The stress level is high, everything is coming together in a crescendo of activities as we come to the end of a school year, busy times at work, and Easter week, one of the greatest weeks of the year for many of us. Patrick just got home from college for his spring break, Sean will be coming home in a few days, Kelly will be coming over this weekend. My classes are heating up, I'm coming to the end of the term, and I have so much to get done before the end of the year, tests to prepare, homework to grade, classes to prepare for. And then there is work, who can forget that, life is busy at work, and we can never complain about that.
Patrick wanted to go to see his favorite teacher, Mr. Burkholder, at Music and Arts, so I decided I could drive him over and multi-task (really, is there such a thing?). I would get gas in the car, stop by the grocery store and then sit out in front of Music and Arts on this glorious Monday night, preparing my accounting lesson for class that week. As I sat down, reviewing some of the homework from Chapter 19, Share-based Compensation and Earnings Per Share (really, really exciting stuff), I had little idea what was in store for me.
I settled in on the bench in front of the store, basking in the evening sunlight, and started reading the homework problem, "On October 15, 2010, the board of directors of Ensor Materials Corporation approved a stock option plan for key executives ...." Just then, a man came up, and said, "Do you mind if I sit down and talk to you?"
I looked up, and I'm sure I had that look of dread on my face. Here in front of me was an old, semi-toothless man. He had on an old multi-stained white t-shirt that carried many past meals and dirt on it, old blue sweat pants and a piece of paper in his hand, it seemed to say something about food, I thought to myself, he's going to want to work for food, give me some sad story about being out of work, homeless, whatever. Just what I needed, I'm trying to get my work done for class, and I have to deal with this.
I semi-politely said, "Sure", and he sat down next to me. "America's not what it used to be, people used to sit out on their front porches and talk. Now they just sit in front of the TV, no one wants to talk anymore" I thought to myself, "Yeah sure, that's what I'm doing, sitting in front of the TV, I have got to get back to studying. OK, Ensor Materials Corporation approved a stock option plan for key executives..." I just kept on reading and grunted out an "uh-huh". Please take the hint and move on.
"You know, I teach a sailing course over at Lake Lanier, five weekend course, you have to really work hard in that course. I've sailed to the Bahamas many times, spent a great deal of time down there."
I glanced over, I really didn't want to make any eye contact, and looked at him, what teeth he had were really rotted out, he just kind of stared off into the distance, really didn't look at me. He just went on and on, jumping from topic to topic, not leaving much time for breathing in between. "I've spent time over in France and Italy, took my wife over there, had some really good white Merlot over in Italy, could never find it over here. I kept trying to get Merlot, and I finally realized I wanted white Merlot. It's really a lot like white Zinfandel, I liked to drink that too."
I could feel my insides boiling, I had so much to prepare for this week, I had to get this lesson done. Should I just excuse myself and go sit in the car? Should I tell him to just leave me alone? When will he take the hint, I really don't want to talk? "key executives. On January 1, 2011, 20 million stock options. Wait a second, didn't I just read this?"
"I used to teach in Dekalb County schools. Taught for over 30 years. I went to graduate school in the summers at Georgia State. It was a lot of work, but I did it. I'm 77 now, I came to Music and Arts because I'd like to learn to play the piano."
"Wait, what? You taught in the school system? You want to learn how to play piano?", I thought to myself. I looked over again, I took a longer look. Still that blank stare off into space. He didn't really ever look at me, just looked off into space and kept right on talking.
"My wife died two years ago, she had Parkinson's disease. It's a terrible thing to get. She got to the point near the end, she didn't even know my name. I miss her terribly. I guess that's why I talk so much to people, I just miss her and need someone to talk to."
At this point, I set my book aside, I really looked, I didn't glance away, I took him in for who he really was, or at least used to be. And my heart fell as I thought to myself, there but for the grace of God, go I. And I realized, I had failed. It was Easter week, when we celebrate the risen Christ, what Jesus has done for us, the ultimate sacrifice that He has given us, and I failed Him miserably, I couldn't give 15 minutes to one of the least of us, someone who could be me a few short years from now, depending on what life brings me.
Just then Patrick came out of Music and Arts, and I said, "That's my ride, I need to be going". He finally looked into my eyes, and he really looked at me, looked into me, and he said, "My name's Paul, I didn't catch your name."
"Me? Judas. My name's Judas."
