoping that he would follow me. I let go of his back and sat down on the ledge. He hesitated for a second then sat down next to me. "So you lost your job but that doesn't mean your life is over. There are plenty of other jobs out there." I said. He nodded, tears still streaming down his face. "You just have to look. It doesn't have to be so hard and I know your wife will love you no matter what. Your kids need their father." I continued, patting his shoulder. "This isn't the reason to end your life. This isn't what your wife and kids want. They want you home, with them. They will love you no matter what's going on in your life." I looked at him. He looked at me and had stopped crying. His eyes were still red but he looked more composed. He nodded very slowly, realizing that he was about to leave his family and leave them without a father. "You are right. I need to give myself another chance and tell them." He sighed and got up. "Why did you come up here?" He asked me. "Because it's a nice night and it's a better night when spent with people." I said, not saying the real reasons I came up here. A few years ago, I had seen someone come up here and jump, right in front of me and I didn't want anyone else to do that. "Tell you what, if you ever want to get a drink in the future, call me." I said, handing him a little card with my phone number on it. "You can also call just to talk. I am always available to chat." I smiled as I too got up. "Thanks. I might just have to take you up on that offer but not tonight. You were a big help tonight. Thank you so much." He replied, smiling right back. He then got a look of realization and shook my hand and took off for the stairs. I smiled and stayed on the roof. It really was a nice night.

I looked down and saw him on the street. He looked to me with a huge grin on his face as he waved. I waved back, smiling. He took off running back to his family. I sat back down on the ledge and said, "It really is a nice night."

A few months later, I got a phone call from an unknown number. When I answered, I heard his voice saying, "This is Bradly is this the nice woman who helped me on the roof a few months ago?" I replied, "This is she. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great right now. I would love it if you would come with my wife and I to get a drink." he said.

"Sure. Tell me where to meet you and I come." I said.

He sent me an address and we had a lovely time. His wife is very nice and was very happy to meet me. We talked for a while and then we went our separate ways. He sends me up dates on his new job and how his kids are doing to this day.