| s evening time. Not completely dark, but with traces of | | | | the guy, I thought. A total stranger, and he wanted to |
| the day still remaining.Everyone had left the office and I | | | | know what took me so long. Ingratitude really bothers |
| was there all alone completing the few tasks that | | | | me. It struck me as somewhat strange, however, that |
| remain at the end of any day. It is not my nature to | | | | he seemed to have been expecting me. A totally |
| work late, but today was somewhat different.Mixed | | | | improbable assumption I felt, as I quickly dismissed the |
| with a feeling of accom- plishment was the | | | | thought. |
| frustrationand disappointment of not having completed | | | | Peering under the hood I shouted, “Try the motor |
| all I would have liked to do. | | | | once more.” He did, and it immediately sprang to |
| My office was at the end of the building, overlooking | | | | life and continued running with a beautiful purr as if |
| the parking lot. The lot was empty save for my little | | | | nothing ever had been the matter with it. The bearded |
| car, which appeared to be waiting so patiently. Always | | | | one got out of his car, walked up to me, thrust out his |
| it seemed to be waiting for me, never complaining, | | | | hand and said, “Hi! It's good to see you again for |
| always nearby. “Time to leave,” I thought. | | | | the first time. My name is Gideon.” |
| “I'm already late.” If there's one consola- | | | | “Hello, Mr. Gideon, it's nice to meet you,” I |
| tion, it was that there wouldn't be any traffic at this | | | | stammered, shaking his outstretched hand. “My |
| hour. | | | | name is John.” |
| Glancing through the window as I reached for my atta- | | | | “Yes, I know,” he said. This took me by |
| ché case, I noticed a blue car a few spaces | | | | surprise. I had never seen the man before. He wore |
| removed from mine. The hood was raised and it | | | | blue jeans and a flannel shirt and appeared to be |
| seemed as if someone was trying to fix something. It | | | | somewhere between the ages of fifty and sixty. He |
| wasn't unusual for cars to limp into our parking lot with | | | | wasn't tall. His hair was jet black and neatly combed |
| some problem or other. I descended the stairs to the | | | | with one lock falling idly over his right brow. The beard |
| main door, set the night alarm and walked out of the | | | | which was as black as his hair was full and trimmed, |
| building. | | | | but his eyes were his most noticeable feature. Even in |
| The blue car was still there with its hood pried open. | | | | the dim light of the street lamp, one could see those |
| With the idea of seeing whether I could be of any help, | | | | piercing orbs and know they had lived a legend. Such |
| I cau- tiously approached. Through the window in the | | | | determination in those eyes, and yet, such kindness as |
| dim light, I saw a bearded face smiling back at me. | | | | well. Although I noticed all these things in a split second,I |
| “What took you so long? I thought you might | | | | kept staring at him all the while. |
| have changed your mind,” he said. The nerve of | | | | |