The Man Life Happened To

The bases were loaded and they were down by one point. It was the bottom of the ninth and little Joey was up to bat. The other parents groaned in the stands wishing anyone else stood at home plate, a kid who could actually hit the ball. The first two pitches whizzed by without him really noticing, both strikes according to the umpire. Little Joey knew he had to be ready for this next one and swing with all his might. He tightened his grip, adjusted his stance and forced his eyes to stay on the ball. Big swing! He spun and fell to the ground. Three strikes, you’re out. Game over. Joey’s father came to scoop him up while the crowd packed their things in disgust. His dad reassured him it was okay they lost the game and the most important thing was he tried his best. He hugged Joey tight and reiterated, “It is what it is.”

Joseph shifted in his seat, anxious for the school bus driver to go faster. He was eager to get home to check the mail because there was supposed to be college letters arriving today. The driver informed him they were getting there as fast as they legally could and asked him to calm down. Joseph decided to relax and watch the trees go by out the window next to him. When they finally arrived, he was at the bus door before the parking brake hissed. The driver rolled his eyes and opened the door, then Joseph tore towards his house. Once inside, he quickly greeted his mother as she pointed out the pile of mail on the console table. He thumbed through to his first choice and gingerly opened it. His mother sensed sadness in his face and came over to comfort him. Joseph shrugged in her arms and sighed, “It is what it is.”

As they waited at the stop light to turn into their neighborhood, Joseph’s cellphone chimed. A text from his wife popped up on the screen. She wanted time alone when they got back and asked if his brother could go elsewhere for a while. His heart began to race and the phone slipped from his sweaty hand as he tried giving it to his brother to read. Mason sensed Joseph was tense, tried assuring him it was nothing to worry about and he would go to a friend’s for the evening. They pulled into the driveway and Joseph grabbed his overnight bag from the truck bed before heading inside as Mason pulled away. His wife sat on the couch in the living room while the dogs played out in the backyard. Joseph noticed a letter in her hands and how she struggled to look at him. She had him sit on the other couch across from her while she read the letter aloud, its contents devastating to their marriage. There were tears from the both of them throughout the conversation. Lost love, two people grown distant with mistakes added up over the years. In the end, she grabbed her bags from their bedroom and turned to leave for good. As they shared a parting hug she whispered, “It is what it is.”

The phone rang at his desk, breaking his concentration. Joseph tried to ignore it because he was in the middle of a very important project, but with a quick glance he saw it was his boss. He answered, listened for a few seconds, then hung up with a blank stare on his face. He had been asked to the office. Perhaps it was nothing, or maybe it was a job well done! This summoning did not happen often, so it was hard to tell. He went and took a seat across from the desk, then waited to be addressed. Upon finishing some paperwork, his boss slid him an envelope. It appeared the company decided to downsize and he was being let go. Joseph was asked for a few signatures and the only other explanation given was, “It is what it is.”

There was a nervous knock at their bedroom door. Joseph looked to his wife next to him and she looked up from her book. They beckoned the knocker come in and their son William stepped through the door. He had come home late from football practice and still smelled of sweat and turf. William had a hard time speaking for a minute, but finally confessed he had put the family car through a fender bender on the way home. Joseph sat up from the bed and put on some slippers to go take a look with his son. While they walked to the garage, William expressed how sorry he was, that he did not see the other car turning until it was too late and how he would pay for it all by taking extra shifts at his job. Once he gave the car a close look over, Joseph surmised the damage was minimal and told his son not to worry. In fact, he was concerned about the increase in insurance premiums more than anything. He grabbed William’s shoulder, looked him in the eye and told him, “It is what it is.”

He sat in the hospital bed, waiting for the doctor to return with the test results. Old Joe suspected the worst, but he was at peace with whichever way it went. He had remarried and then lived a long, good life filled with much joy and wonderful memories. His son William and grandson Christopher waited in the lobby out front, a couple of old Joe’s proudest investments. If this went the way Joseph thought, they would be real sad as they were with their mother’s passing not too long ago, but they were strong men and would carry on just fine without him. The doctor stepped into the room after a light knock and gave him the verdict. Just as he thought, a disease without cure and not much time left to live. At least they knew now, still had some time to prepare and could make the rest of his days pass surrounded by those he loved most. The doctor tried to apologize with sincerity in his eyes, but Joseph waved it off and said, “It is what it is.”

Wendy walked slowly through the graveyard, weaving her way off the designated path to stall the inevitable. She was there to pay her respects to her best friend gone too soon. Halfway there, she passed by a headstone which halted her steps. She read it out loud and laughed to herself as a few tears rolled down her cheeks. The inscription gave her some comfort and brought her much needed peace. It read, “Here lies Joseph Lee Dawson. It is what it is.”