Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year
before and noticed he didn't play well with the
other children, that his clothes were unkempt and
that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy
was unpleasant. It got to the point during the
first few months that she would actually take
delight in marking his papers with a broad red
pen, making bold X's and then marking the F at
the top of the paper biggest of all. Because Teddy
was a sullen little boy, no one else seemed to
enjoy him, either.
At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she
was required to review each child's records and
put Teddy's off until last. When she opened his
file, she was in for a surprise.
His first-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright,
inquisitive child with a ready laugh. He does his
work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to
be around."
His second-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an
excellent student, well-liked by his classmates,
but he is troubled because his mother has a
terminal illness and life at home must be a
struggle."
His third-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy continues
to work hard but his mother's death has been
hard on him. He tries to do his best but his father
doesn't show much interest and his home life will
soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."
Teddy's fourth-grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is
withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in
school. He doesn't have many friends and
sometimes sleeps in class. He is tardy and could
become a problem."
By now Mrs. Thompson realized the problem but
Christmas was coming fast. It was all she could
do, with the school play and all, until the day
before the holidays began and she was suddenly
forced to focus on Teddy Stoddard. Her children
brought her presents, all in gay ribbon and bright
paper, except for Teddy's, which was clumsily
wrapped in the heavy, brown paper of a
scissored grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took
pains to open it in the middle of the other
presents. Some of the children started to laugh
when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some
of the stones missing, and a bottle that was
one-quarter full of cologne. She stifled the
children's laughter when she exclaimed how
pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and
dabbing some of the perfume behind the other
wrist.
Teddy Stoddard stayed behind just long enough
to say, "Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just
like my mom used to." After the children left she
cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she
quit teaching reading, and writing, and speaking.
Instead, she began to teach children. Jean
Thompson paid particular attention to one they
all called "Teddy."
As she worked with him, his mind seemed to
come alive. The more she encouraged him, the
faster he responded. On days there would be an
important test, Mrs. Thompson would remember
that cologne. By the end of the year he had
become one of the smartest children in the class
and... well, he had also become the "pet" of the
teacher who had once vowed to love all of her
children exactly the same.
A year later she found a note under her door,
from Teddy, telling her that of all the teachers
he'd had in elementary school, she was his
favorite. Six years went by before she got another
note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had
finished high school, third in his class, and she
was still his favorite teacher of all time. Four
years after that, she got another letter, saying that
while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed
in school, had stuck with it, and would graduate
from college with the highest of honors.
He assured Mrs. Thompson she was still his
favorite teacher.
Then four more years passed and yet another
letter came. This time he explained that after he
got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little
further. The letter explained that she was still his
favorite teacher but that now his name was a little
longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, M.D.
The story doesn't end there.
You see, there was yet another letter that Spring.
Teddy said he'd met this girl and was to be
married. He explained that his father had died a
couple of years ago and he was wondering...well,
if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the pew
usually reserved for the mother of the groom.
You'll have to decide yourself whether or not
she wore that bracelet, the one with several
rhinestones missing.
But, I bet on that special day, Jean Thompson
smelled just like...well, just like she smelled
many years before, on that last day of school,
before the Christmas Holiday began.
You never can tell what type of impact you may
make on another's life by your actions or lack of
action. Sometimes just a smile on the street to a
passing stranger can make a difference we could
never imagine.
alx