Jim Harris settled comfortably into his seat on the train, and let his thoughts wander. He pulled the flyer from the circus out of his pocket and stared at it for a little while, then he tipped back his head and gazed out the window at the dark world around him. The look on his tired face indicated the troubled thoughts he was thinking.
Jim worked for the missing persons bureau of the police department, so puzzling cases were no new thing to him. This Andy Sandler case, however, had seemed to defy all logical reasoning. It was true what he had told Toni Shaw, that Roger Sandler had made a dying request that his son be found. Only a few months before, Jim had been looking for Roger. Jim shook his head, "How did this all happen so fast?" he wondered.
Roger Sandler was just a common radio actor. He read a part on a daily program and made a minimum wage of $50 bucks a week. Roger's life had been somewhat of a tragedy too. His wife had died when their little boy was only four months old, and he had been forced to send his son away with his brother and sister in law. Another eight years passed without Roger ever hearing from his in laws or his son. As if this were not the worst, Roger contracted a deadly fever putting him out of work and at the mercy of charity.
This was the most amazing thing to Jim, however, for at Roger's lowest, his friends came through for him. They provided a place to live, food to eat, and even paid for him to see a doctor. This was where Jim Harris had found him and brought him good news. By some twist in fate, a distant relative of Roger had willed him a large estate and a fortune to match it. Jim expected to find Roger Sandler euphoric over the news, but Roger just smiled and shook his head.
"I am the richest man in the world!" he said, "There I was, dying in the poor house, but my friends took me in and sheltered and clothed me." Roger gripped Jim's hand tightly. "Houses and money cannot buy the feeling of being love by one's friends!" Then Roger had asked Jim to write up a will for him. The instructions were very clear; half of the estate was to go to Roger's son (wherever he was) and the other half was to be divide among Roger's friends who had aided him in his hour of need.
"So here I am again." Jim said to himself with a laugh.
To be continued...
Jim worked for the missing persons bureau of the police department, so puzzling cases were no new thing to him. This Andy Sandler case, however, had seemed to defy all logical reasoning. It was true what he had told Toni Shaw, that Roger Sandler had made a dying request that his son be found. Only a few months before, Jim had been looking for Roger. Jim shook his head, "How did this all happen so fast?" he wondered.
Roger Sandler was just a common radio actor. He read a part on a daily program and made a minimum wage of $50 bucks a week. Roger's life had been somewhat of a tragedy too. His wife had died when their little boy was only four months old, and he had been forced to send his son away with his brother and sister in law. Another eight years passed without Roger ever hearing from his in laws or his son. As if this were not the worst, Roger contracted a deadly fever putting him out of work and at the mercy of charity.
This was the most amazing thing to Jim, however, for at Roger's lowest, his friends came through for him. They provided a place to live, food to eat, and even paid for him to see a doctor. This was where Jim Harris had found him and brought him good news. By some twist in fate, a distant relative of Roger had willed him a large estate and a fortune to match it. Jim expected to find Roger Sandler euphoric over the news, but Roger just smiled and shook his head.
"I am the richest man in the world!" he said, "There I was, dying in the poor house, but my friends took me in and sheltered and clothed me." Roger gripped Jim's hand tightly. "Houses and money cannot buy the feeling of being love by one's friends!" Then Roger had asked Jim to write up a will for him. The instructions were very clear; half of the estate was to go to Roger's son (wherever he was) and the other half was to be divide among Roger's friends who had aided him in his hour of need.
"So here I am again." Jim said to himself with a laugh.
To be continued...
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