09-02-2020, 10:07 AM
Stephanie looked at him, and at the two dozen roses, and just nodded. Grandpa took the flowers from him and set them on the table carefully. Steph finally managed to say, "The roses are beautiful. Thank you." Michael just nodded gravely at her.
Grandpa pulled another chair to the table and offered it to him, and said, "You said you had an explanation? What can we get you to drink? Coke, another soft drink?"
"A glass of water would be nice, thank you." Rosemary jumped up to get it for him as Michael sat down in the offered chair. "Please don't take this as an excuse, I make none. I was driving under the influence, and I will plead guilty to doing so and take the consequences although I was at a .07, which is under the legal limit, I was still under the influence. I don't drink. My religion does not permit stimulants of any kind, even caffeine, and no alcohol of any sort. I said I don't drink, so why did I blow a .07? I was invited to a party by a young lady I had a couple of classes with, and although there was beer there I had only a couple of glasses of what I was told was a fruit punch, but without my knowledge, or hers either I'm convinced, someone spiked the punch rather heavily. This is under investigation, and will be prosecuted if possible. I'm also only 19, so I'm underage, with which also I have been charged."
"I was feeling a little light headed, and my stomach was upset, so I made my excuses and was trying to get home, not understanding the problem. When I got to the intersection I was hurrying, and honestly didn't see the light until Just before I hit you, but then it was too late. I went by the hospital, but they told me Susan is in ICU and is not able to receive visitors. I have been praying almost without stopping since then that she will not die." By this time tears were streaming down his face and dripping onto his shirt. He pulled his wallet from his pocket and removed two business cards, one each of which he gave to Grandpa and to Stephanie. "Here are my numbers. Please feel free to call on me at any time. I want to make this right, and to know I have your forgiveness for my wrongdoing."
I've never seen a grown man cry the way I saw Michael cry that evening. It was obvious it was real, and it was from the heart. Steph was crying as well, and Grandpa sat there looking totally perplexed. Finally he rose and walked around the table and extended a hand to Michael. "Son, I want you to know I've never seen another man do what you have done tonight. That took real guts, and you have laid yourself out in a very precarious position by doing this. I am not an unreasonable man, and I am doing this as a favor to friends of the family as I'm retired, so I have no financial stake in this." He handed Michael a couple of his own business cards. "Give one to your attorney. I know him well, and we can work together amicably. I cannot forgive you; that is up to Stephanie, but I want you to know you have my utmost respect for coming here tonight like this. I know the judge who will be handling your case, and if you would like, I would be most happy to appear in court on your behalf and tell him how you have handled yourself tonight. Obviously, there are legal issues here, and you will have to face them. I will do all for you that I can."
Michael stood to leave, and Stephanie stood with him. Grasping his arms she pulled him toward her and kissed him gently on the cheek. "I forgive you. Thank you for coming." Michael just nodded, afraid to trust his voice and made his way to the door, where I let him out. Impulsively, I reached out a hand and shook his.
"What you just did took guts. I don't know that I could have done the same. Thank you."
"I couldn't have lived with myself if I hadn't. Besides, it was the right thing to do."
"When you go to the hospital to see Susie, don't call her Susan. She will never forgive you for that." A faint wry smile tugged at his lips. I was glad I could lighten a very small portion of the load he was under.
Grandma, who had remained silent during the entire conversation, looked at me and said, "You take a lesson from that young man, Justin. He not only has intestinal fortitude, but he also has strength from his convictions. He could easily have excused what happened by blaming someone else, and he would have been correct, but he accepted responsibility for his own actions. He will go far in life, Good Lord willing."
Monday morning I rode to school with Rosemary and Steph. Stephanie had a Technicolor face from the all of the bruising, and two black eyes caused by the air bag accented the yellows, greens and blues. Mom offered to let her stay home, but she insisted she couldn't afford to miss classes. She was already struggling in physics, one of my strongest subjects, although I took it last year as an honors class. I didn't know it gave her trouble, so I made an appointment with her for the evening to work on it together. Spend more time with Steph? I would force myself, although keeping our attentions focused on the coursework was going to be difficult.
Grandpa pulled another chair to the table and offered it to him, and said, "You said you had an explanation? What can we get you to drink? Coke, another soft drink?"
"A glass of water would be nice, thank you." Rosemary jumped up to get it for him as Michael sat down in the offered chair. "Please don't take this as an excuse, I make none. I was driving under the influence, and I will plead guilty to doing so and take the consequences although I was at a .07, which is under the legal limit, I was still under the influence. I don't drink. My religion does not permit stimulants of any kind, even caffeine, and no alcohol of any sort. I said I don't drink, so why did I blow a .07? I was invited to a party by a young lady I had a couple of classes with, and although there was beer there I had only a couple of glasses of what I was told was a fruit punch, but without my knowledge, or hers either I'm convinced, someone spiked the punch rather heavily. This is under investigation, and will be prosecuted if possible. I'm also only 19, so I'm underage, with which also I have been charged."
"I was feeling a little light headed, and my stomach was upset, so I made my excuses and was trying to get home, not understanding the problem. When I got to the intersection I was hurrying, and honestly didn't see the light until Just before I hit you, but then it was too late. I went by the hospital, but they told me Susan is in ICU and is not able to receive visitors. I have been praying almost without stopping since then that she will not die." By this time tears were streaming down his face and dripping onto his shirt. He pulled his wallet from his pocket and removed two business cards, one each of which he gave to Grandpa and to Stephanie. "Here are my numbers. Please feel free to call on me at any time. I want to make this right, and to know I have your forgiveness for my wrongdoing."
I've never seen a grown man cry the way I saw Michael cry that evening. It was obvious it was real, and it was from the heart. Steph was crying as well, and Grandpa sat there looking totally perplexed. Finally he rose and walked around the table and extended a hand to Michael. "Son, I want you to know I've never seen another man do what you have done tonight. That took real guts, and you have laid yourself out in a very precarious position by doing this. I am not an unreasonable man, and I am doing this as a favor to friends of the family as I'm retired, so I have no financial stake in this." He handed Michael a couple of his own business cards. "Give one to your attorney. I know him well, and we can work together amicably. I cannot forgive you; that is up to Stephanie, but I want you to know you have my utmost respect for coming here tonight like this. I know the judge who will be handling your case, and if you would like, I would be most happy to appear in court on your behalf and tell him how you have handled yourself tonight. Obviously, there are legal issues here, and you will have to face them. I will do all for you that I can."
Michael stood to leave, and Stephanie stood with him. Grasping his arms she pulled him toward her and kissed him gently on the cheek. "I forgive you. Thank you for coming." Michael just nodded, afraid to trust his voice and made his way to the door, where I let him out. Impulsively, I reached out a hand and shook his.
"What you just did took guts. I don't know that I could have done the same. Thank you."
"I couldn't have lived with myself if I hadn't. Besides, it was the right thing to do."
"When you go to the hospital to see Susie, don't call her Susan. She will never forgive you for that." A faint wry smile tugged at his lips. I was glad I could lighten a very small portion of the load he was under.
Grandma, who had remained silent during the entire conversation, looked at me and said, "You take a lesson from that young man, Justin. He not only has intestinal fortitude, but he also has strength from his convictions. He could easily have excused what happened by blaming someone else, and he would have been correct, but he accepted responsibility for his own actions. He will go far in life, Good Lord willing."
Monday morning I rode to school with Rosemary and Steph. Stephanie had a Technicolor face from the all of the bruising, and two black eyes caused by the air bag accented the yellows, greens and blues. Mom offered to let her stay home, but she insisted she couldn't afford to miss classes. She was already struggling in physics, one of my strongest subjects, although I took it last year as an honors class. I didn't know it gave her trouble, so I made an appointment with her for the evening to work on it together. Spend more time with Steph? I would force myself, although keeping our attentions focused on the coursework was going to be difficult.
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