AFriendontheLine
金尼斯·邁克爾·比奇/JenningsMichaelBirch
Lifewithoutafriendisdeathwithoutawitness.
—Spanishproverb
BeforeIevenf?inisheddialing,IsomehowknewI』dmadeamistake.Thephonerangonce,twice—thensomeonepickeditup.
「Yougotthewrongnumber!」ahuskymalevoicesnappedbeforethelinewentdead.Mystif?ied,Idialedagain.
「Isaidyougotthewrongnumber!」camethevoice.Oncemorethephoneclickedinmyear.
HowcouldhepossiblyknowIhadawrongnumber?Atthattime,IworkedfortheNewYorkCityPoliceDepartment.Acopistrainedtobecurious—andconcerned.SoIdialedathirdtime.
「Hey,c』mon,」themansaid.「Isthisyouagain?」
「Yeah,it』sme,」Ianswered.「IwaswonderinghowyouknewIhadthewrongnumberbeforeIevensaidanything?」
「Youf?igureitout!」Thephonedslammeddown.
Isatthereawhile,thereceiverhanginglooselyinmyf?ingers.Icalledthemanback.
「Didyouf?igureitoutyet?」heasked.
「TheonlythingIcanthinkofisnobodyevercallsyou.」
「Yougotit!」Thephonewentdeadforthefourthtime.Chuckling,Idialedthemanback.
「Whatdoyouwantnow?」heasked.
「IthoughtI』dcalljusttosayhello.」
「Hello?Why?」
「Well,ifnobodyevercallsyou,IthoughtmaybeIshould.」
「Okay.Hello.Whoisthis?」
Atlast.Ihadgotthrough.Nowhewascurious.ItoldhimwhoIwasandaskedwhohewas.
「MynameisAdolfMeth.I』m88yearsold,andIhaven』thadthismanywrongnumbersinonedayin20years!」Webothlaughed.
Wetalkedfor10minutes.Adolfhadnofamily,nofriends.Everyonehehadbeenclosetohaddied.Thenwediscoveredwehadsomethingincommon:he』dworkedfortheNewYorkCityPoliceDepartmentfornearly40years.Tellingmeabouthisdaysthereasanelevatoroperator,heseemedinteresting,evenfriendly.IaskedifIcouldcallhimagain.
「Whywouldyouwannadothat?」heasked,surprised.
「Well,maybewecouldbephonefriends.Youknow,likepenpals.」
Hehesitated.「Iwouldn』tmindhavingafriendagain.」Hisvoicesoundedalittletentative.
IcalledAdolfthefollowingafternoonandseveraldayslater.Easytotalkwith,herelatedhismemoriesofWorldWarIandII,theHindenburgdisasterandotherhistoricalevents.Hewasfascinating.Igavehimmyhomeandoff?icenumberssohecouldcallus.Hedid—almosteveryday.
Iwasnotjustbeingkindtoalonelyman.TalkingtoAdolfwasimportanttome,becauseI,too,hadabiggapinmylife.Raisedinorphanagesandfosterhomes,Ineverhadafather.Gradually,Adolftookonakindoffatherlyimportancetome.Italkedaboutmyjobandcollegecourses,whichIattendedatnight.
Adolfwarmedtotheroleofcounselor.WhilediscussingadisagreementI』dhadwithasupervisor,Itoldmynewfriend,「IthinkI』vehaditwithhim.」
「What』stherush?」Adolfcautioned.「Letthingscooldown.WhenyougetasoldasIam,youf?indoutthattimetakescareofalot.Ifthingsgetworse,thenyoucantalktohim.」
Therewasalongsilence.「Youknow,」hesaidsoftly,「IamtalkingtoyoujustthewayI』dtalktoaboyofmyown.Ialwayswantedafamily—andchildren.You』retooyoungtoknowhowthatfeels.」
No,Iwasn』t.I』dalwayswantedafamily—andafather.ButIdidn』tsayanything,afraidIwouldn』tbeabletoholdbackthehurtI』dfeltforsolong.
Oneevening,Adolfmentionedhis89thbirthdaywascomingup.Afterbuyingapieceoff?iberboard,Idesigneda「2×5」greetingcardwithacakeand89candlesonit.IaskedallthecopsandmyOff?iceCommissionertosignit.Igatherednearlyahundredsignatures.Adolfwouldgetakickoutofthis,Iknew.
We』dbeentalkingonthephoneforfourmonthsnow,andIthoughtthiswouldbeagoodtimetomeetfacetoface.SoIdecidedtodeliverthecardbyhand.
Ididn』ttellAdolfIwascoming;Ijustdrovetohisaddressonemorningandparkedthecarupthestreetfromhisapartmenthouse.ApostmanwassortingmailinthehallwaywhenIenteredthebuilding.HenoddedasIcheckedthemailboxesforAdolf』sname.Thereitwas.Apartment1H,some20feetfromwhereIstood.
Myheartpoundedwithexcitement.Wouldwehavethesamechemistryinpersonthatwehadonthephone?Ifeltthef?irststabofdoubt.Maybehewouldrejectmethewaymyfatherrejectedmewhenhewentoutofmylife.ItappedonAdolf』sdoor.Whentherewasnoanswer,Iknockedharder.
Thepostmanlookedupfromhissorting.「Noone』sthere,」hesaid.
「Yeah,」Isaid,feelingalittlefoolish.「Ifheansweredhisdoorthewayheanswershisphone,thismaytakeallday.」