Watkins Man

Watkins Man

In one of the world's largest cathedrals, a large stained glass window, centerpiece, Jesus. The artist had all the pre cut glass colors assembled on the floor of the cathedral. Slowly, each piece of glass was assembled. At the end, beautiful, yet not quite perfect, something was missing, and then he thought, the smallest piece of glass, which he carefully inserted into the eye of our blessed Lord. The piece of glass which gave an unmistakable gleam to the eye of Jesus. It was always the eyes of Jesus that made the difference. The eye is always the window of the soul. Not seeing the eye of a person is perhaps the greatest robbery of the blind. Always, without fail, the non-betrayal of the eyes. This blind writer new that he could always determine the sincerity of anyone by reading there eyes.

Not just me, but I watched the eye sincerity of other people...the sincerity of others with my parents.

No greater example of this than the Watkins man who came by our house every few months. (Watkins products since 1868, men first with horse and wagons then individual men traveling the countryside in their automobiles, filled with Watkins products which they sold and made a living from commission.) I still remember Mr. Canady, the Watkins man, just as I remember Mr. Forehand, the fish man who came by in his truck each Friday. These men enjoyed the America tradition of free enterprise, individual capitalism, built on the time warn system of trust. You could see the trust shown in the eyes of both my father and the Watkins man. My father purchased exterminating things, "fly spray." My mother purchased vanilla extract and other spices for the kitchen. This was before the time of big farmer, Wal-Mart with their cheap Chinese rip-off's. In the truest sense of the American spirit, free enterprise, entrepreneurship, helping one another make a living.

One of the first things I was told in traveling to big cities, particularly, New York City, you avoid eye contact. Can one even imagine our blessed Lord's eyes not coming into contact with those he healed? Think of his disappointment with the nine lepers. (Leprosy like today's, HIV/Aids-incurable.) Does one even comprehend, "incurable outcasts"-human beings not allowed to even come in contact with the healthy, even members of their own family? Must always shout to oncoming fellow human beings, "unclean." As they turned to go to the priest at the instruction of Jesus, looking at one another, found that they had been healed. But, only one returned to thank him. Such a difference, the lepers had eyesight. Bartimaeus, outside the city of Jericho, was totally blind. Jericho, a fortress city of paganism whose walls had fallen. (Hebrews 11:30) Bartimaeus, refusing to be silent, threw off his cloak and persisted with Jesus. (Mark 10:46-52) He received his sight, praising, followed Him. Nothing surprises God. But, even today, human beings are besmirched by the lackadaisical attitude of one towards another..eyes or no eyes.

I have never known a professional office to employ a blind person. (Perhaps in a back room, doing some typing, etc.) Those dealing with the public are usually sighted, can well see the distress and despair of those seeking help...doctor's office, dentist office, lawyers office, magistrates office, etc. When you give a professional office the honor and respect of asking for an appointment there, when you have given the honor and respect of being on time for the appointment, when you have given the honor and respect of dressing and being on your best behavior for the appointment, WHY, in the name of God and everything that is still decent in the world, are so many people treated with such callousness-distain at such an event? Much like going into a merchandise business, a business which must depend on the profits of selling merchandise and the hired help acting as if they do not care whether anything is sold or not. How often do you go into a restaurant, place of business, and after callous treatment, surmise, "I would like to manage this place for about 10 minutes." It seems that it would be so simple just to do the job for which you are paid.

This writer went to his doctor's office, a place he has been going for many years, over and over, the same routine each time. As a professional, I know how to treat people, call them by name (the best sound in the world is a person's own name) pleasant at every turn. Almost always, it has been a pleasant experience. My age, decorated veteran, well known in the community and well able to pay my bill, (when I was in practice, we called such people carriage trade). My treatment is more routine than anything else. Showing respect to every fellow professional, even at the VA hospital, I am always dressed, jacket, tie, etc. In fact, the young man helping men redress, said, as he fixed my tie, "Their is no doubt that you were the sharpest officer in the U.S army", BUT, then you return to the front desk for a follow up appointment, scheduled every so many months, a new woman, from "Yankee land," and she pushed every button to show how nasty she could be...with my secretary-driver, standing right there watching. What possible joy does any fellow human being get from being intentionally nasty with another, especially the disabled, especially on those on whom they must depend for their employer to pay their salary.

Nothing surprises God, he made us. He knew that there would be those who would never understand mercy. He drowned billions, all on earth except eight in Noah's flood, before 5000 B.C. In his word, Psalm 136, 26 times, he uses one sentence, "for his mercy endureth forever." Jesus himself said, "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy" (Matt 5:7).