In the final minutes of his life, Calvin has one last talk with Hobbes. :
July 8, 2014 at 2:03pm
A story by samuraitiger19
“Calvin? Calvin, sweetheart?â€
In the darkness Calvin heard the sound of Susie, his wife of fifty-three years. Calvin struggled to open his eyes. God, he was so tired and it took so much strength. Slowly, light replaced the darkness, and soon vision followed. At the foot of his bed stood his wife. Calvin wet his dry lips and spoke hoarsely, “Did... did you.... find him?â€
“Yes dear,†Susie said smiling sadly, “He was in the attic.â€
Susie reached into her big purse and brought out a soft, old, orange tiger doll. Calvin could not help but laugh. It had been so long. Too long.
“I washed him for you,†Susie said, her voice cracking a little as she laid the stuffed tiger next to her husband.
“Thank you, Susie.†Calvin said.
A few moments passed as Calvin just laid on his hospital bed, his head turned to the side, staring at the old toy with nostalgia.
“Dear,†Calvin said finally. “Would you mind leaving me alone with Hobbes for a while? I would like to catch up with him.â€
“All right,†Susie said. “I’ll get something to eat in the cafeteria. I’ll be back soon.â€
Susie kissed her husband on the forehead and turned to leave. With sudden but gentle strength Calvin stopped her. Lovingly he pulled his wife in and gave her a passionate kiss on the lips. “I love you,†he said.
“And I love you,†said Susie.
Susie turned and left. Calvin saw tears streaming from her face as she went out the door.
Calvin then turned to face his oldest and dearest friend. “Hello Hobbes. It’s been a long time hasn’t it old pal?â€
Hobbes was no longer a stuffed doll but the big furry old tiger Calvin had always remembered. “It sure has, Calvin.†said Hobbes.
“You... haven’t changed a bit.†Calvin smiled.
“You’ve changed a lot.†Hobbes said sadly.
Calvin laughed, “Really? I haven’t noticed at all.â€
There was a long pause. The sound of a clock ticking away the seconds rang throughout the sterile hospital room.
“So... you married Susie Derkins.†Hobbes said, finally smiling. “I knew you always like her.â€
“Shut up!†Calvin said, his smile bigger than ever.
“Tell me everything I missed. I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to!†Hobbes said, excited.
And so Calvin told him everything. He told him about how he and Susie fell in love in high school and had married after graduating from college, about his three kids and four grandkids, how he turned Spaceman Spiff into one of the most popular sci-fi novels of the decade, and so on. After he told Hobbes all this there was another pregnant pause.
“You know... I visited you in the attic a bunch of times.†Calvin said.
“I know.â€
“But I couldn’t see you. All I saw was a stuffed animal.†Calvin voice was breaking and tears of regret started welling up in his eyes.
“You grew up old buddy.†said Hobbes.
Calvin broke down and sobbed, hugging his best friend. “I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry I broke my promise! I promised I wouldn’t grow up and that we’d be together forever!!â€
Hobbes stroke the Calvin’s hair, or what little was left of it. “But you didn’t.â€
“What do you mean?â€
“We were always together... in our dreams.â€
“We were?â€
“We were.â€
“Hobbes?â€
“Yeah, old buddy?â€
“I’m so glad I got to see you like this... one last time...â€
“Me too, Calvin. Me too.â€
“Sweetheart?†Susie voice came from outside the door.
“Yes dear?†Calvin replied.
“Can I come in?†Susie asked.
“Just a minute.â€
Calvin turned to face Hobbes one last time. “Goodbye Hobbes. Thanks... for everything...â€
“No, thank you Calvin.†Hobbes said.
Calvin turned back to the door and said, “You can come in now.â€
Susie came in and said, “Look who’s come to visit you.â€
Calvin’s children and grandchildren followed Susie into Calvin’s room. The youngest grandchild ran past the rest of them and hugged Calvin in a hard, excited hug. “Grandpa!!†screamed the child in delight.
“Francis!†cried Calvin’s daughter, “Be gentle with your grandfather.â€
Calvin’s daughter turned to her dad. “I’m sorry, Daddy. Francis never seems to behave these days. He just runs around making a mess and coming up with strange stories.â€
Calvin laughed and said, “Well now! That sound just like me when I was his age.â€
Calvin and his family chatted some more until a nurse said, “Sorry, but visiting hours are almost up.â€
Calvin’s beloved family said good bye and promised to visit tomorrow. As they turned to leave Calvin said, “Francis. Come here for a second.â€
Francis came over to his grandfather’s side, “What is it Gramps?â€
Calvin reached over to the stuffed tiger on his bedside and held him out shakily to his grandson, who looked exactly as he did so many years ago. “This is Hobbes. He was my best friend when I was your age. I want you to have him.â€
“He’s just a stuffed tiger.†Francis said, eyebrows raised.
Calvin laughed, “Well, let me tell you a secret.â€
Francis leaned closer to Calvin. Calvin whispered, “If you catch him in a tiger trap using a tuna sandwich as bait he will turn into a real tiger.â€
Francis gasped in delighted awe. Calvin continued, “Not only that he will be your best friend forever.â€
“Wow! Thanks grandpa!†Francis said, hugging his grandpa tightly again.
“Francis! We need to go now!†Calvin’s daughter called.
“Okay!†Francis shouted back.
“Take good care of him.†Calvin said.
“I will.†Francis said before running off after the rest of the family.
Calvin laid on his back and stared at the ceiling. The time to go was close. He could feel it in his soul. Calvin tried to remember a quote he read in a book once. It said something about death being the next great adventure or something like that. He eyelids grew heavy and his breathing slowed. As he went deeper into his final sleep he heard Hobbes, as if he was right next to him at his bedside. “I’ll take care of him, Calvin...â€
Calvin took his first step toward one more adventure and breathed his last with a grin on his face.
As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.
Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant.
It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his papers.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.
Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around.."
His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."
His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."
By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper That he got from a grocery bag Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume.. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to." After the children left, she cried for at least an hour.
On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets.."
A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling* her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.
Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.
Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.
Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer.... The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.
The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.
They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for* believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."
Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you."
(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr. at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)
Warm someone's heart today. . . pass this along. I love this story so very much, I cry every time I read it. Just try to make a difference in someone's life today? tomorrow? Just "do it".
Random acts of kindness, I think they call it?
"Believe in Angels, then return the favor."
