The Little Black Book

Out of all the days, that particular Friday morning was a very cold and windy one... Usually I would drive to work, or my wife would drop me off at my office. In the ten years that I had been going there, I had never arrived later than 30 minutes before everyone else. My job was to make sure we stay in business, so I would plan the daily work schedules of my employees before they arrived.

However, on that day I had a bad morning arguing with my wife and ignoring my kids. I had a lot on my mind and it was not fair to my family that I treated them this way. Then I just walked out and decided to head to work on foot. I needed time to think things through, especially since I left the house so bad tempered. I quickly turned back and saw my wife at the front door with tears in her eyes, calling my name. I turned and yelled out, "I am sorry." I wrapped myself tightly with my overcoat and continued walking. I took the long way to work through the park across the street, which took an extra fifteen minutes to get to work. I needed to figure out what I was going to say to my employees.

What my wife and my employees didn't know was that today was the day I was going to tell them that we were closing down and going out of business. I had been in business ten years and had six employees with me since my first day in business. All, but one, had families and lived a prosperous life working for my company. It was a week before Christmas, and I had failed everyone.

I made some bad business choices that led my company to run out of money. I already mortgaged my home and cleaned out my bank account to stay afloat as long as I was able to, hoping for a turnaround that never happened. During my walk, I had some beautiful memories of my life with my wonderful wife, who I was married to for 12 years, with two children along the way.

Now my only thoughts were about emptiness, coldness and suicidal feelings because I would never survive this disaster. How could I get through this and start the next chapter of my life? I knew that I shouldn’t think this way, but this is all I could think of at the moment. I believed that there was hope, but would I find this hope? Only God could know.

The park ended. I walked across the street into my office. My six employees and my wife were waiting for me. My wife suspected I was having an affair. She never imagined that I left us completely broke. When I entered the office, there was dead silence. One would be able to hear a pin drop to the floor. Everyone was looking at each other suspecting something wasn't right, especially with my wife being there in tears. I quickly glanced at the clock and noticed that I was fifteen minutes late. One employee said, "You're late. You are never late. In fact, you have never been late in the ten years that I have known you." "Well, there is always a first time," I replied.

Just as I was about to speak to everyone, an old gentleman entered the office and asked for me. He gave me two packages and instructed me to open the smaller package first. As he was leaving, he grabbed my shoulder, thanked me for everything and said that I would understand.

Another one of my employees, also concerned, asked me if everything was alright. My wife snapped back at her since she was the only single woman working for me and suspected that I had a crush on her. A third employee came over to me with a cup of hot tea. I took a sip and sighed before I began to speak.

However, my wife glanced angrily at the single woman, suspecting the package was a gift from her. She snapped, “Well, are you going to open the packages NOW?" I took a deep breath, sat down and opened the small package. I was about to tell her that there was no secret lover and explain to her that we are just about bankrupt, but she kept insisting I open the packages.

When I unwrapped the smaller package, there was a letter and a little black book. Before I read the letter, my curiosity focused more on what this little black book was. When I opened it to the first page, I saw a picture of a teenage boy and girl in the back of a car. Their parents were standing outside of the car with some German soldiers pointing a gun at them. The second picture was the two teenagers running through the woods. After the third picture of the two teenagers hiding from the German soldiers closing in on them from the woods, I closed the book. I realized for the first time how the teenage boy lost his family.

My heart felt heavy. I was almost in tears, when my wife walked over to me. I was speechless. I didn't know what to say. I was able to tell her that I love her, that I wasn't cheating on her. She looked at me. Seeing the sadness in my eyes, she hugged me. Then she insisted that I open the book and tell her what it was about. She took the book from me and opened it to a page with a drawing of a teen boy meeting another little boy. The wife asked, "What is this?" I answered her by telling her that the little boy saying 'hello' to the teenager was me, her husband. The teenager was crying. At the time I didn't understand why he was so sad. Then I heard noises in the woods. The teen asked for my help. I quickly grabbed his hand and brought him home. My parents were in shock and terrified. I asked my mom to help him. The Germans were approaching, so she really had no other choice but to hide him in the basement or risk being accused of helping the Jews.

I took the book from my wife and closed it. I was trying to tell her that I have something really important to tell everyone. My wife said, "I never knew such kindness had come from you." Then she apologized. I hugged her. Once again, I tried to explain I had something really important to say.

However, my wife wanted nothing more than to hear the rest of the story. She wouldn't let this story fade away. "Who was this teenager?", she asked. I told her he was a sick Jewish boy needing help. He was all alone. I remembered that he would write in this book. I would ask him what he was writing in this little black book. He never showed me but said this was his story. I got to know him for a few months before he was healthy enough to go on his way to a new life. I cried when he left. He was like a big brother teaching me new ideas. At that moment, I stood up, speechless once again.

Then I opened the letter. To my astonishment, it was from the teenage boy, thanking me for saving his life. I was quite surprised when I read on. He continued, "My only thoughts at the time were about emptiness, coldness and suicide because I would never make it. Then I met you, a kind young boy and his family who risked everything to save a Jewish teenager's life. Now it's my turn to return the favor." All I could think of was this incredible timing reversed. I opened the package. It was a box. When I opened it, it was filled with golden coins. I couldn't believe it! I cried and shared the story with everyone. It was the best and most memorable day of my life!