Melody returned like she said she would. She came in his apartment and he invited her to take a seat in his living room. They chatted and then she handed him the legacy locket. On one side was the old wedding photo he had given her to use and on the other side was a strange looking square code.
Melody pulled out her smart phone and smiled and said, ”Are you ready to hear what your kids and grandkids will hear from you?” “Yes,” he scooted up closer. She scanned the code on the right side of the keychain locket and then all of a sudden he could hear his own voice coming from her phone. He heard the words of advise he said for Robbie, Angela, Jane and their children. His precious posterity. Well hi kids, it’s Grandpa. To start with, I never thought I’d live to be 94 years old. It’s a different world than what I remember. Remember I was born before TV and indoor plumbing. I have been very blessed not only with three great kids but a loving, talented, beautiful wife. I think of my dear Marsha. We all know she was your favorite. She was mine. I think what I want to share with you she’d agree. She loved each of you so much. She showed that everyday of her life. Remember that Christmas she passed out gifts and mixed up the tags and Robbie opened a nice pink robe? I can still hear her laughing. She would say don’t take life too seriously. You can laugh or cry and she chose more often than not to laugh. I’ve tried to be like that but I’m afraid I have taken life a little too seriously sometimes. Life is meant to be enjoyed not simply endured. I remember all the sporting events and dance recitals. They are some of my happiest moments because I watched each of you use the talents God blessed you with. Each of you has made me so proud with your choices. Please remember you don’t have to be perfect but I would encourage each of you to strive to do your best. Don’t let technology take up your life. Life is too precious to waste it. Get outside and get involved in life. Remember you are a member of a family that was created with love and hope. A family that believes in the almighty God. Work hard at things that matter, choose the right and keep your promises. Give to those that have less, be grateful, and never forget how much Grandpa and Grandma love you. The man wiped a little tear that snuck out. Melody did too. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “They are going to treasure these words.” Melody left him with some information about how to write his life story if he wanted to. He would look that over. It’s something he wanted to do but never got around to it. Melody showed him today’s new technology makes it much easier. Melody felt like a friend now. She said something before she left, “I have enjoyed getting to know you better and what you created here will allow you to share your love and wisdom with children you may never meet. You learned so much in your life and it would have been a waste not to share it. You never know who needs these words but I promise someone does.” He thought if all his kids and grandchildren and how they were having children now too. After Melody left the man sat thinking in his big chair. He looked at the time. He would normally be napping or watching Judge Judy. He didn’t click the TV on though, he didn’t feel like napping. He thought about what he said on the locket. Life is too precious to waste it. Get outside and get involved in life. Life is meant to be enjoyed not simply endured. He thought for a few minutes and thought about how his own advice should apply to him too. He couldn’t just tell his kids this, didn’t he owe it to them to be an example? He did! It was with that thought he pushed the button on his chair that helped him up. He looked in the mirror, straightened his tie, and slicked back a strand of his hair. He took a deep breath and headed to his door. Today they were having a trivia game. He was pretty good at trivia. He thought he’d take his own advice and Marsha’s advice too. She wouldn’t have wanted him to waste away in this room. Don’t take life so seriously. As he lay in bed that night for the first time in a long time he felt some feelings he hadn’t felt for a long time. Excitement? Is that what that feels like? Like you are actually wanting the next day to come? He thought of Gordon, a new friend he met when he dined at table 11. They would be expecting him for breakfast. They could continue their conversation about their favorite US president. They seemed to have so much in common. When he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep he felt another feeling he hadn’t felt for a while—contentment. What’s next for the man in room 106? Find out next time.
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The door to room #106 opens a crack. He sees a young lady of about fifty years standing in the hall. She has a clipboard in her hands and a smile on her face. “Hi Mr. Travis, you don’t know me and I hope I am not interrupting. My name is Melody.” She puts out her hand. He shakes it. He now wishes he had gone back to put on his shoe. She can’t see his feet but if he opens the door more she will. He nods and she keeps talking.
“Spring Gardens sent me to come to meet you and I don’t know if you saw it in the newsletter last week but I am here to get to know you better and make a special gift for your family.” It is awkward he thinks as she talks to him through the small opening. She doesn’t seem to mind but he feels he should invite her in. “Well hello Melody,” he says in a voice he hasn’t heard himself use for a while. His business voice. The one he used to become a very successful man back in the day. He liked how it sounded. Strong. Confident. “Would you care to come in?” Melody smiled and with equal confidence said, “If it is convenient we could meet in your room or we could go into the conference room down the hall after lunch at 1pm today. Does that work for you?” Ahh, he thought. That is perfect, I will have time to put my shoe back on. “I will meet you in the conference room then.” He gives her an appraising nod and she gently passes a sheet of paper to him. He looks down at it. It says, Legacy Voice Locket, What to Expect. She explains that the sheet will answer a few questions he might have and then tells him she is very happy she has the opportunity to get to know him a little better. He nods and promises to see her in a few hours and gently closes his door and looks at his watch. Three and a half hours from now. Well, what do I need to do to get ready? His heart races a little in anticipation of this unusual but welcome disruption to his schedule. He has never been late a day in his life. He keeps his commitments. Should he Read the paper she gave him? Yes. Put on his other shoe. Is the scuff shined out? Yes. The paper she gave him told him she was going to record him giving advice to his children and grandchildren. This was a special gift that the center wanted to capture to give his family. The first thing he thought when he read that was what on earth am I going to say? His mind flooded with advice and wisdom of nearly 90 years. 1pm on the nose, confirmed with his pocket watch, he arrives at the door of the conference room. He enters and looks for a chair with arms he can use to get in and out easily. She was a step ahead of him and had the perfect chair there for him. His time with Melody was so refreshing. She asked him questions about his life. She showed him a locket attached to a keychain and told him this was the gift the center would be giving to his daughter. The locket had a photo on one side and a strange-looking code on the other. This is what they call a QR code. What has the world come to? And guess what? Melody said that is what some restaurants use for a menu now. He just couldn't believe that. She said the people take out their smartphones and scan the code and the menu comes up on their phone. He laughed and shook his head. He couldn’t imagine ever doing that. It still made no sense to him. Melody showed him how it was done using her smartphone. She scanned the locket side with the strange code in the shape of a square. All of a sudden he could hear the voice of someone talking. It was a woman giving loving advice to her children and grandchildren. It brought a tear to his eye to think of his sweet Marsha sharing her love with his daughters and son. How he wished he could have given his kids that gift. This will have to do. He would speak for both of them. Melody asked him questions about himself. He asked her some questions that she answered. She said she loves what she does. She said this work is the greatest thing she could ever think of doing. She shared that she has four grown children. Two in college, a couple are married, and one of her daughters is expecting. She said this work gave her a reason to get up in the morning as she misses being a mother of children at home. The man nodded. He understood exactly. The feeling of being needed. It seems to go away and that is how it is supposed to be he presumed. His children were parents and grandparents now too. Mr. Travis are you ready? She held up her device to record him. He felt nervous for a moment and looked at the sheet of paper he held in his hand where he carefully wrote some ideas. She said he could use his paper. He thought about it but he knew ultimately he did not need it. He folded the paper and laid it on the table and he straightened his tie. These words he had for his children would come from his heart and these words have been built with every ounce of character he poured into nearly 90 years of life. “I am ready Melody,” he said with the confidence of a businessman presenting to a boardroom. With the love of a father holding his first daughter. With the wisdom of a man who went to work and took care of his family every day. With the special affection for his grandchildren, loving them more than they could ever know. With pride for the family to whom he had devoted his life. With the gratitude to God for the life he was given to live. He wipes a tear from his eye as he said his last words into Melody’s recording device: “Remember to give to those that have less, be grateful, and never forget how much Grandpa and Grandma love you.” “I don’t remember the last time I shed a tear,” he said appologetically when it was all over. He felt such a feeling of freedom and peace as she clicked the STOP record button. Melody gently took his hand and looked into his eyes and said words that would stay with him for a long time, “Do you know how powerful that was? Do you realize how it will touch and bless the people you love?” Warmth and peace filled his heart. She was right. Then she thanked him and promised him she would bring it to him to see when it was done. When he stood to get out of his chair he felt more like the man he was. The man he had forgotten he was these last years. “Oh one more thing, I need a photo of you. Would you like me to take one of you or do you have one?” Melody said. He opened his wallet and took out a very old photo of him and Marsha on their wedding day. “Could you use this? I know it is very old.” “Yes, that would be just perfect,” Melody said. Tune in next week for part #3 to finish our tale about the man in room #106 There is a gentleman sitting in a room somewhere. He wears a suit every day and his shoes are shined.
He isn’t wearing a suit coat or tie today because he hasn’t got anywhere he needs to be. He looks out his small window at a car that is slowing down, then it speeds up again. He reaches for a sip of water. He looks at his phone. His daughter is busy. That’s good. He is so proud of her. He misses her. She has three wonderful children. One of the boys has a soccer game tonight he thinks. He laughs to himself thinking about the last time he was at his grandson’s game. How he took him to the sideline to tell him a secret. “Kick the ball with your left foot, it will throw off the defense.” His grandson did what he told him and he scored! True story! Those were good days when he was limber enough to walk from the parking lot to the field and sit in one of those camp chairs. He looks down at his shoes. There is a scuff. How did that happen, he never goes out anymore. He reaches for his shoe kit to buff out that scuff. He used to be a businessman. Always looked spiffy. He loved people and the people he served loved him. He sits and thinks about a few people he used to know. They are passed on now. What am I still doing here? He thinks. He looks at his phone. The last person that called was trying to sell insurance. He talked to the guy for twenty minutes. He was a good salesman but just didn’t need what he was offering. He could go play bingo or whatnot downstairs. He thinks about it for a minute then makes a quick decision to not go. He never was much for bingo. He picks up the newspaper on the side table. Yesterday’s news. He read it already. He turns on the TV and listens to the newscaster drone on about the state of the world. Same stuff, different day. He worries about his children and grandchildren. What a world to live in today. So different from when he was a boy. He thinks of his days running a business with seven revenue streams. He lets his minds drift to thoughts about his sweetheart. Then he drifts off to sleep. It’s just 8:30am. First nap of the day. He will have a few more, eat his meals in his room, and say a prayer of thanks before he eats. He will sigh as he looks at the tray with sliced peaches and hopes that tomorrow they serve chocolate cake. You shouldn’t eat chocolate cake, you know that. He’ll hear his wife say in his head. A knock on the door. It startles him. Was it his imagination? He takes out his pocket watch from his pocket. 9:22 am. Who could it be? He pushes the button on his recliner that pushes him gently out of his chair. He shuffles to the door realizing he only has one shoe on. Pauses and wonders if he should go back to put on the other shoe he was shining before he fell asleep. No, that would take too long. “Coming,” he says when he hears another soft knock. His heart races with anticipation and he reminds himself not to get too excited, it’s probably nothing. Just a wrong door or something. He takes a hanky out of his pocket, wipes his forehead and looks once more down at his shoeless foot. At least he has no holes in his sock. He opens the door. *****Want to find out what our gentleman in room #106 finds on the other side of the door? Tune in next week. |
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