Final Grains of Sand

by David Harder

  “We became close, and somehow, our conversations eventually shifted to my relationship with God. James was genuinely interested in knowing about God. Taking my time, I explained the plan of salvation . . . ”

  “Excuse me, Doc, but what does ‘the plan of salvation’ mean?” Joe used his fingers in the air to denote starting and ending imaginary quotation marks.

  “Excellent question.” The others in the room shifted in their seats and leaned forward, anxious to hear Tom’s response. “I explained how Jesus came into the world and died on a cross. Jesus died but came back to life three days later to prove He was God’s Son and to save humanity. When we sin, break the law, make mistakes, we are destined for punishment, and all of us make mistakes. Originally, man was created perfectly; but, because of his free will, he chose to ignore and operate as if God doesn’t exist. These actions by man separate us from having a relationship with God.

  “When Jesus died, He took all the sins and mistakes we have ever made, or ever will make, and died for them on the cross. When He arose the third day, He conquered sin and death, granting us this same liberty if we will do one simple thing.”

  Arleen blurted out, uncharacteristically, the same thought the others were thinking. “Please tell us, Doctor. What is this simple thing?”

  Tom scanned the room, making eye contact with each person. He had captured everyone’s attention, and Tom was savoring the moment. “We must believe that Jesus is really God’s Son, that Jesus died for our sins and arose on the third day alive, and then confess with our mouth these facts by telling other people.”

  Smiling, Tom sat quietly, watching the various expressions in the room shift. He waited for the information to sink in. Then suddenly, Nate jerked upright in his chair with an expression of disbelief.

  “Wait a minute. You can’t be serious!” Nate looked at the only real expert sitting at the table. “Reverend, is what the doctor telling us true?”

  Everyone in the room intently turned and faced the pastor.

  Michael smiled out the corner of his mouth because he had not held the attention of a group with such intensity in a long, long time. “What Dr. Nolan is telling you is true. It really is that simple.”

  Nate stood to his feet. “Then why does every preacher make it sound so complicated?”

  Tom motioned with his extended arm. “Have a seat, Nate.” While Nate slowly sank into the leather chair, Tom continued his conversation. “Man has complicated the simple message because it sounded too good to be true. But I assure you, the message God has for all of us is really very easy. God wants to have a relationship with us, be our Friend, save us from our mistakes, and have us live with Him in heaven. We just need to do what I explained.”

  “And then our lives will be perfect, right, Doc?” said Joe sarcastically.

  “No, Joe. We still encounter the same difficulties, joys, and death as before.”

  “Then, why? What’s the point?” asked Nate.

  “So we may spend eternity living with God in heaven,” Tom said beaming with pride.

  Tony cleared his throat, “Ahem, excuse me, but I believe we need to stay focused on our task.”

  Nate cut him off. “Hold on a second, Tony. So, you’re telling us that Jim made this simple decision—the one you’re talking about?”

  It was apparently clear to everyone in the room that the pastor was also unaware of this information, so Michael sheepishly deferred to Tom.

  “Yes, Nate, James accepted Jesus into his heart that day and became what we frequently call a Christian.”

  The room fell silent. Blank expressions faced the doctor as he sat smiling. Without being choreographed, the eyes in the room slowly shifted their attention on Arleen. Tony spotted the activity and instantly jumped to his feet. Rubbing his flat palms together, Tony deftly redirected the conversation.

  “This seems like a good time for a break. Shall we?”

  A long, pregnant pause hung in the air as if those sitting there were waiting for the ceiling to collapse. Then, slowly, the conference room emptied in silence. Arleen sat staring into space, refusing to make eye contact with anyone, her eyes fixed on the far wall. She was angry. Dr. Nolan hesitated and closed the door, remaining behind with Arleen. He then reached out and touched her shoulder.

  Arleen twisted her head, “I know what everyone was thinking. They accuse me of corrupting James and blame me for—”

  “No one is judging you.” Tom sat in the nearby chair and took Arleen’s hands. “And in the words of Jesus, ‘neither do I.’”1

  “I’m not blind, Doctor!”

  “I assure you, Arleen, they are curious. You must admit, James was a complex individual. We each have our concept of who this man was, but we’re rapidly discovering aspects of his life that none of us knew. The pieces of the puzzle, called the life of James Kreider, are coming together, and a complete picture is emerging about who James was. So, I, for one, am anxious to hear your side of the story.”

  Arleen smiled. “You are ingenious, Doctor.” Arleen knew exactly what Tom was doing, and she was not amused. She didn’t resent Tom’s tactics, but she hated that some people judged her without knowing the facts. She could see Tom was redirecting the conversation.

  Tom stood and held out his arm. “That being the case, care to join me?”

  After a lengthy pause, Arleen stood, hooking her arm into Tom’s. Unmoved, she stayed silent, boring holes into the side of Tom’s head. Tom continued to produce a pleasant expression and waited patiently. Finally, Arleen surrendered and gave out a heavy sigh.

  “But, of course.” She decided to let the issue pass for the moment.

  * * *

  1 John 8:11

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR keeping your break short,” Tony said, while still standing. Upon their return, folks were in better spirits, despite their previous exchange, which pleased Tony. He rubbed his flat palms together.

  “So, shall we begin again?” He looked down at Mary, the stenographer, to ensure she was also ready. She curtly nodded in her usual sober, professional manner. “Excellent. I believe we will now have Arleen speak.”

  Nate lifted his hand off the table to signal he wanted to talk.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. First, we’ll let Nate have the table because he had an additional comment.” Tony extended his arm toward Nate, and then sat down.

  Shifting in his chair, Nate leaned forward. “When the good doctor was telling us about the time James wanted to donate a kidney, it reminded me of a story I’d like to share.” Nate looked at Arleen. “I’ll be brief, Arleen, if this is okay with you?”

  Arleen was still mildly upset but displayed a perfect smile and nodded her approval. Nate smiled back.

  “Thank you. Jim had been working at Tynedex a number of years. I had just been promoted to vice president, and Jim was a mid-level manager at the time. Our founding board meets annually on the top floor of our building, and to be invited to one of their meetings can be both a blessing and curse at the same time. It is a group of wealthy business individuals with little tolerance for wasting time or money.

  “Jim was anxious to move up the management ladder and was our current sales rock star. I wanted to give him a chance to shine before the board and impress them with his amazing skills. With the company president’s approval, I invited Jim to present our departmental business sales forecast. When I gave Jim the task, I warned him in advance that he would have one shot to impress these people; and, if he performed well, it would bode well for his career at Tynedex.”

  Nate folded his hands and looked down. “To tell you the truth, I was worried. Jim was too eager and young, but he proved himself time and time again. So, I took a risk and pushed him onto the biggest corporate stage he’d ever experience.” Nate looked up and smiled. “And you know what? Jim knocked it right out of the ballpark. When I looked around the boardroom, the once dour, serious, stuffy, old board members were smiling and engaged with Jim. He blew th
eir socks off and made me proud. A few even clapped when he finished his presentation.

  “The company president was so impressed that he invited Jim and me to dinner that evening. As I escorted Jim from the boardroom and was congratulating him on a job well-done, the president came out of the boardroom and caught us by surprise. Well, the back-slapping abruptly halted when the president announced that the chairman and vice-chairperson would be joining us for dinner as well. Suddenly, it was like jumping from a burning building and surviving, only to find out you landed in quicksand.

  “I spent a long time with Jim going over proper protocol and manners when attending a dinner such as this. When we arrived at the restaurant that evening, it was a ritzy and private club on the north end of town. As we disembarked from our cab, an elderly, homeless woman was sitting on the curb. Disheveled and dirty, she mumbled nonsense while attempting to place a child’s pair of bright yellow rubber boots on her own dirty feet. Her feet were far too big, but that wasn’t going to stop this half-crazed woman.

  “She struggled and swore obscenities under her breath as we walked past, but Jim paused and looked down with compassion. My heart instantly caught in my throat because when I looked up, I saw the president and board chairmen sitting at a table near the window overlooking the street, just a few feet above our heads. They were intently watching Jim as he proceeded to bend over and assist the homeless woman, who was probably an insane asylum escapee or worse—a drug-filled nut job willing to do us harm.

  “I tried smiling up at our hosts and tugged feverishly on Jim’s arm, but he brushed me off. I was aghast as he finally attempted the impossible and stretched those child’s yellow boots over her soiled feet. Relieved he had accomplished his task, I immediately pulled on Jim and said, ‘Let’s go now.’ To my amazement, Jim helped the woman to her feet and ensured she was stable enough to walk. She smiled and then reached up, took Jim’s face in her calloused, filthy hands, and kissed his forehead, thanking him profusely. She reeked of sewer and alcohol.

  “Prying Jim free, we ran up the steps to the restaurant, all to the chagrin of the doorman, who witnessed our tragedy. My face was beet red. Meanwhile, the old street woman was waving at us like a little girl and beaming a smile that was missing many of her original teeth. I immediately pushed Jim into the men’s room, just inside the main door. ‘What are you thinking, Jim?’ I screamed. He sheepishly grinned and asked, ‘A random act of kindness, Mr. Martin?’”

  Nate started chuckling. “I was embarrassed, but Jim was so honest and genuine about his act of charity that it actually humbled me. We freshened up and headed to our waiting dinner guests. Unfortunately, the evening’s comedy didn’t end. I can laugh about it now, but at the time, I was appalled and regretting I ever hired Jim to work at Tynedex because I was watching his career and mine ending in horrible flames.

  “Drinks were served, and dinner ordered. The meeting was going as planned. Just as Jim was coached, he sat quietly, engaging randomly when called upon, and I started to relax and enjoy the evening. Outside our window, on the sidewalk below us, the lunatic homeless woman panhandled and accosted pedestrians for money. Periodically, she would stop, give us a toothy grin, and wave at Jim, blowing him kisses. I, of course, used my eyes to convey to Jim that he should ignore her. The homeless woman continued her antics throughout our dinner.

  “Then, without warning, Jim looked at the vice chairwoman and asked if she would mind if he purchased the homeless woman some food. The staunch Mrs. Blanchford never flinched but nodded somewhat imperceptibly. Her expression looked as if she had swallowed lemon juice. Jim jumped from his chair and dashed outside. In true bewilderment, our guests watched Jim proceed to usher this crazy woman into the restaurant and to our table as if she were the very queen of England! The entire restaurant fell silent, including the kitchen and staff. Jim handed the homeless woman a menu and told her to order anything she wished.

  “Looking around our table, I saw open mouths as they witnessed an unbelievable and surreal event just inches from us. The woman proceeded to order the most expensive steak and lobster dinner with all the trimmings and a glass of sherry. Sherry, mind you! And, how this homeless woman was to eat a steak with just three teeth was beyond me.

  “She mumbled nonsense throughout her dinner and made loud noises as she ate. I chanced a glance at the president, and he actually looked ill. Sucking the red juice from the meat, the woman would spit a lump of gray mass into her plate, then begin attacking another bite. The only saving grace, if one could call it that, is she devoured her plate with the speed of a starved dog. She occasionally grinned at Jim and mumbled thank you.

  “At the pinnacle of her engorgement, I could have crawled under the table and slinked out the door, changed my name, killed Jim with my bare hands, or killed myself. Perhaps I wanted to do all of the above.” Nate took his finger and thumb and then drew an imaginary line across the air like a ticker tape scrolling on a sign. “I could see the headlines. Retired military colonel kills corporate members, co-worker, and self at fancy restaurant—film at eleven.”

  The table erupted in laughter. Nate shook his head.

  “Unfortunately, there is more.”

  Joe blurted out, “Are you serious?”

  “I wish I weren’t, Joe, but yes. The woman proceeded to ask our waiter for three burgers and fries to-go. Mind you, those items are not on the menu. Jim jumped from the table and escorted the woman away, explaining to her that he would arrange for the burgers from another restaurant. I then realized that I had actually stopped breathing for an extended period of time and gasped. Then I noticed Mrs. Blanchford. She had retrieved a kerchief from her purse and was dabbing her wet eyes. When we made eye contact, she abruptly left the table for the lady’s room.

  “The remaining time was spent waiting, with the president boring holes into the side of my head with his eyes, but I refused to face the man for fear I’d crumble on the spot. When Mrs. Blanchford returned, she sat down, staring directly at me. I’m certain the blood drained from my face because I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine, and I shivered. When she began to speak, I was certain it was to terminate my service with Tynedex.

  “Her voice was a little shaky; but when she spoke, she caught everyone’s attention. She said, ‘I have never witnessed such charity in my entire life.’ She made an awful face and continued, ‘The woman was disgusting and filthy.’ Her kerchief covered her mouth as she lightly coughed. Then she said, ‘I have two sons. I have sent them to college, paid for their weddings, bought them homes and cars, yet I cannot get them to even remember my birthday, much less have time for holiday visits.’ She then pointed a well-manicured but wrinkled finger at the president and said, ‘This young man was so compassionate to this homeless woman and treated her as if she were his mother. Promote that man. What was his name again?’

  “All decorum was gone by this point, so I blurted out, ‘Jim Kreider, ma’am.’ She allowed a small smile to creep into the corner of her mouth and said, ‘Tell Mr. Kreider I applaud his charity but would appreciate him avoiding such actions in the future, should they involve my company.’ My simple response was ‘Yes, ma’am.’ The amazing part about this story is Jim paid the homeless woman’s bill from his own pocket, even after Mrs. Blanchford insisted the company pick up the tab. I learned a great deal that day about Jim and myself.”

  Nate’s voice trailed off as he stared at the conference tabletop. Everyone waited for Nate’s answer. Finally, Tony spoke up.

  “What did you learn, Nate?”

  Nate’s face was serious. “To never, ever invite a rookie employee to dinner when it involves the higher-ups.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Tony looked around the room and saw relaxed faces. “Okay, folks. Now we have saved the best for last. Arleen, if you are ready, the room is now yours.”

  She smiled and made eye contact with each person, lingering for a long time with Pastor Mike, as if she were making a point.

  “Tha
nk you, Tony.” Arleen pulled a small booklet from her purse and leafed through several pages before she began speaking. “A good place to start is when I met James Kreider. Almost thirty years ago, James walked into my office, making introductions. Something about the man was different than any other I had met.

  “Most men make complete fools of themselves whenever they are around me. It took me years to accept myself as attractive. When I was younger, I did not understand the attention of boys or even young men, but as I grew older, I noticed the interest only worsened. One builds a tough exterior, and I shunned men because they were only interested in my outward appearance.”

  When Arleen looked around the table, several of the men were grinning.

  “Eventually, I learned to use my beauty as an advantage in business. Most men I met were interested in my beauty, but not James. From the moment our eyes met, I could tell he was a kind person and genuinely interested in me as a person.”

  “Arleen, in an earlier conversation, you said the same thing about Jim. Can you be more specific?” Nate asked.

  Her reserved smile indicated she appreciated Nate’s discretion in the way he phrased his question. “A woman knows. Their body and eyes convey more than men realize.”

  Out the corner of his eye, Nate watched the stenographer, Mary, smirking and nodding as she typed away on her machine.

  “Men of any age think they are cute or funny when they approach a woman, but soon they start acting like high school teenagers.”

  Mary snickered.

  “James was pleasant but also respectful to me. He treated me like an equal, never moving his eyes away from mine. His blue-gray eyes locked onto my own, and I found myself drawn to him. When I saw the wedding band on his finger, I was surprised. Married men, especially, will play their stupid seduction games on women, so they may brag about it later to their buddies or to satisfy their inflated egos—but not James.”