belongings. I felt like he was watching me.
Then it hit me: If heâs watching me, then I need to do right by him.
And my fear and discomfort vanished and I started poring through his stuff. The kitchen drawers were full of utensilsâexcept one closest to the refrigerator. It was one of those âjunk drawersâ that most people had, a space filled with a mix of bills, letters, scissors, pamphlets, Chinese restaurant delivery menus, coupons and any other thing that did not merit its own assigned place.
A lot can be learned going through peoplesâ things. I learned that Walter had a Macyâs credit card that he hardly used; he was up to date on his cable bill, but late on his gas bill. He wrote checks for $300 six times to Candice Mattison, a secretary in the Main Office at our school. That told me Walter was a good man, as I suspected.
Candice had fallen upon hard times after she got a divorce from her husband of seventeen years. She was convinced he had money to provide her alimony. But she could not prove it, and so she eventually lost her house. She never said anything about how bad things had gotten, but we all noticed that she began bringing her lunch to work and that she became more withdrawn.
I found a letter from Candice to Walter. And it confirmed my suspicions:
I cannot thank you enough for your help. I would never ask you (or any one) for money. But your blessing has really helped me get back on track. For you to do this for me, I just canât believe it. But youâre amazing. I donât know what I can do for you, but if there is anything, please let me know. THANK YOU!
Walter never told me he had helped Candice. But when I thought about it, I wasnât surprised. He was quiet and almost shy at times, but anyone paying attention could tell he had a good heart.
After going through the drawers downstairs, I went to his office, which was about as neat as a work area as I have seen. If there was something to be found in there, I should have been able to locate it. Everything was filed alphabetically. It was so orderly that I took a seat and took my time going through the paperwork because I didnât want to disturb too much how Walter left things.
I learned pretty quickly why his son and brother were seeking information on his moneyâWalter was independently wealthy. He had stock holdings worth more than a million and real estate valued at close to that. You never would have guessed by his attire, the modest home he lived in, the 2006 Toyota Camry he drove or the unassuming nature he presented.
I was floored by the numbers. Why would he teach at a tough school in Southeast D.C. when he could have lived a life of luxury?
I found the answer in a letter from Candice to Walter.
Iâm amazed that you do what you doâfor me and for your students. You have every right to move to the islands and relax. But when you told me that only helping people gives you fulfillment, I was blown away. I just hope you focus on that and not the negative things that come up in all our lives.
You have too much to offer to consider âgoing away,â as you put it. I only hope and pray you mean leaving the school and finding others to bless with your mind and generosity. I know youâre troubled at times. Thank you for sharing that with me, by the way. But youâre a good man with a good heart, no matter what anyone says or how anyone might make you feel. Remember that.
It became clear to me that Walter had shared more about his life and condition with Candice than me. I hadnât spoken to her since I found Walter hanging in his garage, but surely she knew about it because it was one of the lead stories on all the local news broadcasts. I refused to speak to reportersâ¦out of respect for Walter.
As I picked up Walterâs last will and testament, I heard a noise downstairs. It was not my imagination. I quickly gathered the will and other documents, folded them
Then it hit me: If heâs watching me, then I need to do right by him.
And my fear and discomfort vanished and I started poring through his stuff. The kitchen drawers were full of utensilsâexcept one closest to the refrigerator. It was one of those âjunk drawersâ that most people had, a space filled with a mix of bills, letters, scissors, pamphlets, Chinese restaurant delivery menus, coupons and any other thing that did not merit its own assigned place.
A lot can be learned going through peoplesâ things. I learned that Walter had a Macyâs credit card that he hardly used; he was up to date on his cable bill, but late on his gas bill. He wrote checks for $300 six times to Candice Mattison, a secretary in the Main Office at our school. That told me Walter was a good man, as I suspected.
Candice had fallen upon hard times after she got a divorce from her husband of seventeen years. She was convinced he had money to provide her alimony. But she could not prove it, and so she eventually lost her house. She never said anything about how bad things had gotten, but we all noticed that she began bringing her lunch to work and that she became more withdrawn.
I found a letter from Candice to Walter. And it confirmed my suspicions:
I cannot thank you enough for your help. I would never ask you (or any one) for money. But your blessing has really helped me get back on track. For you to do this for me, I just canât believe it. But youâre amazing. I donât know what I can do for you, but if there is anything, please let me know. THANK YOU!
Walter never told me he had helped Candice. But when I thought about it, I wasnât surprised. He was quiet and almost shy at times, but anyone paying attention could tell he had a good heart.
After going through the drawers downstairs, I went to his office, which was about as neat as a work area as I have seen. If there was something to be found in there, I should have been able to locate it. Everything was filed alphabetically. It was so orderly that I took a seat and took my time going through the paperwork because I didnât want to disturb too much how Walter left things.
I learned pretty quickly why his son and brother were seeking information on his moneyâWalter was independently wealthy. He had stock holdings worth more than a million and real estate valued at close to that. You never would have guessed by his attire, the modest home he lived in, the 2006 Toyota Camry he drove or the unassuming nature he presented.
I was floored by the numbers. Why would he teach at a tough school in Southeast D.C. when he could have lived a life of luxury?
I found the answer in a letter from Candice to Walter.
Iâm amazed that you do what you doâfor me and for your students. You have every right to move to the islands and relax. But when you told me that only helping people gives you fulfillment, I was blown away. I just hope you focus on that and not the negative things that come up in all our lives.
You have too much to offer to consider âgoing away,â as you put it. I only hope and pray you mean leaving the school and finding others to bless with your mind and generosity. I know youâre troubled at times. Thank you for sharing that with me, by the way. But youâre a good man with a good heart, no matter what anyone says or how anyone might make you feel. Remember that.
It became clear to me that Walter had shared more about his life and condition with Candice than me. I hadnât spoken to her since I found Walter hanging in his garage, but surely she knew about it because it was one of the lead stories on all the local news broadcasts. I refused to speak to reportersâ¦out of respect for Walter.
As I picked up Walterâs last will and testament, I heard a noise downstairs. It was not my imagination. I quickly gathered the will and other documents, folded them
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