We don't get many visitors anymore and certainly not early on a Sunday morning, but as I opened the door I saw an older gentleman that I hadn't seen in years and it almost brought tears to my eyes.
I was, to say the least, floored as I welcomed him in, saying "What in the world brings you to my house?" Where have you been all of these years?"
As I helped him off with his overcoat I saw that he didn't look much older than the last time I had seen him and that had to have been 40 or 50 years ago. I could smell a sweet aroma of some foreign spice or scent in the fabric of his coat that took my mind back to a time in my life, yet, I didn't know when it could have been.
"Vell, To'mas", he said in his deep European accent and broken English speech, "You don't come visit me, so I decide to come visit you."
"But what brings you to Richardson and how on earth did you find me.", I asked with a confused look on my face. "And, how come you haven't aged?"
And then stupidly I said, "You know, actually I thought you were dead. People had even told me you were dead." He smiled and said, "Do I look dead?"
As I offered him a cup of coffee, he shrugged it off and did ask if he might have some tea. As I ransacked through the cupboard looking for some Lipton's or any old teabags, I was having flashbacks and was simply puzzled with when I had seem him last.
As I returned to the living room with his cup of tea he said, "Tommyboy, I have always been around, it's just that you never bother to look for me. Vhat is wrong, have I offended you. Have I made you mad at me?"
I couldn't think of anything that I would have done to ever have upset this kindly gentleman and I would never be mad at him. He looked at me with compassion and yet interested in what my answer would be.
And then he said in the distinctive accent once again, with a cliche' that sometimes makes people chuckle, "How you doin?"
By then Cooper had smelled of him and after a few pats on his head, Cooper laid down at the man's feet which was odd. Cooper normally is running back and forth whenever a stranger comes by, not aggressively but more wanting to play.
I tried to collect my thoughts and replied, "Well, I'm doing pretty good, We have a nice home here in Richardson. The kids are all grown now. We have a bunch of grandkids. I'm writing a lot. I doing a lot of projects. I guess everything is fine."
He looked at me as if I didn't answer his question.
"Tommyboy, but how you doin?" and this time he places his hands over his heart as if to imply, how am I on the inside.
And then it dawned on me. I didn't answer his question. I just gave him a summary of my life.
I said, "Well, maybe my soul is a little empty. Maybe it's been way too long since I have visited you. Maybe I need to spend more time with you."
He then politely said, "Vell, if you can't make it by my house, I'm on da fancy Internet thing and you can visit me dere." And then he smiled a smile that brought me back more than 60 years. A smile that brought me peace.
I got up to freshen his cup of tea and when I returned he was no longer sitting there. His overcoat was gone. Nothing. Not a trace. I was dumbfounded, but then I smelled that sweet fragrance one more time. That sweet smell of incense that reminded me of a time of innocence. Maybe it has been too long. Maybe when your friends come calling and looking for you, it's time that you should be looking for them.
Shalom
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