The Man I once knew

I will not, I just won't. I promised myself time and again I would not fall for the old man's tricks again. Yet here I sit 42 years later holding this small black notebook. Plain in color, void of any excitement but a simple band I knew it had the power to send me down the rabbit hole. The thing is part of me likes the small cramp places because when he told a story oh how the imagination would swell! I knew I would open it, if only to spite him into thinking he was always right. He often was but you could NEVER tell him that. Sorry I am getting ahead of myself, let me start from the beginning.

You see the old man I am speaking of is none other than General T.M Spellsworth. Huge man sitting at almost 6'6 there didn't seem to be enough medals to cover that broad chest of his. To many he was their greatest hero, one of a kind, a true officer and perfect gentleman. To me he was just my papa. I was and still am (if truth be told) enamored with the guy. I was his bright child, the quick thinker, lover of puzzles and games and by far his favorite. He would leave me like this, on the day of his funeral with yet another puzzle to solve.

I slowly unhooked the band that held the notebook together and as I flipped thru the empty pages, I could have sworn the old man was laughing as I flipped furiously thru the notebook. I finally stood up, frustrated beyond belief and started to throw the whole book in the trash but a small pink slip of paper had fallen from the back of the book. As I picked it up and read the address, I realized it was very close to the funeral home where we held Papa's service. I picked up my purse and practically ran to the car. My aunt's Beatrice and Catherine could handle the folks coming over. I needed a few minutes more to figure out this last little puzzle.

I drove and parked not even ten minutes away in front of First Credit's bank and Holdings. I strolled thru the front greeted by a handsome man in who asked if I had an appointment. I replied I did not but was curious if anyone was available for a mild chat about an account my father may have had. I replied he was put to rest today and left me with this address. The kind gentleman smiled kindly and asked me my name and then said to have a seat. I barely waited what seemed like but a moment when a woman came rushing up to the front. She stood in front of me and asked, "Are you Teddy's daughter"? The shock must have shown on my face as she quickly replied, "I know you have so many questions, please follow me".

She led me to her office and once I was seated began to tell me about the man, I once thought I knew all about. I proceeded to hear the story of a man who wanted to make sure I had the best life and to ensure that any offspring I had would as well he left 20,000 dollars in my name. I could not believe it! I could have caught flies my mouth hung open so wide. Apparently, he would come in every Thursday to make a deposit of 50 dollars. Rain or shine, once even during the threat of a hurricane she laughed out loud, but he ALWAYS made it. I sat in awe barely able to look this woman in the eye who had such an intimate knowledge of the General. I wonder if their relationship traveled outside of this woman’s workplace. I must have said the last part out loud because she threw her head back and laughed again. No, she replied Teddy was always the perfect gentleman. He even asked her to call him Teddy as he felt Mr. Spellsworth sounded so formal. Aghast I could not believe it! My Papa was called the General even at home, mainly out of respect, but I swear when I was a young girl, I did not even know my father's real name until I was 9.

There is more though she replied with a grin, if I solved one riddle there was more money to be had. Reaching into her desk she pulled out a long white envelope with my name written in exquisite cursive that only my Papa seemed to be able to coax a pen to do. Opening it she looked at me and I replied I was up for the task. She began reading “I am the only thing that makes people happy. I am the only thing that makes people sad. I am the only thing people want. I am the one thing that makes them mad. Who am I? As she sat the paper down and looked across that great maple wood desk my mind moved in a hundred different thoughts. It wouldn’t be simple, yet it seemed like it shouldn’t be hard? Obviously, it could not be my Papa, too easy. Maybe my mother? They always seemed to go thru all those different ways and feelings. After all, 35 years of marriage will do that to you! That seemed too easy though for him to have picked mama.

I thought back to the funeral and all the people there. Some handle grief so differently. Some laugh, some cry, some tell stories, whilst others wander around looking lost and crazy. That is when it dawned on me. I could not help but laugh! The answer is Love I told her. All the love for the general was in the riddle. The woman smiled and said yes that answer is correct, and my father wanted me to know how much he truly loved me. As I walked out of that bank 520,000 dollars richer, I thought to myself, The General had done it again and for that I would forever love him.