The Maytag Repair Man

His name was Tony.

He was perhaps 50 years old and spoke with a heavy accent.

He came to my house 6 days before Christmas to fix my Maytag Clothes Dryer which had suddenly stopped drying.

After a quick look at it he told me it needed a new door switch and the charge would be about $80.00 "Go ahead" I said, "I can't go through Christmas without clean underwear."

A few minutes later, the job completed, he came into the kitchen to prepare the invoice. After I paid him I asked him about his Christmas. Over the next few minutes I discovered he had three children ages 9, 12 and 17 and had come to Canada from Beirut Lebanon in 1975. In 1983 he returned to Beirut and stayed until 1991.

During the time he was there, Beirut , one of the most beautiful cities in the world, was torn apart by civil war, killing and bloodshed. I listened to this kind man describe the horrors of war and what hate had done to his home and friends. "But," he said, "it's over now and there is peace. The city is rebuilding. Soon it will be beautiful again."

How will the people forgive, I asked, "How will they move past the hate?" He smiled and said, "God gave us a gift, he taught us how to forget. Everything will be OK." We will forget.

For the next little while, we talked about life and forgiveness, his wonderful values and how he dealt with the injustices of life. I realized this man would never shorten his life by trying to get even or by reliving the pain of the past. He lived to celebrate life. Just before he left he told me that his "grandma" had given him the meaning of life. He said, "When I was a little boy my grandma said live life well and do everything you do not to build a castle, but to build a grave."

At my front door "I said I hope I see you again Tony." He smiled and said "After Christmas I'm going home. I love Beirut and so I must go home. But we will meet again Maurice."

Wherever Tony is there is peace in the world. And thank you for a wonderful Christmas gift Tony.

©Copyright 2004, Maurice T. O'Callaghan 1321 Front Rd. N. , Amherstburg On. Canada (519) 736 0993

By Maurice O'Callaghan