The man was speeding along Schuster Avenue in his new 280ZX grasping the steering wheel nervously, knowing he was late to see a patient nearing death at Providence Hospital. Such a busy routine was normal for a cardiologist becoming ever more successful in his practice.
At the next stop sign, Ruben realized he was near Mr. Sears' house--about two blocks away. He hadn't seen Mr. Sears in more than 30 years and had been meaning to pay him a visit for almost as long. Mr. Sears had been Ruben's Sunday school teacher when he was 9 years old. He had been very patient with the class of noisy kids who had many things on their minds apart from Christian doctrine, never losing his temper or even showing any sign of aggravation. He had kept the class under control at all times without using any threats. Everyone participated in asking and answering questions. He must have taken a long time to prepare the lessons because he would go into detail about surrounding history and background to help illustrate points. In his mind, Ruben could still hear his soothing and kind tone of voice.
It would be good to talk to him if only to reminisce about those days. He wondered how much Mr. Sears would remember about the classes and the children. Ruben had forgotten many of the kids' names, and the others he could barely remember. He wondered what Mr. Sears was doing now. Was he in good health? How was his wife doing? He had to be retired by now. He must have been in his middle 50's back then, which would make him about 85 now. Ruben thought it ironic that most of his patients were around that age. That was normal for someone whose specialty was cardiology.
Ruben worked almost every day of the week, and the little spare time he had he usually spent with his girl friend. She was understanding about his busy schedule, but he still knew she wanted to see more of him than she did. Then there was his mother who was herself old and sick. Nevertheless, he was determined to find time to visit Mr. Sears, even if it was just a short drop-in to tell him how he appreciated all he had done for him. He had first thought of paying such a visit in his last years of college.
Two months later Ruben once again remembered Mr. Sears in a flash as he sat in his office using his dictating machine to make a report on a patient. He felt guilty once again for not getting around to it. He knew he had to do it soon. You never knew, he could be planning to move somewhere else. Many retired people decided to spend the rest of their lives in Florida or Southern California.
He had to be more responsive. After all, hadn't Mr. Sears always been very dependable. He remembered one Saturday when Mr. Sears had taken four of the pupils in the class to Hueco Tanks, a small group of hills east of El Paso. The hills were in reality piles of enormous boulders, round and smooth, that looked very unusual and intriguing. An added attraction were several hidden Indian cave paintings that Mr. Sears knew how to locate and interpret. One showed rain helping the crops grow and another depicted a battle. The hills at that time were considered very far out of town and not very many people knew about them. They had since been turned into a popular state park. He remembered it was a sunny spring afternoon, and he and the other kids had frolicked on most of the boulders and were very tired at the end of the afternoon.
The trip had been something special that Mr. Sears had thought of doing beyond the expected duties of a Sunday school teacher. He had invited everyone in the class and had been prepared to have his wife drive another car full of children if necessary. None of the families that went to the church had much money. Of the four children that had been able to go, one boy was an orphan being raised by his grandmother, and a girl was one of the children of the church janitor. Ruben was himself brought up in poverty by only his mother, his father having left the family when he was three.
Several more months went by, and Ruben still had not paid a visit to Mr. Sears. Late one night, he remembered him while thinking back on the years he had spent in college and medical school. He lost touch with Mr. Sears during his teenage years when he had moved and attended a different church. After graduating from high school, he was accepted at Rice in Houston, and although he had been given a generous scholarship, he still needed to find a job to help him with his expenses. He looked hard for a good job but had no luck. He finally remembered that Mr. Sears was a vice-president of El Paso Natural Gas Company, the largest business in town. He hadn't talked to him for years and felt bad about getting in touch with him just to talk about a job, but he felt confident that he would help him, or that at least he would not mind his asking for help.
He went to his office and was received cordially although it was obvious that he was busy and had many things on his mind. He seemed noncommital. "I can't promise you anything, I'm afraid," he said, "but I'll keep an eye out if something comes up."
Ruben wasn't very encouraged. He believed Mr. Sears was sincere, but since it was already June there probably weren't any more student summer jobs left.
It was about a week later that he got a phone call from Mr. Sears telling him that he had managed to find a job for him helping the groundskeeper. "I'm afraid it's about the best I could do. It doesn't pay that much, but I hope it can help you," he told him apologetically. Ruben was elated to get any kind of job, and when he learned the pay was $5.00 per hour, a whopping sum at the time for a young kid, he felt immensely grateful. He worked at the same job again the following summer. It was a great financial help. After that he had stayed in Houston to work in the summers.
He remembered that when he was away at medical school he kept meaning to pay a visit to Mr. Sears when he came into town. Each time he was home, he made a resolution to find time to go, but each time he got involved visiting friends, shopping, taking care of his mother's business affairs, and before he got around to going, it was time to go back to school.
Two months later, Ruben finally made time to go to Mr. Sears' house. He realized as he drove there that it was a mildly warm Saturday afternoon just like the one on which they had gone to Hueco Tanks. He planned to mention it to him. He trusted that Mr. Sears would have a clear memory of at least part of those events of the past. He was going to his house without a phone call of appointment because he wanted to surprise him.
Then it occurred to him that it was possible that Mr. Sears might not even remember him. There had been many boys in his Sunday school classes. Ruben hoped that Mr. Sears would not feel resentful that he had neglected to visit him all these years. Ruben certainly felt guilty about it and planned to apologize. On the other hand, there might be a positive result from his not going to see him for all these years. The contrast between then and now would be much more dramatic. Meetings after longer periods of separation were usually more joyful.
As he arrived, he once again felt good about coming. He walked confidently up the sidewalk of the elegant two-story house. He felt like a heavy weight was starting to be lifted off him. An older lady answered the door chime. She was plump, and he was sure it wasn't Mrs. Sears whom he remembered as being thin. She greeted him with a calm and pleasant smile.
"Good afternoon, ma'am," he said. "Is Mr. Sears in?"
The expression on her face immediately changed to one of surprise and momentary confusion. "I'm sorry but Mr. Sears passed away last month."
"Oh." Ruben was at a complete loss for words. He had never imagined this.
Anticipating his next question, she went on. "His wife passed away a few years ago, and we bought this house from him then. We can get you in touch with his children. Who should I say called?"
"Oh, that's O.K., ma'am. I was just an old friend."
