THE UNEXPECTED GUEST

TIME: New Years Eve 1989 PLACE: Delancey street Philadelphia

The small fragile old man struggled against the cold harsh wind as he made his way up Delancey street, it was as if nature sensed the ending of the year and brought in the winds of change, to sweep clean and make fresh for the fast approaching new decade.

The wind driven snow grabbed, clawed and blinded him but the old man never gave up , as he approached his destination he quickened his pace ,driving his arthritic crippled legs faster, what the old man did not know was that he had an appointment with destiny.

Finally he made it!, He could see the inviting warm light spilling from the window on to the deserted street, the old man cautiously ,quietly, made his way to the window and peered into the house, a smile slowly crept to his frigid lips.

Through the window the old man gazed at a man and woman and two small children, sitting at their dining room table about to eat dinner on this freezing December night.The old man was transfixed to the scene in front of him ,it was as if he were frozen in this very spot.

Suddenly! a loud CRASH! a stray dog knocked over the metal garbage cans starting off a volley of the neighborhood dogs howling and barking into the night.

The old man's attention was taken away from the window by this and he did not see the young man of the house approach him.

YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE! The old man was caught, his mind did not have time to think and his body was not young enough to react. The young man of the house pointed a flashlight directly in to the old man's eyes, momentarily blinding him.

The young man spoke ,"I know you". The old man emphatically replied , "I do not believe you do sir". Yes I do the young man said, you are the dish washer for the restaurant next to my business, What are you doing around here on such a cold frigid night?

The old man said that he was just getting out of work and that he was waiting for a bus home to south Philadelphia.

Do you always wait for the bus two miles away from the restaurant? said the young man , besides the bus that passes by here does not go anywhere near your boarding house on Federal street.

Come into my home and warm up , that bus will not pass by here for another 45 minutes.

Please sir !, I do not want to intrude and disturb your evening meal, my family is waiting for me! replied the old man.

Nonsense! I know for a fact that your family does not live with you in south philadelphia, now make haste Mr Hopkins, it's freezing out here and my dinner is getting cold.

The old man was dumb founded that the young man knew so much about him, even his last name, "Hopkins". He gave in out of curiosity and followed the young man into his warm inviting house.

As the old man followed the young man into his dining room, he noticed an extra place setting at the table, I see that you are expecting a guest. I really do not want to disturb you.

The young man's wife replied that it was their households custom to always have ready an extra place-setting and chair for the "unexpected guest". So please sit down , we have plenty to eat and drink, and you could say in a way that we were expecting you.

The old man sat down at the table and the young man brought a glass of wine and set it in front of the old man who replied, "Please sir, I do not mean to insult your generosity, but I do not drink alcohol.

None at all?, said the young man.

The old man replied, I have not tasted any liquor for 10 years, it was alcohol and drugs that took away all the good things in this world that I had.

Did it take away your family? asked the young man.

Please, I do not want to spoil your evening, I will take my hat and coat and leave you good people alone.

The young man stated that the old man's employer had told him how Mr Hopkins would council the other workers there about the evil of drink and drugs, he also told me that you were his best worker and that you were always on time and worked 7 days a week.

The old man was incredulous that the young man knew so much about him, he sunk back into his chair.

Please Mr Hopkins tell me about your life, I would like to hear about it.Your wife, your child..

The old man left out a sigh and said , " You were correct when you said that my family does not live with me , I have not lived with them for 30 years, in fact I am really all alone.

When I was younger I lived in the fast lane, I had this talent for hurting the people I loved, the woman I married was the sweetest person on earth, there was nothing she would not do for me, and yet I would cheat on her, spending all our money on booze and drugs and gambling, I have lived an ugly life, a life of quick fixes and thrills, my heart breaks when I think of my poor wife and what I had done to her, I brought her nothing but sadness and destruction.

Did you have a child? asked the young man

Yes I did, I had a son who I did not see until he was much older, right before he was born I had left, I did not find out to much later that his mother had died when he was five years old and that he was put into an orphanage.

How did you find all this information out about your family and son? asked the young man.

The old man now with visible tears in his eyes replied, about five years ago I hired a private detective.. the young man interrupted, "was it Mike Mehan that you hired?"

Yes, yes, said the old man , how did you know that?

Mr Mehan is the best Philadelphia detective around, and the most expensive I might add, he specializes in adoptions and finding missing people, I have used him in the past.

The old man replied, Yes it took all the money I had saved but it was worth it, I just wanted to know if my son was all right,I wanted to see if he carried my gene of self destruction, I do not want to bother him or disturb his life, I rather live a life of loneliness, I have no right to be called his father, nor can I ask for his forgiveness, it is just too much to expect from him.

The young man replied, I have tasted loneliness and it is a very bitter taste, I am an orphan Mr Hopkins, I was adopted by loving people who clothed me, fed me, educated me and loved me, they are the only family that I have ever known, they will always be in my heart, because they rescued me from loneliness.

But there was always a missing piece to me, to my identity.

In recent years I have searched for my biological father and I have found him. I believe you should seek your son, speak your heart and let the cards fall where they may.

The old man replied, I am not worthy of forgiveness , I am a wretched old man who prays every night that God will take my life, I would give anything if I could change what has happened, but I can not.

The tears were falling like streams of water from the old mans eyes, he hurriedly got up from his seat, I must go now, I am afraid I have ruined your dinner, I apologize, I must go.

The old man opened the front door and the cold wind lashed out at him like a roaring lion, he was halfway up the walk when the young man called out to him,

Father!, please do not leave me, stay!