The key of happiness

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One was allowed to sit on his bed every afternoon for an hour, to help drain the fluid of his lungs. His bed was beside the only window in the room. The other man had to spend all his time on his back.

The two men talked for hours. They talked of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their stay in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he spend the time describing to his neighbour all the things he could see from the window.

The man in the other bed began to wish that those hours came where his world broadened and came alive by all the activity and color of the outside world.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children played with their kites. Young lovers walked holding hands, amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Large trees graced the landscape, and one could see in the distance a beautiful view of the city line.

The man by the window described all this in exquisite detail; the one of other side of the room closed his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see with the eyes of his mind, exactly as it was described by the man by the window with his magical words.
Days and weeks passed. One morning the day nurse arrived to bring water for bath only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. Full of grief, she called the hospital attendants to take the body.

As soon as he considered it appropriate, the other man asked to be moved to the bed beside the window.
The nurse changed him delighted, after making sure he was comfortable, she left the room. Slowly, hardly, the man straightened up on his elbow, to give its first look at the outside world, he would finally have the joy of seeing it. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed... and he found a white wall.

The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things through the window. The nurse said the man was blind and could not even see the wall, and told him:

"Maybe he just wanted to cheer you up."

Vocabulary:
Both: Ambos
Allowed: Permitido (To allow)
Drain: Drenar
Only: Única
On his back: Boca arriba
Broadened: Se ensanchaba (To broaden = Ensancharse)
Came alive: Cobraba vida (To come alive)
Overlooked: Con vista a, daba a (la ventana daba a un parque…)
Holding hands: Tomados de las manos
Amid: Entre
Graced: Adornaban (To grace)
Although: A pesar de (que)
Grief: Pesar
Delighted: Encantada
Straightened up: Se irguió
Elbow: Codo
Strained: Se esforzó
Deceased: Difunto
Cheer up: Animarle (To cheer someone up)