SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 1953
“Mommy, I’m cold.”
The words wafted from my shivering lips as Mom tightened my scarf, and adjusted the sides of my hat stretched downwards to cover my ears.
As we exited the doors of the beloved Kaufmann’s Department Store in downtown Pittsburgh that afternoon, we hesitated for a moment beneath the huge decorative clock which adorned the façade of the building.
The tiny flakes of falling snow caressed both of us as we progressed along the front windows of the department store. As most folks remember, all the large Pittsburgh department store venues decorated their huge display windows with incredible scenes depicting the upcoming Christmas Season…the window displays were traditionally unveiled sometime between Halloween and the Thanksgiving weekend.
Naturally, ALL the major sites participated in, somewhat, of a “competition”…who would have the “BEST” display? The local radio station, KDKA, would broadcast from a different display location each week until Christmas…and, on the final day of broadcast, the station would announce the “winner” of the best display, according to the Public responses generated.
As Mommy and I finished our viewing of Kaufmann’s Christmas windows, we started our trek down the lonnnnng length of Smithfield Street, to Forbes Avenue…then, across Market Square, and eventually to Horne’s Department Store nestled on the corner of Stanwix and Penn Avenue.
Here we would halt…tilt our heads backward, and gaze upwards at the amazing Christmas tree decorating the entire upwards length of the corner of the store.
As the afternoon began to melt into the early shades of dusk, and the snowflakes started to build-up upon the sidewalk paths, we wended our way back to the bus-stop location which would provide our homebound transit.
A MOMENT PAUSE
Suddenly, Mommy stopped in her tracks.
Just past the far edge of the storefront, a figure sat hunched-over upon the sidewalk.
It was the figure of a man, obviously destitute, and wrapped within the pitiful threads of a deteriorated, piecemeal blanket. Totally unwashed and unshaven, with the soles of his feet jutting through the bottoms of his rotted shoes, he represented the essence of despair.
Without hesitation, Mommy opened her purse…withdrew a dollar bill from her wallet, bent downwards, and softly opened the fingers of the man’s right hand. She placed her dollar bill into his grasp. His eyes remained closed in sleep.
BACK HOME
Later that evening, as we arrived at our home in Millvale, as Mommy helped me to remove all my layers of Winter garments, I asked her:
“Mommy, did you know that man we saw downtown? The man you stopped for gave the dollar to?”
She replied:
“ No, Georgie…that man was a stranger.”
After a few moments, I again posed another question:
“Then, why did you give him some money?”
Her reply was soft, and exact:
“No matter what you do, no matter where your Life takes you, Georgie, remember this…
’The Kindness, the Good, you do always comes back to you.’”
1980
The voice came through over the loudspeaker in my classroom:
“Mr. Nowack, I have a request to ask you. Please come to my office after class dismissal today.
Thank you.”
As the 3:15 dismissal bell rang, I trotted-off to the Principal’s office…not knowing what to expect.
Could it be that the difficulties which I had recently overcome had returned to “haunt” me?
As I entered the main office, my Principal greeted me and indicated for me to take a seat.
“Mr. Nowack, the Board of Education would like YOU to represent the school district at a panel discussion to be held at the WQED television station.”
WHAT???? ME???? What did I do to deserve such an “honor?” Or, was this a “come-on?”
Nope…it was REAL. Of course, I agreed to the request.
So…the next week I found myself being transported across town to the television studios. Here I, along with several other individuals, was greeted by the station manager.
Since the panel discussion would occur an hour or so later, we were given “free-rein” to explore the station as we wished.
WOW!!!! AND…I DID!!!
Making my way alone, I explored several of the studio areas.
But, as I entered one area, I was MORE than awe-struck.
THERE IT WAS
The Neighborhood! Or, to be more exact…”Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood!”
I was frozen in my tracks. How could I be so very, very fortunate???
Then, I felt the presence of someone approaching behind me. A voice spoke-out:
“Hello. You look like you are having fun.”
I felt a soft hand on my shoulder…and turned.
There he was, Fred Rogers…MR. ROGERS! And he spoke to me, and touched my shoulder!
WOW!!!! How could I be so very, very fortunate???
I explained who I was, and why I was at the station. He seemed genuinely impressed.
Our conversation continued for several minutes. Then, my new “Friend” escorted me to the area hosting the panel discussion. After introducing me to the panel, I remarked to him:
“Mr. Rogers..you are VERY kind.”
He replied:
“Oh, Georgie, just remember…the Kindness you do ALWAYS comes back to you. And, just call me Fred.”
Then, he hugged me, and promised that we would meet again.
And the words and actions expressed by my Dear Mom that Saturday back in 1953 flooded back into my Memory.
REFLECTIONS
As I was involved with the composition of my DANDELION MESSAGE for this morning, I was reminded of the words of two of the most influential persons who have “touched” my Life.
And I pondered: How is It that these two persons, who had NEVER come into contact with one another spoke the same identical teachings to me?
Moreover…who was that homeless individual on the streets of Pittsburgh all those years ago???
Curiously, he seems somewhat familiar.
“There are three Ways to Ultimate Success:
The First Way is
to be Kind...
The Second Way is
to be Kind...
HELPING HANDS - Theme of What Will It Matter, be kind.