In Our Words Canadians Reading Together

The Birth

PEGGY ANDERSON

Late one night the neighbour knocked on the front door and asked if he could use my phone. “Yes”, I said as I led him to the phone in the kitchen. It was late and I wondered what could have been so important that he needed to use it at this time of night. He needed to call an ambulance because his wife was in labour and was about to give birth. He was shaking so bad I had to do it for him.

By the time the ambulance arrived he was a nervous wreck. Soon the mother-to-be was in the back on her way to the hospital. Everyone waited with anticipation to see if it was a girl or boy. To our surprise it was both.