Arizona sun., 1949-01-28

and f1lcked switch. Doesn't seem
to worry him. Can you tell me
why?"
Neither Of US knew then, but we
got the answer later.
When his car was being unloaded
at the railway dock, J. called him.
Most of my customers like to be on
hand to get q first glimpse Of the
car for which they have waited so
long. After awhile, he showed up,
and I was shocked at his appear
ance. He was walking slow and
easy, like the old man he looked
to be. His cheeks were hollow, his
sunken eyes deeper than ever. The
pouches below them hung away
down.
But he was surely happy about
the car. told him it would take q
couple Of days to get it into shape
for delivery.
Good enough" he said, Il expect
the boy over about then"
l never saw Fred again.
Doc let me know. He called me.
"Come on over, will you, Martyr"
I knew from his tone it was impor-
tant, so I hung up and went right
away. He was sitting in his private
office.
When I came in, he pushed a
bulky envelope across the desk to
me. 1t was addressed to me in an
unfamiliar hand. Opening it, found
a two-thousand-dollar insurance
policy with me as the beneficiary.
The name of the policy holder?
Fred A. Miller!
showed it to Doc. "Yeah," he
said, Fred died last night. Natu-
raj causes, yet he could have lived
lot longer. Only eventually he
would become an invalid, and his
son would want to take care Of
him. On the other hand, he could
duck out now and leave the Lad
something. guess he chose to have
the boy remember him as something
other than a sick old man."
could see the picture. But you
just don't know what to say in such
cases. So I guess I sounded little
irrelevant when / said, "Cars have
gone up. Doc. This two thousand
won't cover it now"
Doc looked as though he were
disappointed in me. He pulled out
his check book and picked up q
pen. well, want that boy to have
that car, Martin. How much is the
difference?"
"Put that stuff back, Doc" I said,
'you don't have corner on soft
hearts and softer heads"
He grinned then. Il want to share
it, at least"
After old Fred had been decently
| tucked aWay-and it was amazing
how many friends the old boy had
1 called the kid over to the garage.
Doc and 1 led him to the car.
Here's something Fred wanted
you to have" 1 told him. His eyes
were so full he could hardly find the
door handle. "And here's another
thing he told us to give you" He
took the slip of paper handed him,
and I was glad he couldn't read it
right then. He only nodded; he
couldn't talk, although twice he
tried. He put the car in gear and
backed out.
Doc and stood on the sidewalk
to watch him drive down the street.
About a block away, he pulled over
to the curb and stopped. My guess
was that he couldn't see through
the tears that must have been
tumbling down his cheeks. After all,
he was only a kid.
I showed my hands into my
pockets and looked at my feet, not
talking. For a minute, Doc didn't
say anything. either. Then: What
was that you gave him?"
My tone was defensive. Hadn't
Doc treated Fred for nothing? "You
really didn't think I could keep that
policy, did your"
Docs voice was sort of soft and
strange when he finally answered.
Fired sure knew a soft-hearted
sucker when he saw one didn't he?"
He turned and started off. "Now I'm
going down to the office and see if
modern medicine provides anything
for a lump in the throat"