The Last Christmas of Walter Sloan

His hands dotted with age spots and translucent from age carefully bagged the groceries. Cans on the bottom, perishables all in the same bag, ice cream in a freezer bag. Impatient people glued to their cell phones wished the old man would move quicker but Walter Sloan took his job seriously.

Walter was 85-years old and worked at the Bethlehem Falls A&P for the past fifteen years. He lived alone in the modest home where he and his wife raised their three children. Walter was gregarious, engaging and his eyes glistened with happiness—his thoughtful eyes were filled with empathy and a childlike curiosity.

Since his wife’s passing a decade ago, Walter’s family ties slowly disintegrated. The closest child, his daughter, was a two-hour drive from Bethlehem Falls. His two adult male children lived out-of-state and despite repeated efforts by Walter, his children rarely called and never visited.

Walter turned to work to assuage his loneliness. Working at the supermarket, Walter loved to engage with the customers as it helped fill the void in his heart. But his 20-hour part-time job hardly compensated for the rejection by his children. Besides his job helping to make ends meet, Walter loved to interact with the customers. Some people, their brains hardwired to their computers would be impatient as Walter still operated at an analogue pace of life.

One day a few weeks before Christmas, the store manager called Walter into his office. “Walter, I am going to have to let you go.” “Why?’ asked Walter. His question was met with momentary silence.” Listen Walt, you are about to turn eighty-six. You are slow and customers are complaining. Why not spend your days relaxing and doing whatever you want?” “But I am doing what I want,” Walter weakly protested. “After an awkward silence, the manager curtly responded. Today will be your last day. I am sorry Walter.”

That night at home in front of a roaring fire, Walter was lost. He was never a television person, did not follow sports and had little interest in politics. Walter’s life was people and the last venue to what made his heart sing now had been taken away. Walter was a reader and liked to take long walks. But as the months passed, he found it harder and harder to take those early morning walks that he so much enjoyed. His lone connection to the outside world was the local library, but slowly he lost his motivation to leave the house.

One day there was a knock-on Walter’s door. A young man asked to speak to him about the town’s upcoming library expansion and renovation project. The young man was invited in and the two talked about the upcoming town vote. Derrick was part of a group that was against the referendum passing. Derrick argued that the project was cost prohibitive and served a minimal benefit to the community. Walter asked Derrick what would be the cost to the taxpayer? “Well, the project is $15,000,000,” replied Derrick. “No, what I am asking is what is the annual increase to the Bethlehem Falls taxpayer?” Derick was silent. Walter provided the answer for him. The cost to the taxpayer will be $15.00 a month or a $180.00 per year.” This surprised Derrick as the talking points he prepared did not include this information. Walter went on to make an enthusiastic argument for the library project, explaining the benefits of a public library to the future of the community. “A vibrant public library is the soul of a community and like all things must evolve or it will die,” Walter argued.

Walter spoke of his love of books and how, with limited funds, he found the library an invaluable resource. Walter and the young man connected as Walter was grateful for the company. A few days later, Derrick appeared at Walter’s door with a couple of books that Walter mentioned in passing that he wanted to read. This began a routine of Derrick bringing books from the library to Walter, followed by spirited discussions about books, culture, civics and life.

A few years passed and Derrick went off to college as Walter grew older and frailer. Derrick would visit Walter when he came home on weekends and vacations. Derrick came to love the old man, and he helped fill the void left by Walter’s family. A few days before Christmas during Derrick’s senior year at college, Walter passed away. After the funeral, Derrick received a registered letter requesting his attendance at the reading of Walter’s will. The day arrived and Derrick entered the lawyer’s office to see two men and a woman who he did not know. As he soon found out, these were Walter’s three children.

The reading was quick and succinct. The house and its possessions went to Derrick and the man’s savings and investments of $50,000 went to the Bethlehem Falls Public Library, Derrick as surprised as anyone exited the room to the gaping open mouths of Walter’s three children.

Derrick eventually married and had children of his own. He moved his family into Walter’s old home, treating the house and its possessions with the reverence that it deserved. Walter’s legacy would live on at the beautifully renovated library and the many people in the community whose life he touched.