A Surprise to His Family

A Surprise to His Family

Frank was known to all as a tough and manly sort of fellow. In high school and in college he was on the varsity football team, and put fear in the eyes, hearts and minds of quarterbacks, halfbacks, and even those hardy guys whose main job on the forward line was to stop the attacking Frank.

           It came as no surprise to anyone that after he graduated from college in the policing program, he became a police officer, that every wrongdoer in town feared to encounter. Even a few had dropped to their knees, or put up their hands to be tied together when they saw him coming towards them.

           He taught his two sons ‘how to be a man’. They learned from him that a man doesn’t cry, or show any other form of emotional weakness. He often said to them that “A man must stand strong.”  Another of his frequent ‘words of wisdom’  to them, repeated whenever the two of them got into a loud argument or a physical fight was “You don’t fight family.”

           He was a good husband to his wife Ellen in many ways. He supported her in everything that she wanted to do, and was always there with broad shoulders to cry on when she was sad.

There was only one aspect of his life that she did not understand. But she could not work up the spirit to ask him about it. There was a small room in the basement. It had been his room when he was a child. He had never lived in any other house. Sometimes he would just say to her, “I want to go to my room now.” She would not respond with words, she just articulated her feelings with a slight nodding of her head, and a thin smile.

           She didn’t really know why he needed to go there. She just respected his decision, like he would always do hers. She was curious, but did not ask any questions, or think of sneaking in the room when he was out of the house. The boys wondered about it, but felt the same. They followed the same ‘do not ask about the room’ and ‘do not enter it when dad is away from home.’ It was not fear that motivated them in this matter. He was supportive of them, and this was a way they could do the same for him .

One Early Friday Night

One day he received a phone call which had an immediate powerful effect on him. When he put his phone down, he walked quickly towards the kitchen, where his wife Ellen was making one of her special Friday night dinners. He spoke quickly to her,  saying, “I have to drive somewhere tonight. I am not sure when I will be coming back. It is an urgent matter.”

           She wanted to ask him about it, but thought the better of it. He could be a very private person at times.

           Frank wolfed down his supper, not stopping for dessert, even though it was chocolate ice cream – his favourite. He gave her a quick kiss, and then he was gone. Fortunately for the two of them, she made sure that he took his phone with him.

His Trip

Frank wanted to drive faster, but as a local police officer, he felt that he should not. He found it difficult to restrain himself. He was driving to the town where his cousin Theodore had lived. That was in the past tense now as the phone call had been from the man’s wife, telling Frank that his cousin had died. She knew that he would come, even though the cousins had not seen or talked to each other in years. There was something his cousin had possessed that he would want to get right away. Because she respected him, despite his dispute with her husband, she knew that she had to make sure that she would find what he was looking for so that he would not have made the trip in vain.

Frank Arrives

Frank arrived in the town of his destination after three full hours of driving. He pulled into a cheap-looking motel, signed himself in and lay down on his bed in his clothes, knowing that he would not be able to sleep. The hours passed slowly. Still, he had plenty of energy once it was getting up time. He was soon on the road again, not bothering to have breakfast even though he was hungry.

           He remembered where his cousin’s house was. It had been a vision that had appeared to him several times during the drive. He soon arrived there, pulled into the driveway, and almost literally jumped out of his car. His cousin’s wife responded quickly when he knocked on the door.

           He put out his hand, and shook hers. She asked him whether he wanted coffee. Just to be polite, he answered ‘yes’, although he didn’t care one way or the other. Then she said. I found what you came here for. He stood stunned when she went into the kitchen, to get the coffee  and retrieve what she had spent some time looking for, and eventually found.

           When she returned with the object in hand, she was surprised to see tears in the big man’s eyes. He had always looked to her like a man who never cried. He reached out for the object and hugged it to his chest. More tears, and even a sob resulted. He thanked her profusely, then turned around and headed for the door. 

Returning Home

The return home seemed very slow to Francis. At about the halfway point, he pulled over to the side of the road, and called his wife Ellen. He told her that he had met with success in retrieving what a long time ago had been his to hold. He did not tell her what it was. She would have to see for herself once he arrived home.

When he did arrive he was met outside the front door by his wife and children. He soon showed them what it was, and promised them that he would tell its story.

The Story

           “When I was six years old, my cousin Theodore, who was four years older than me saw me hugging this. He said that I was just being a ‘big baby’ and grabbed it from me, and took it with him when he and his parents ended their visit. I was too proud to tell my parents what had happened. I had been taught never to be a snitch.

           The night before they would come to visit us again, I would call him, asking for him to bring it with him. He always responded by saying that I was being a ‘big baby,’ and that it properly belonged to him.

           When we were both teenagers, and were in our backyard, I threatened to ‘beat the crap’ out of him. I was now bigger and stronger than he was. As I smacked across the face, he screamed, my father came out and said words that you have often heard coming from me, “You don’t fight family.” I had a lot of respect for dad, so I stopped my attack right away.

           I would still call my cousin before each family visit, with the same response each time. When we were both adults, and saw each other rarely, I didn’t say anything about his theft.  I did not want to hear his response. At some point I decided not to call him, invite him to the house that he grew up in too. I am not proud of that.

           The phone call that I received from his wife was to tell me that Theodore had died, and that she wanted to return to me what had been stolen so many years ago.

           So here he is, my teddy bear that I called “Ted”. My cousin said that it should be his as he had the same name. Ted would lie beside me when I slept in my bed. I would tell him whatever was bothering me at the time . He was my best friend.”

           Frank then passed Ted around to his wife and children, each of whom hugged it, then he resumed his story.

When I have been going to retreat into my room, it was to speak with him again, even though he was not there. Now I can bring Ted with me to our bedroom, Ellen. And boys,  I can lend him to you when you are sad, and do not want to discuss the matter.”