It has happened to me on different occasions that I have had encounters with strangers in strange circumstances. They have warned me of something bad that may happen or they stay with me and then leave just as they arrive, silently, without saying goodbye.
In those moments, I have the feeling that these people are special beings, and their mission is to give a message or to be there in moments of loneliness, sadness or worry, when company is needed. That happened to me once when I was accompanying my sister in a hospital. She had been operated on and had spent a few days in intensive care because she had a heart attack during the operation.
It was a very old hospital in Caracas, formerly used for tuberculosis patients, because of its cold climate, they called it and still call it "El Algodonal".
The room where my sister was resting was very large, there was a row of 10 beds and only two were occupied. I remember that in those days there had been an attempted coup d'état and they had sent home the patients who could wait for the operation and only left the most urgent cases.
In the family we took turns taking care of her and it was my turn that night. I had traveled from Maracay where I was studying to be with her, she was my older sister and we were very close.
The night was getting long. No noise could be heard. My sister was sleeping and was under the effects of painkillers.
A nurse came to check the treatment, she saw me sitting there on a chair next to the bed nodding off and said to me.
"She is going to sleep all night, if you feel sleepy you can lie down on that bed" and she pointed to the next bed that was prepared with white sheets.
"Thank you", I said. But I thought I couldn't go to sleep, I had to keep an eye on her. So I held on to sleep as long as I could but my eyes were closing.
I saw a person enter the room through the door that led to the hallway, they were metal doors with the paint a little corroded, She was very young to be a nurse and did not have the uniform. Maybe she is a relative of a patient...I thought. She approached me.
"Hello!" she said. "Who are you taking care of?".
I could detail her better, she couldn't have been more than 13 years old, she was short. Her hair was short and black. The expression on her face was very smiling and calm.
"My sister, who had surgery a few days ago and yesterday was released from intensive care".
She immediately said to me.
"Do you want to have a coffee to make you sleepy? I know where there is a machine. Let's go!".
I hesitated for a moment even though I wanted to drink coffee.
"I just can't leave her alone".
"She's going to be fine, don't worry. Come on, let's go. It's not very far".
I let myself be convinced by the girl and we left the room, we arrived at a long corridor and in the center there was a garden. All the way there, I didn't see anyone, not even medical personnel. The girl was in front of me leading me. At the end of the hallway there was a waiting room with some was the coffee machine. It was like everything else in that very old room. I was surprised that it worked.
"Come",said the girl, whose name I never asked.
"And you don't have to put coins in it?".
She looked at me with her always smiling face. "No need to". And she pressed the button.
The frothy coffee fell into a cardboard cup.
"And you are not going to drink?"
"No, I not drink coffee.
On the way back we walked along the same corridor.
We entered the room and I hurried to the bed where my sister was. She was still asleep and breathing calmly. I turned to look at the girl and she was gone. I looked out the door and didn't see her. She had left without saying goodbye.
But then I felt calm and lay down on the bed next to her. I fell asleep.
I woke up to hear my sister's voice calling me. I approached her and asked her how she was feeling and if she wanted anything.
"I was thirsty.
I gave her water and stood next to her holding her hand and the dawn began to break. The light was coming in through the big windows.
My mother and my grandmother arrived at mid-morning and I kept thinking about that girl who accompanied me and I took the opportunity to walk through the corridors of the hospital, but I did not find her.
It was a mystery that I could not solve, I did not dare to ask the nurses if they knew or had seen that young woman.
Was I dreaming? I am sure and I have the proof that it was not a dream. There on the table was the glass of coffee.
