Growing Up
Tommy Hanson was a brat. If he wasn't an intellectual giant, neither was he stupid. While he wasn't lazy, he enjoyed preying upon others. His classmates by and large detested him. Adults tried to tolerate him, even though that was not easy.
Tommy finally bullied his way through high school. Ill disposed to go to college and ill equipped for any career, he gravitated toward the only thing that interested him: automobiles.
He went to work for the largest used car dealer in his part of Michigan. His job was to clean up and deliver cars. One day as he was polishing a 1982 Chevy coup, a prospective customer came over to look at the vehicle. Tommy began telling the elderly gentleman all about the car. The man was impressed, not only with the automobile, but with Tommy.
"You know," he said to the general manager of the dealership, "you should have that young man selling cars rather than cleaning them!" The GM had a good laugh. And then Tommy, while delivering a car to another lot, sold that one too! Pretty soon he began selling more cars than most of the regular salespeople, and the GM reluctantly put him in sales. Almost immediately he began outselling everyone at the dealership. Word of his success began to spread.
One day, as Tommy was in the process of wrapping up a deal on an late-model Oldsmobile Cutlass, the phone rang. Tommy answered and was astonished to hear the voice ask him if he would be interested in heading up the area's first Toyota dealership.
To make a long story short, Tommy Hanson became an incredibly successful businessman. He was suddenly wealthier than he had ever dreamed of being. He bought a huge estate, numerous expensive boats, automobiles...whatever took his fancy. However, his new-found wealth brought him only momentary satisfaction. Then one day he did something which changed his life for good.
He had to go to Jackson on business anyway. En route, as he was thinking about his growing up, he remembered how his Mother had always believed in him. While others threw up their hands declaring: "Tommy will never amount to anything," she had quietly contended that some day he would "find himself." He had never been very appreciative of her quiet, unshakable faith in him. And now that she was gone, he could not express his gratitude. Maybe, he thought, I could do something to honor her memory. He thought of giving money to her Church. He dismissed that idea. Then he hit upon something he liked better--something demanding more than the easy out of writing a check.
It seems that during her lifetime his Mother had collected a large group of local senior citizen friends. They had always been good to her, sticking by her during her long, terminal illness. "Maybe I could do something to repay their kindness to Mom," Tommy said softly to himself.
He thought of her friend, Mrs. Parlin. She had been widowed for many years and had difficulty getting around. Tommy remembered how she had enjoyed his Mother bringing her some of those delicious "home grown" hotdogs from Kuhl's. That's it, he'd stop a Kuhl's and drop off a dozen hotdogs after his business meeting.
"Mrs. Parlin?"
A guarded, "yes."
"I'm Tommy Hanson."
"Oh, yes, Tommy. Do come in."
"Can only stay a minute, but I wanted you to have these hotdogs from Kuhl's."
"Wasn't that thoughtful. Here let me fix us up a few of these right now!"
"Mrs, Parlin, I really..."
"Nonsense...there is always time for a good hotdog!"
They chatted amiably for an hour, enjoying the hotdogs and each other's company.
"I sure do miss your Mother. She was a wonderful friend."
"Yes, Mrs. Parlin, and she was very grateful for your friendship," Tommy said getting up to leave.
"Now mind you, Tommy, next time you are going to be in town, let me know and I'll fix up a batch of kraut to go along with our hotdogs."
"You're on, Mrs. Parlin!"
In addition to regularly visiting Mrs. Parlin, Tommy Hanson began taking Mr. Moore out to supper at a number of local restaurants, escorting Mrs. Mendenhall shopping evenings at the Mall, accompanying Mr. Tennison on fishing trips to Portage Lake, and going to the harness races with Mr. Donoghue. While his cadre of seniors enjoyed themselves, it was Tommy who felt he got by far the better of the deal. "What a great payoff," he mused, "for such a small investment on my part!"
"You know, Tommy," Mrs. Parlin softly confided, "a few of us wondered how you would turn out. Never dreamed you would be so successful...and I do not mean financially!"
"Thank you...I guess I took a bit longer growing up." He laughed, and then added..."would you pass me some more of that great sauerkraut?" They clasped hands as the bowl was passed.