Andreas nodded. "That makes sense. It is wise not to trust a dishonest man."
"That's basically what we all tried to tell my father. But my father told me something about Bobby. Bobby had a younger brother, only about ten years old. One night while Bobby was running with his gang, his little brother followed him. Bobby didn't realize it. The gang was going to rob a store in another gang's territory, to prove they were stronger. Just as they got to the store, the rival gang appeared and a gunfight started. Bobby was at least smart enough to find cover and he was unharmed. But a stray bullet found his little brother. The boy died in Bobby's arms."
After a moment Louis continued. "My father had known Bobby for some time and he told me that something had changed in the young man after that. Before that, Bobby had always been an angry young man who blamed the world for his problems. But when Bobby watched his brother die, it seemed he began to direct the anger inward, that he was angry with himself for what he had done. My father believed that Bobby blamed himself for his brother's death, that Bobby felt it was his fault that his brother had been there that night."
"The death of someone close can change a man," Andreas said.
"Indeed it can, and my father believed that Bobby had changed. He hired Bobby to help move furniture and to load vehicles. It turned out that Bobby was a good worker, so my father gave him more hours and more responsibility."
"Did he keep working for your father?"
"For a while," Louis answered, "but while he worked for my father during the day, he went back to school in the evenings. Bobby had dropped out and my father encouraged him to go back. It wasn't long before Bobby had earned his GED."
"So this Bobby got his education and became a good worker; that is a good story of redemption Louis," Andreas said.
"Yes, it is, but that's not the end of the story."
Andreas was intrigued. "What else happened?"
"After Bobby got his GED, he seemed to want to work even more. He told my father he was saving up for more school. After a few more years, he quit working at the store so he could pursue more education."
"He became a scholar then?"
Louis shook his head. "No, although he did become a serious student; he had another goal in mind."
"What was that?"
"In a moment, my friend. There is another chapter in the story. Several years later, my father was working late in his store one evening when he had a heart attack." Louis shook his head sadly. "We kept telling him he needed to quit smoking and working so hard, but he never listened to us."
"Did he die?" Andreas asked.
"No. I'm happy to say he didn't, but it was close. The clerk he was working with at the store called for an ambulance and they got there in time. I didn't find out for a few hours what had happened, but I rushed to the hospital as soon as I found out so I could be there for my mother. When I talked with the doctor, he told me that my father had almost died, that he would have died if not for the efforts of the EMT."
"EMT?" Andreas interrupted.
"Emergency Medical Technician," Louis explained. "They have specialized training to help a person until that person can be taken to a full doctor. As I said, my dad was saved by the efforts of the EMT. The doctor said this EMT never gave up and didn't stop until my father was under a doctor's care. I later found out that EMT's name. It was Robert Washington."
"Bobby."
Louis nodded. "Yes, Bobby. The young man I had advised my father not to trust had just saved his life. Bobby, the former delinquent and gang member, took the money he saved from working at my father's store and used it to study to become an EMT. He was now helping people instead of hurting them. It was at that moment that I realized my father was doing more than just being charitable; he was actually giving the people he helped a chance. That's why I do what I do, Andreas. If I can help just one person the way my father helped Bobby, it will all be worth it."
"Has anyone you helped ever turned out like Bobby?" Andreas asked.
"Nothing as drastic as Bobby's story, but I have managed to talk a few kids into staying in school. And I'm sure I've helped a few people through a tough time until they got back on their feet."
Andreas sat for a few moments, taking in the message from his friend's story. As he thought, he realized that Louis had given him, a former mercenary, a chance as well. He placed his hand on Louis's shoulder. "Louis, what you are doing is a good thing. I'm sorry I questioned you."
Louis shook his head. "No, Andreas. It's your place to question me. You're my partner and my friend; I trust your advice."
"Just promise you won't bankrupt us."
Louis laughed. "Not to worry, my friend, I like to eat too much. But, as long as I'm in a position to do it, I will help all that I can. Like you said, many will just be taking advantage of my good nature to get a few dollars or a meal. But sometimes . . ." He paused while pointing to the front door.
Andreas looked where his friend was pointing. Young Johannes was holding the door for two elderly women as he helped them across a slick patch on the walkway. He made sure each was safely inside the restaurant before he closed the door and went back to shoveling snow.
"Sometimes," Louis continued, "you're giving a chance to someone who deserves it."
Jacob's Ladder
Martin Meurer was hanging by his fingers from the eaves, with his feet braced over the shuttered window below, when the shutters crashed open. Martin had a good view-too good a view-of the bald spot on the head of the man who leaned out of the window. Martin silently wished . . . Don't look up. Look at the church. Look at the street. Look at the house across the street, but don't look up . . .
Martin's wish was granted as the man's head withdrew into the room below and the shutters were pulled closed. But he waited. Sure enough, four long heartbeats later, the shutters crashed open again. "Watchmen, call the watch I've been robbed." The man's voice echoed in the empty street.
Martin waited until the head withdrew a second time and he could hear the clatter of steps through the still open shutters. Only then did he pull himself onto the roof and make his escape. Three roofs and an alley away, he was finally able to stop. Braced against a chimney, he examined his new possession.
Who would have expected a table in the middle of a dark room? Who would have expected the owner to awaken so fast? He had grabbed the first thing that came to hand, stuffed it in his pouch and bolted for the window. Now he had time to see what he had. A cup, too small to be called a goblet. It was a metal cup. Silver, he hoped. Silver would buy food for a week, and a new jacket. With winter coming on he could use a new jacket. Not bad for his first try at house creeping. Not bad at all.
Martin's breath froze when a voice came out of the chimney's shadow. "Young Meurer, you'll make a fair creeper, if you survive. You take too many chances."
Martin braced himself to run, but where? The owner of the voice blocked his escape route. Still the man was just talking, and on the roof at night, he had to be a thief. Another thief, he reminded himself. "Well, I got a nice silver cup. Not bad for an hour's work."
"It's pewter. Where would a tanner get a silver cup? And even if it is silver, which I doubt, was it worth your life?"
Martin moved a bit to the right to try to get a look at the voice's face. "Who are you to ask that question? You're a creeper like me."
The owner of the voice moved his face into the moonlight. "Not quite like you, Young Meurer, and I am not a creeper." Martin recognized Jorg Hennel, spokesman for the Committee of Correspondence in Suhl. "What would happen if you were caught by Watchman Meusser? As easy as I caught you, even an oaf could manage to find you."