Simple Act of Kindness
Home Up Jet Set Club

 

 

MAGIC CARPET RIDE

CHAPTER SIX:

A SIMPLE ACT OF KINDNESS

Written by Rick Archer 

 

 
 



February 1978

BREAK OF A LIFETIME
 

 

"Mrs. Ballantyne, would you mind telling me about your break of a lifetime?"

"Yes, of course.  It started with my brother George, but I will tell my side first.  In 1937 I was 17 and the country was in the midst of the Depression era.  Money was tight in my aunt and uncle's home, so college was out of the question.  I was resigned to finding whatever work I could after high school, but I nursed a secret desire to go to college.  Besides tennis, I had nothing else to do but study.  I made straight A's, but what difference did that make?  I was a girl raised in a family that did not value education for girls.  In the eyes of Uncle Gus, girls don't need to go to college.  They learn how to put on makeup, look pretty, get married and get pregnant.  That was the expectation.  Besides, what difference did it make if I wanted to go to college.  There was no money in our home.  Money was very tight during the Depression." 

"So where does Sam Maceo come in?  You were living in San Antonio, right?"

"Yes, I was living in San Antonio and I had not thought about Mr. Maceo in years.  I had given up on my college dreams.  Seriously, I had no idea where the money would come from.  I ordered myself to quit thinking about it because it made me so depressed.  Then one day my brother George sent me some money he had saved up.  He included a note that told me to use it for college.  Thanks to George, I was able to attend Mary Hardin-Baylor, a women's school in Belton, Texas."

"But that doesn't make any sense.  I thought you said George was poor just like you."

"I see you have been paying attention.  Yes, George was very poor.  And he didn't have any help.  He had to work all sorts of part-time jobs just to stay in school, so I asked myself the same question you just did.  Do you want to know the real story??"

My eyes widened at the strange look on her face.  I nodded and said yes.  When I saw Mrs. Ballantyne frown, I had a hunch this was going to be a doozy.  Turned out I was right.

 

"Rick, it is one thing to say a gangster paid for college, that is shocking enough.  However I don't share the details very often.  Back when you and my children went to St. John's, this was a story I did not dare tell anyone.  However, we've gone this far so I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you what really happened.

To be honest, when I saw the money order that came with George's letter, I was very skeptical.  I was almost certain there was something George was not telling me.  I knew for a fact that George could barely pay his own way to A&M.  For that matter, the previous year, George had almost gotten himself thrown out of Texas A&M because he could not pay his tuition.  So where did this money come from?  Unfortunately George refused to tell me for the longest time.  He was so secretive I began to wonder if he had robbed a bank.  I was worried about George, but decided for the time being the less I knew, the better.  I was enjoying my newfound freedom too much to lose this college opportunity by being nosy." 

 

"Did you ever find out what George was hiding from you?"

"Yes, but it took a while.  George knew how much I wanted to go to college.  I made very good grades, but it all seemed futile.  My aunt and uncle had children of their own to worry about and my father barely knew I was alive.  My college chances looked bleak.  So just as I was about to finish high school, out of nowhere George sent me a letter with money enclosed.  I knew from the start something was fishy, but George was at A&M 200 miles away, so it was easy for him to evade my questions.  When I finally learned the truth, I was stunned.  Sam Maceo was paying my way!  I couldn't believe it.  I had not seen Mr. Maceo in over two years.  He not only remembered me, he wanted to help." 

"Why do you suppose Mr. Maceo did that?" I asked.  "I mean, paying your way to college was quite a gesture."

Mrs. Ballantyne smiled.  "That is a very good question.  I have George to thank.  He was the one who paved the way."

"What did George do to help you get a scholarship from a mob boss?"

"The Sam Maceo I knew was not what most people think.  Everyone has seen The Godfather, but that was not Sam Maceo.  I suppose he had a dark side, but I certainly never saw it.  There was no violence in Galveston.  He made sure of that.  People walked the streets at night without any fear.  Yes, he broke laws, but his activities were victimless crimes.  The important thing was how his nightclubs brought in tons of tourists who filled the hotels and kept the restaurants hopping. 

Sam Maceo would have been elected Mayor in a heartbeat if that was something he cared about.  He was the most civic-minded person I ever met.  In particular he had a soft spot for the immigrant families on the Island.  He was an immigrant himself.  He came from Sicily and learned the hard way how tough it was to get established in the U.S.   Mr. Maceo took a special interest in me thanks to my brother George.  He had helped George out of a really tough spot a couple years earlier." 

 

"You said earlier that Sam Maceo knew you from the restaurant where you lived, but George was not part of that.  How did Maceo know George?"

"You're right, Mr. Maceo knew me through my uncle's restaurant.  But George rarely came to the restaurant because he lived on the other end of the island.  I don't recall their paths crossing.  If forced to guess, Mr. Maceo might have met George once or twice because he knew my brother's father.  Even if they did meet, George was no more than a pebble on the beach to this important man. 

Meanwhile George was at his wits end.  It was his Junior year in college and he was in danger of getting kicked out of school because he could not pay his monthly tuition.  Back in those days, Texas A&M didn't cut anyone a bit of slack.  You paid your monthly tuition on time or you left school.  Maybe they had a two-week grace period, I'm not sure.  But whatever the deadline was, George was so broke he was certain he would have to drop out of school.  This drove him crazy because his education meant the world to him.  George was desperate to continue, but time was running out.

Throughout college George worked all sorts of part-time jobs, but for some reason the day came when every source of money dried up at once.  George was frantic.  He had no one to help him.  His father never offered a dime, his friends at A&M were just as broke as he was, there was no rich uncle, nothing.  But George was and still is the most determined man I have ever met.  His entire existence was wrapped around getting his education.  George despised our father, but he had exhausted all other options.  That left George with no choice but swallow his pride.  George wired our father in Galveston to see if he could help.  When my father got the wire, as usual he was broke.  No surprise there.  I suppose the poker cards had not been breaking his way or he dropped his last dime on a dame or a bottle.  But Mike knew George would not have asked unless he was desperate.  Before he replied to George with the bad news, Mike decided to go see if his boss could help."

 

"Where did your father get up the nerve to approach the Godfather?"

"You know what, now that you mention it, that's a good question.  But that's exactly what my father did.  Mike went up to Sam Maceo and said, "Mr. Maceo, sir, my son George is the top student in his engineering class at A&M.  He studies real hard!  But now he has run out of money and the school is going to kick him out if he can't pay.  Do you think you can help?"

Without a word, Sam Maceo reached in his pocket, pulled out his billfold and handed my father a hundred dollar bill.  Mike's eyes grew wide.  That was a lot of money in those days, maybe the equivalent of one or two thousand today.  Typical of my father, he knew George only needed $39.  So my deadbeat father went to a bank and split the money in half.  He wired a $50 money order to George and kept the other $50 for booze, bets, and babes.

Meanwhile George had no idea what was going on.  He was shocked that his father had come through.  What a break!  But here's the odd thing.  Mike did not tell George where the money came from.  Unbelievable.  First Mike steals half the money, then pretends to be the hero.  That's my father for you, a real champ."

 

"So what happened after that?"

"I am not sure when or how, but at some point George found out that Sam Maceo went behind my father's back.  Mr. Maceo was a very intelligent man.  He found it very unlikely that a loser like my father had a son who was the top student at A&M.  This was so difficult to believe that he became curious to know if my father had been telling the truth or was just trying to hustle up some gambling money.  So Mr. Maceo made inquiries.  Not only was my father telling the truth, he learned that George was barely scraping by.  Mr. Maceo was so impressed, he made sure George got a big surprise.  Mr. Maceo sent word to George that he wanted to pay the remaining tuition for George to graduate.  George was overwhelmed.  He had no idea what was going on, but that offer had come at the perfect time.  George vowed never to forget what Mr. Maceo had done for him."

"So George received the same gift as you, but his scholarship came first."

"Yes.  And I think Mr. Maceo was so impressed with George that he decided to take a gamble on me as well."

"Mrs. Ballantyne, I'm confused about something.  How did George find out your father had split the money in half?"

"George is the kind of guy who refuses to leave a rock unturned.  After Sam Maceo contacted him, he could not rest until he understood why a man who barely knew him had been so kind.  George was suspicious of his father in the same way that Mr. Maceo had been suspicious.  Where on earth did his deadbeat father come up with $50 on short notice?   At some point, George confronted his father and got the story about the money order.  But he did not realize his father had split the money.  That came later.  A few years after George graduated from A&M, he met someone from Maceo's organization who knew the inside scoop.  First George learned his father had split the money.  Then he discovered Mr. Maceo had personally checked on him with Texas A&M.  Apparently Maceo had not believed a word my father told him.  Top student in his class?  Ridiculous.  The thought of some immigrant kid from Galveston standing at the top of his class was unheard of, much less a kid with a father like ours."

"What was George's reaction?"

"Oh my, George was blown away.  Finally everything began to make sense.  He understood immediately why Mr. Maceo had contacted Texas A&M.  Let's face it, my father didn't have much credibility, so Mr. Maceo had every right to be suspicious.  Very few children of the immigrants here in Galveston were good students.  Therefore, if it was true, that accomplishment would put George head and shoulders above the rest.  When Mr. Maceo found out that George was indeed at the top of his class, he wanted to help.  Like I said, Mr. Maceo was an immigrant just like my father, so he knew first-hand how tough it was to make it here in America.  Mr. Maceo knew my father was a dubious character, so this told him George had to be pretty special to overcome the death of his mother and his father's abandonment.  After pegging George as an ambitious kid who was determined to rise beyond his circumstances, from this point on Mr. Maceo sent regular money wires to pay the tuition."

"Did George ever meet Sam Maceo in person?"

"That's a good question, but I don't know the answer.  I don't think they had ever spoken prior to Mr. Maceo's decision to hand my father the $100 bill.  However, after that, yes, they communicated by wire.  And I imagine they spoke in person when George visited Galveston.  However, I don't know the details.  Mind you, the entire story was unbeknownst to me at the time.  For much of my first year of college I had no idea Mr. Maceo was helping George or me.  So here is what I think happened.  Mr. Maceo was so impressed with George that one day he remembered me from our days chatting at the Snug Harbor restaurant.  Since I lived in San Antonio, at some point Mr. Maceo asked my father how I was doing.  Mike replied that I had the harebrained idea to go to college, but there wasn't any money.  Typical of my father, he quickly added that it didn't matter. 

"Don't worry about Maria, she don't need no college.  She can get a job as a clerk, type a little, answer the phone.  Or better yet, she's pretty.  She can get married and have babies."

I was a girl, so what difference did it make if I wanted to go to college?  That's my father for you.  What a prince.  But Mr. Maceo saw things differently.  Without telling my father, he contacted George.  When George told him I made straight A's in high school and was dying to go to college, Mr. Maceo told George he would like to pay my way to college.  That's what I think happened.  Sam Maceo was a better father to me than my own father."

"But wasn't it risky taking money from a mobster?  Don't they always expect something in return?"

Seeing the curious expression on my face, Mrs. Ballantyne shrugged her shoulders. 

"Well, to begin with, since I did not know where the money was coming from, I accepted it guilt-free.  If there were any strings attached, no one ever told me.  When George sent the money, I was overjoyed, but I was also suspicious.  I wrote George and demanded to know where he got the money.  He fibbed and explained he had saved up extra money from his summer job.  Furthermore, now that he had found a good job at school, George promised to keep sending money.  He added how pleased he was to finally be in position to help.  I took his word for it and enrolled in college.  However, I still had my doubts.  Finally I couldn't take it anymore.  I had to know what was going on.  The next time I saw George in person, it was Thanksgiving.  I pulled him aside and asked him to explain a little more about that extra job he had mentioned.  When George got one of those deer in the headlights expressions, I saw right through him.

"Okay, George," I demanded, "it's time to fess up.  Did you rob a bank?"

"No, no, Maria, it's not like that.  There's nothing for you to worry about."

"Bullshit!  You tell me the truth right now or I'm going to drop out of college and get pregnant with the first boy I meet!"

George didn't know whether I was bluffing or not, but he saw how mad I was at being deceived and caved in on the spot.  He admitted that Sam Maceo was paying my way.  I was so shocked you could have knocked me over with a feather.  George said that Mr. Maceo had been so impressed by his performance at Texas A&M, he decided to help out his shy sister as well.  Mr. Maceo promised George he would pay my way to Mary Hardin-Baylor for all four years."

 

Mrs. Ballantyne paused to sip her coffee, then continued. 

"At first I didn't know what to think.  It was strange to find my education bankrolled by the Godfather, but then I realized I didn't care.  The Sam Maceo I knew was a man I respected.  He was not violent.  He was polite to everyone, very outgoing.  He cared about little people like me and George.  He never insulted people, but they got his message anyway.  In the eyes of many, Sam Maceo was seen more as a benefactor than evil presence.  He came all the way from Sicily without any money or education, yet here he was the most important man in the city.  I admired him for that. 

People called him 'Mr. Galveston' and I can see why.  He was more businessman than mobster.  Let me give you an example.  After the great storm, they built a seawall and placed the fabulous Galvez Hotel right on the beach.  They hoped tourism would revive the economy, but it didn't work.  The hotel stayed largely empty.  Mr. Maceo saw an opening and built a popular casino called the Balinese Room right across the street from the Hotel Galvez.  Pure magic.  Now people flocked from all over Texas to the island to stay at the Galvez, see a show, have a drink and gamble.  He brought in headliners like Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra.  People from all over the country headed to Galveston.  The next thing you know, the hotel was booked solid.  Sam Maceo put the economy of Galveston on his back on and personally restored prosperity. 

Unfortunately his business was illegal due to Prohibition.  But most people on the island thought Prohibition was sheer idiocy.  There were a lot of people who liked to drink bootleg liquor and a lot of people who liked to gamble.  As for prostitution, who was I to judge?  Okay, Mr. Maceo was a gangster who broke the law, but in my eyes he was a good man.

I was young at the time and didn't really understand why Mr. Maceo was helping me.  Later on, George and I talked about it.  George believed Mr. Maceo understood the importance of education as a way to give the children of immigrants equal footing here in America.  He knew how tough it was to be an immigrant.  For that reason, he helped everyone if he believed they were trying hard. 

What mattered to Sam Maceo was that George and I were good kids.  He also knew how poorly my father had treated us.  To him, that wasn't right.  In his book, we both deserved better.  Even though we had gotten some rotten breaks, Mr. Maceo was impressed that George and I continued to work hard in school without any encouragement.  I believe our situation must have reminded him of himself when he landed in America.  That is why Mr. Maceo felt a kinship to both of us.  He was Italian, we were Greek, but that didn't matter to him.  He wanted to help the children of immigrants on the island succeed.  "Galveston needs to nurture its native sons."  He felt a responsibility to lift us up.  That is the way I remember Sam Maceo."

 

Mrs. Ballantyne got quiet for a moment, then laughed.

"I have to tell you something.  My brother told me how impressed Mr. Maceo was when George graduated at the top of his petroleum engineering class.  He was just as proud of my brother as if George was his own son.  Mr. Maceo sent George a message saying he hoped George would do great things, but he also wanted to see George do an outstanding job as a father.  George took that to heart.  Due to his tough childhood, he was determined to be the best parent possible.  And he succeeded.  George became a great father.  He has 11 children and all of them are great kids.

 

Mrs. Ballantyne raised her hand and swept it in panorama-style to include the family pictures on tables and the living room wall.

"These pictures tell the story.  These pictures show what Sam Maceo did for me.  I spent my childhood dreaming that I would someday have a family like this.  You have no idea the pain I felt when my family disintegrated around me after my mother died.  My father was a confused man.  He had no business walking away from his duty to me and George.

After the way my father treated me, I was bound and determined that when I grew up, I would do so much better with my own children.  It is a parent's responsibility to make sure her children are elevated to better, more beneficial positions in life.  I have done that.  I have my home, my marvelous husband and seven college-educated children.  Not just that, they are the best children any mother could ever hope for.  I could not possibly be more proud of then.  Who would ever believe a story like mine?"

Then she turned to smile at me. 

"I suppose Mr. Maceo got such a kick out of helping George, he decided to try it again with me.  Can you imagine??  A girl?  A nobody kid like me?  What a break!  And totally unexpected.  I could not be more grateful.  Now I had my chance just like George did.  I owe my college education to Sam Maceo.  George too.  We both owe so much to this man."

I don't tell my gangster story to very many people.  Most people would not understand why I took money from a mobster.  They would look down their noses.  I know a lot of people like that.  So now you know the secret of my success.  Sam Maceo is the reason I escaped my trap and found a way to become my own person.  I could not believe how lucky I was.  Who would have imagined that a man who barely knew me would pay my way to college?"

 

"You know, Rick, you remind me so much of my brother George.  Back when we met in the parking lot, while you told me how hard you worked hoping to pay your own way to college, I could not help but remember how George did the same thing.  You sacked groceries, George caught fish.  George was just as determined to get a college education as you were. 

What Mr. Maceo did for my brother was amazing.  George took that education and went into the oil business.  Next thing you know, George becomes a hotshot businessman who finds oil wells.  Look what Sam Maceo did for George.  Me too!!  Look what a Simple Act of Kindness did for both of us!  If it was not for Sam Maceo, I cannot imagine where George and I would be today."

I smiled broadly as Mrs. Ballantyne completed her story about the Galveston Godfather.   In particular, I was very touched by what she said...  A Simple Act of Kindness.  The importance of that message hit hard because the same thing... the surprise gift of a college scholarship... had happened to me.  It was remarkable how similar our early lives had unfolded. 

 
 



February 1978

on the roof
 

 

It was 4 pm.  Mrs. Ballantyne had been speaking for close to four hours.  At the conclusion of the Sam Maceo story, I thought this was my chance to ask questions regarding her surprise appearance at my grocery store ten years earlier as well as today's surprise visit to the dance studio.  Just when I had worked up the courage to speak, Dr. Ballantyne appeared for the second time.  At first I imagined he wondered why I was still here.  However, he was so oblivious to my presence I had to assume he was used to seeing strangers in his house.  Or maybe he was just very preoccupied.

Dr. Ballantyne had a huge frown on his face and looked upset.  Something was wrong.  As Mrs. Ballantyne rose to see what was bothering him, she had a worried look on her face.  I watched quietly as Dr. Ballantyne and his wife talked over by the kitchen.  Suddenly Mrs. Ballantyne turned and pointed to me sitting in the living room.  Now for the first time Dr. Ballantyne noticed me as well.  What was this all about?  Just then Mrs. Ballantyne asked me to join them. 

"Rick, could I ask you a big favor?"

"Sure.  What do you need?"

"There is a cold front coming into town this evening.  Temperatures are expected to hit the low 20s.  Jay is worried the freeze could easily destroy his tropical plant collection.  He has been up on the roof all day trying to cover our open-air atrium with plastic for protection, but he is getting nowhere because it is a two-man job and the wind is driving him crazy.  Now he is running out of time.  He is really worried he can't get the job done in time to save his plants.  Do you by chance have an hour to spare?"

I smiled.  "Of course.  I'm not busy.  I would be glad to help."

Due to the odd configuration of their house, there was a niche of sorts where Dr. Ballantyne's large collection of warm-weather tropical plants resided.  I had been admiring these plants all day thanks to the large viewing window in the living room.  However, I had no idea these plants were the reason Dr. Ballantyne had been on the roof.  Without cover, they were vulnerable to the coming threat. 

 

With that, I put on my coat and gloves and followed Dr. Ballantyne up the ladder.  Brrr!!  Sitting in the warm living room, I had forgotten how bitterly cold it was.  In addition, the brisk wind was brutal.  Dr. Ballantyne had every reason to worry.  The moment the freeze arrived, his plants would have no chance without protection.  Unfortunately, I knew immediately it would be a race against time.  He had not gotten very far by himself.

The atrium formed a 30 by 15 rectangle.  Open to the sky to permit sunlight, it was framed by the house on three sides.  The fourth side was open to the nearby swimming pool.  What Dr. Ballantyne was trying to do was create two temporary barriers.  He needed a roof made of plastic and a temporary fourth wall.  When completed, these two additions would create an enclosed greenhouse to weather the storm.

I suppose in normal weather Dr. Ballantyne could have done this on his own.  However the strong wind which preceded the oncoming freeze hampered our efforts tremendously.  The wind had turned this into a two-man job.  With the plastic flapping wildly in the heavy wind, I had to hold down the plastic on one side while he nailed it down on the other side.  But first we needed a way to stretch the plastic across the void. 

 

Fortunately Dr. Ballantyne had a solution.   He attached a long rope to the free end of the plastic.  I waited on one side while Dr. Ballantyne walked across the roof to the other side.  Once he was in position, I threw the long rope across the atrium.  From there Dr. Ballantyne used the rope to pull the plastic across the divide.  Once the plastic was properly stretched, he could hammer it in.  Considering how difficult the wind made our task, I could not imagine how he ever thought he could accomplish this without help. 

Dr. Ballantyne was not satisfied with just one layer.  What if it rained?  The weight of the rainwater sitting on a low part might collapse the temporary roof and ruin everything.  Feeling that one roll of plastic was insufficient to guarantee protection, we repeated the process three times.

Dr. Ballantyne and I spoke little during the project.  Unlike his gregarious wife, Dr. Ballantyne was a reserved, formal man who carried himself with great dignity.  Dr. Ballantyne was also quite the workhorse.  Unwilling to take any chance of losing his valuable plants, he refused to take a break until the job was done.  I admired him.  He had been up here all day.

We were closing in on the end of our third hour.  As afternoon became evening and evening approached night, I was amused by the steady transformation in his features.  Slowly but surely, Dr. Ballantyne's deep frown was replaced by a greatly-relieved smile.  As darkness rolled in, the temperature dropped rapidly just as predicted.  It was freezing out there!  Having spent the afternoon appreciating the beauty of his tropical plants, I now understood why his collection was a source of so much pride.  It would be a shame to lose his rain forest.  Dr. Ballantyne was wise to cover the open area or he would have lost every one of those plants.

 

Our final step was to create a temporary fourth wall to enclose the greenhouse.  Before climbing down, we placed a sturdy 20-foot wood beam across the roof plus a matching 15-foot beam on the ground at the open end of the Atrium.  Then we went to the ground using a ladder.   Dr. Ballantyne handed me the plastic pre-cut to the correct length and width.  Then I got up back on a ladder and I nailed the plastic to the roof beam above.  Climbing back down, I helped Dr. Ballantyne nail the plastic to the ground beam.  Done!  The Atrium was finally enclosed with a temporary roof and fourth wall.  It had been a good idea to avoid breaks because we finished not one minute too soon.  It was 7 pm, pitch dark.  All told, we had been working for three hours.  Now for the finishing touch.  I watched Dr. Ballantyne use an extension cord to place a space heater in the midst of his greenhouse.  He glanced at me and smiled. "This heater is an extra precaution.  I want to thank you for your help, Rick.  I could not have done this by myself."  Then he shook my hand. 

This was the most Dr. Ballantyne had said to me all day.  A man of few words indeed.  But I definitely got the point when he said, "I could not have done this by myself."  Without my help, his tropical garden would have surely frozen to death.  While I had been on the roof, I thought it was strange that out of seven grown children, not one of them had been available to pitch in.  No doubt if they had known of their father's plight, they would have come running.  But that was not the point.  The important thing was through a coincidence of the highest magnitude... meeting Mrs. Ballantyne at the studio this morning... I had been conveniently placed in a position to help.

Was my presence today an accident?  Not for a moment did I believe that.  To begin with, Mrs. Ballantyne had taught me one of most important lessons of my life... the power of a Simple Act of Kindness.  Then the Universe turned around and gave me a chance to witness how 'Kindness' can make a huge impact in the life of someone else, in this case helping Dr. Ballantyne save his plants.  First the lesson, then a demonstration of the principle in action.  Yes, sir, I got the message.  For this reason I am positive my second meeting with Mrs. Ballantyne was a Supernatural Event.  I believe the day was meant to prepare me for my upcoming dance career.  Indeed, learning the importance of Kindness would help me turn the dance studio into a very special place.

 

MAGIC CARPET RIDE

 
   061

Serious

Coincidence
Pay it Forward
Act of Kindness

 1978
  It was very fortunate that Rick was in a position to help Maria Ballantyne's husband save his invaluable tropical plants from a menacing freeze.  In so doing, Rick discovered the Power of a Simple Act of Kindness.
   060

Serious

Coincidence
Second Meeting

 1978
  Maria Ballantyne appears out of nowhere to surprise Rick at his dance studio.
After inviting him to lunch, that afternoon she proceeds to tell Rick her life story.
 

ST. JOHN'S

   021

Ultra Serious

Coincidence
Lucky Break
Heartfelt Wish
 1968 
  Mrs. Ballantyne fails to notice Rick at SJS for 9 years only to magically appear during the most serious crisis of his life.  The ensuing parking lot conversation gives Rick the hope necessary to carry on.
 
 
 



EPILOGUE: GEORGE MITCHELL
 

 

Rick Archer's Note:

It was not until 2015 that I discovered that Maria's mysterious brother George was a billionaire.  I was beyond flabbergasted.  During his illustrious career, George Mitchell had many accomplishments. 

First and foremost, George Mitchell is credited as the man who freed America from dependence on Arab oil.  He accomplished this through fracking technology.

“George Mitchell is the father of fracking.   Mitchell's fracking technique is by far the most important energy innovation of this century.  It is because of George Mitchell that today we are able to talk seriously about ‘energy independence’ here in the United States."  
       
-- Daniel Yergin,
oil-industry historian

George Mitchell went on to create The Woodlands, an affluent city just north of Houston that is enveloped within a thick Texas pine forest.  Mitchell was an early conservationist who became a persistent voice for environmentally-responsible economic growth.  His master plan called for preserving trees, protecting the environment, minimizing flooding and creating ways to blend homes and forest together.

Mitchell is credited with spearheading the economic recovery of Galveston, his hometown.  His master stroke was luring the cruise industry to the city.  Galveston is now the fourth largest cruise port in the country. 

Grateful for the education he received at Texas A&M, Mitchell became the leading donor in the history of the school.  Mr. Mitchell is very much revered at A&M.

 

As perhaps my Readers have guessed, the main reason I went into so much detail about Maria Ballantyne's life story was to explain how I came to great appreciate the Power of a Simple Act of Kindness.

I was deeply touched by the involvement of Sam Maceo into not just Maria's life, but George as well.  Talk about an unlikely person to demonstrate what an act of Kindness can do!  The fact that I too had been the beneficiary of a college education handed out of the blue made me more than slightly fascinated by the immense impact of Sam Maceo's gift.

On a personal note, I have often wondered if George Mitchell shared my Supernatural interpretation of Sam Maceo's gift.  In his day, Sam Maceo was known as the man who saved Galveston.  In his day, George Mitchell was also known as the man who saved Galveston.  To me, it is an unbelievable coincidence that Maceo and Mitchell were connected in such a profound way.  It seems to me that Mitchell was so touched by Maceo's generosity that he was later inspired to carry Maceo's legacy onto a new generation.   

Mr. Mitchell passed away in 2013.  Here is a touching eulogy delivered by his friend Stephen Hawking. 

 

 
 



Tuesday, January 20, 2015

FAREWELL TO A FRIEND
 

 

Maria Ballantyne is important to me for three reasons.  Our parking lot encounter in 1968 to my life-changing search for God.  Our 1978 talk in her living room is the reason I learned value of Kindness.  Now let me add that Maria inspired my writing career. 

When the Internet came into existence in the late Nineties, I discovered that sharing interesting stories from my dance career in the studio's Email Newsletter increased readership.  However, the day came in 2005 when my treasure chest of dance anecdotes ran dry.  Why restrict myself to dance stories?  Maybe I could share personal stories. 

My first choice was the 1968 Parking Lot Meeting with Mrs. Ballantyne.  As one might guess, A Simple Act of Kindness was the precursor to both the Hidden Hand of God as well as the Magic Carpet Ride.  Here is how I concluded my 2005 origin story. 

"This has been the story of how a 45 minute talk in a parking lot made all the difference in the world to me.  Mrs. Ballantyne's gentle words helped me overcome a terrible crisis.  A key point is how she and other people came along at key times during my childhood to point me in the right direction when I was about to lose my way.

Someday I am going to come across a kid who clearly needs a lift.  Perhaps I will know the child well or maybe just barely.  And when I get my opportunity, I hope a few kind words and suggestions of my own will have the same healing effect that Mrs. Ballantyne's conversation had on me many many years ago. 

I will do this because I have learned the power of a Simple Act of Kindness."

 

When the story turned out to be a huge hit, I was encouraged to write more personal stories.  However, I was careful to adhere to one rule: Do not discuss God.  Do not hint of the Supernatural.  Just tell the story and let Readers draw their own conclusion.  I did this specifically to avoid ridicule.  Look at it this way.  I ran a dance studio, not a church.  Why take a risk?  Better to swim in my own lane.

Several months later Katina, age 9, daughter of Maria's son Christie, found my story on the Internet and told her grandmother.  Intrigued, Mrs. Ballantyne took a look.  Deeply touched by my tale of her immense impact on my life, Mrs. Ballantyne called to thank me.  We met for lunch the next day and renewed our acquaintance. 

Over a period of 47 years, I met with Maria Ballantyne three more times, six occasions in all.  Here is a time line to help keep track.

 


 RICK ARCHER - MARIA BALLANTYNE TIME LINE
 

 
   

 

Sixth Meeting

  2015
  Rick visits Mrs. Ballantyne's house to ask permission to include her story in his book. 
 
   

 

Fifth Meeting

  2010
  Mrs. Ballantyne explains more about her relationship with Mr. Salls, Rick's Headmaster.  For the first time, Rick realizes how far Mrs. Ballantyne and Mr. Salls went out of their way to give him a fighting chance in life.  Rick returns to his 'Simple Act of Kindness' story and begins to shape it into book form.
 
   111

Suspicious

Fourth Meeting

  2009
  Mrs. Ballantyne offers the clue necessary to solve the Mystery of Rick's Senior Year Blind Spot.  Rick is suddenly aware that 40 years ago Mr. Salls secretly arranged his scholarship to college and never said a word.
 
   

 

Third Meeting

  2005
  Mrs. Ballantyne's niece runs across an Internet story Rick posted on the SSQQ website titled 'A Simple Act of Kindness'.   Flattered, Mrs. Ballantyne calls Rick and invites him to lunch to say thank you.
 

1978 MEETING

 
   061

Serious

Coincidence
Pay it Forward

 1978
  It was very fortunate that Rick was in a position to help Maria Ballantyne's husband Jay save his tropical plants from a menacing freeze.  In so doing, Rick received an invaluable lesson in the power of Pay it Forward
   060

Serious

Coincidence
Second Meeting

 1978
  Maria Ballantyne appears out of nowhere to surprise Rick at his dance studio.
After inviting him to lunch, that afternoon she proceeds to tell Rick her life story.
 

1968 MEETING

 
   022

Serious

Lucky Break
Cosmic Blindness
Wish Come True
 1968
  Ralph O'Connor hands Rick a full scholarship to Johns Hopkins University with secret help from Mr. Salls.  Due to Rick's Senior year Blind Spot, Rick gives Mr. Salls no credit whatsoever for this remarkable good fortune.
   021

Ultra Serious

Coincidence
Lucky Break
Cosmic Blindness
First Meeting
 1968
  Mrs. Ballantyne fails to notice Rick at SJS for 9 years only to magically appear during the most serious crisis of his life.  The ensuing conversation in the grocery store parking lot gives Rick the hope necessary to carry on.
 
 
 

Following our 2005 lunch visit, Mrs. Ballantyne disappeared from sight for four years.  It was now 2009.  Periodically over the past year her son Christie and his wife Yasmine had been taking private lessons to learn Swing dancing.  On Friday, November 6, Christie and Yasmine dropped by his mother's house to visit for an hour.  When Christie looked at his watch, Mrs. Ballantyne asked where he was going.

"Yasmine and I have a private dance lesson with Rick Archer at 6 pm."

Mrs. Ballantyne's ears perked up.  On the spur of the moment, she asked if she could tag along. 

Christie said, "Of course.  Hop in the car, Mom!"

Imagine my surprise when none other than the illustrious Maria Ballantyne walked into my studio along with Christie and Yasmine.  I was delighted to see my surprise guest.  Although Mrs. Ballantyne was 89, she seemed alert as ever.  She moved well too.  I was impressed.  This lady was indestructible.  Must have been all that tennis.  In addition, Mrs. Ballantyne was as sassy as ever.  She immediately chewed me out.

"Rick Archer, I am so mad at you!"

Taken aback, I exclaimed, "I'm confused.  What did I do wrong this time?"

First she gave me a dirty look, then Mrs. Ballantyne launched into a teasing tirade.

"I am mad because you haven't been to see me!  You made me come all the way here tonight because you are so thoughtless!"

I immediately grinned.  What a character!  Never a dull moment.  With a smile, I apologized.  "I am so sorry, Mrs. Ballantyne.  Will you ever forgive me?"

"I doubt it.  But if you can successfully teach my left-footed son to dance, I will consider it.  Come talk to me later."

 

After the lesson I went to speak with Mrs. Ballantyne.  I was stunned when she confided that Mr. Salls, my St. John's Headmaster, had been one of her closest friends.  Then she told me story that took me completely off-guard.  Several months after the 1968 parking lot encounter, Mr. Salls was at her house.  Mrs. Ballantyne took the opportunity to ask him what he knew about me. 

Mr. Salls began by saying he always kept a close eye on me.  Apparently Mr. Salls had a tough childhood very similar to mine and felt great empathy for the plight I was in.  When Mrs. Ballantyne asked how he knew this, Mr. Salls replied, "Rick trusted Ed Curran, his English teacher, with the details of his broken home.  When Ed turned around and confided in me, I realized for the first time that Rick was practically raising himself.  His mother was broke and I feared his father would drop the ball regarding college tuition.  For that reason, I took the preemptive measure of arranging a college scholarship behind his back."

I gasped when I heard this.  Over the past 40 years, not once did I suspect Mr. Salls had been involved.  The entire time I had credited Ralph O'Connor, the wealthy oilman, for contacting Mr. Salls to say he had a scholarship available.  I stunned to realize I had gotten it completely wrong.  It was Mr. Salls who contacted Mr. O'Connor.  Curious to know why my Headmaster had kept his generosity a secret, Mrs. Ballantyne explained the line would have been out the door if St. John's parents knew Mr. Salls did favors for certain students. 

That same night, I went home and turned the "Mrs. Ballantyne" story had turned into the "Mr. Salls and Mrs. Ballantyne" story.  The updated version was a good story.  At twice the length of my 2005 origin story, it was something akin to Oliver Twist meets St. John's.  After posting my updated story on the studio website.  I was pleased to receive a new round of warm compliments. 

 

In particular, I received a very nice letter from Michael Ballantyne, Maria's oldest son. 

November 12, 2009

Thanks for writing such a wonderful story about my mother.  Rick, if you ever see my mother again, you should ask her to show you a letter my Uncle George wrote to her one Christmas while she was in college.  They were really struggling even back then.  George was hustling a bunch of different jobs in college and would send her money as best he could.   In the letter he was talking about how lucky they were to have each other and how they would always be a family.  George was trying so hard to keep my mother's spirits up when she felt so lonely.

I am proud of my mother for how she helped you.  I am sure that some of my mother's empathy is genetic but in large measure a lot of it is due to the problems in her youth.  My mother struggled so hard to escape the expectations laid out for her.  Recalling her own struggles has to explain why she reached out to you in such an impressive way.

 

They had so little.  Even today my mother buys things to hoard.  Mom's brother George would go on to make a vast fortune.  However, I heard him say on more than one occasion that had he not had some lucky breaks he would have wound up washing dishes in a Greek restaurant.  I think folks like my mother and my uncle who had so little both in terms of money and a home life do empathize more.

As a kid we used to go to the Athens Bar and Grill on the ship channel and she would bring home Greek sailors all the time -- poor fellows who were working their butts off to supply their sisters with a dowry so they could get married or send money home so their family could come to America.  Mom would pour her heart out to these men and encourage them to continue to follow their dreams.

It sounds like she did the same thing for you.

Regards, Mike Ballantyne

 

One year later, Mrs. Ballantyne visited me again at the dance studio.  She wasted no time sharing with new revelations about St. John's and Mr. Salls.  Yet again, I went back to my ever-growing story for an update.  Realizing my story lacked depth, for the first time I added personal details covering my nine years at St. John's.  As one can see, every time I met with Maria Ballantyne, my original 2005 story doubled in size. 

In early 2015, I met Kim Salls, oldest son of Mr. Salls.  As he shared information about his father, I was incredulous to learn Mr. Salls had grown up dirt poor on a small island off the coast of Maine.  After the death of his father and older brother, he became an only child tasked with helping his beleaguered mother pay the bills with odd jobs after school.  Upon high school graduation, Mr. Salls became the recipient of a scholarship first to Exeter Academy which he parlayed into a scholarship to Harvard University.  Kim Salls said his father considered these scholarships to be the luckiest breaks of his life.

Now I understood why Mrs. Ballantyne had said I reminded Mr. Salls of himself.  Seeing me struggle reminded him of his own struggles.  Recalling how scholarships had been instrumental in rescuing him from childhood poverty, Mr. Salls decided to bestow the favor of a college scholarship on me.  Based on what Kim Salls and Maria Ballantyne had told, the word 'Weird' crossed my mind.  I was struck by how unusual it was that three people who had grown up poor had also been the recipients of incredible strokes of good fortune.  It was strange enough that three former underdogs had ended up at St. John's, land of the Alpha dogs, but it was even stranger that these same three people became intimately connected to each other.  To me, it was like Mrs. Ballantyne and Mr. Salls had teamed up to make sure I was given a fighting chance in life despite my handicaps.  To me, I was convinced that 'Fate' was involved. 

I was dying to add the revelations shared by Kim Salls to my story, but did I dare add the Supernatural element of my relationship to Mr. Salls and Mrs. Ballantyne?  After much debate, I gave in.  My updated story contained references to Fate, God and the possibility of Divine Intervention.  No doubt there would be critics who would ridicule my mystical mumbo jumbo.  Others would challenge my right to speak of metaphysical things about which I knew little.  And of course there would be snickers about my sanity.  However, my conscience said it would be dishonest to remain quiet my mystical beliefs.  And so I laid it all out for all the world to see.  For the first time, my ever-evolving book crossed the Supernatural barrier.  I was glad.  It was the right thing to do. 

However, my decision created a major headache.  Would Mrs. Ballantyne approve of my changes?  So far the only thing she had read were highly-sanitized, non-Supernatural versions of the 1968 Parking Lot event plus some nice words about Mr. Salls.  She had no idea my most recent draft revealed my unusual beliefs.  How would Mrs. Ballantyne feel about being included in a book which covered controversial territory such as Divine Intervention?  There was a chance Mrs. Ballantyne would rather not to be associated with my far-out ideas.  Preferring not to blind-side her, I decided my long-time friend deserved the right to express her opinion. 

Using her son Christie as an intermediary, I received permission to visit her house on Tuesday morning, January 20.  I was very tense as I drove to her house.  What would I do if Mrs. Ballantyne objected?  Plus I was sad to learn my aging friend was in poor health.  This was no surprise.  After all, the lady was 94.  At that age, something was bound to go wrong.  With a heavy heart, I feared this would be the last time I would ever see her.  I was greeted at the door by a maid.  Ushered in, I found Mrs. Ballantyne sitting at the dining table.  Although I was glad to see her, I was alarmed to discover Christie's warning about her increasing frailty was correct.  Alas, the seemingly indestructible Maria Ballantyne was human after all. 

Fortunately, her mind was sharp.  Mrs. Ballantyne recognized me immediately and gave me a warm smile.  Her first words were, "Rick Archer, I know you!  You were in Katina's class at St. John's!" 

I was happy to see her in a good mood.  Mrs. Ballantyne always had the knack to make me feel like the most important person in the world.  Determined to know if she had any objections, it was now or never.  Taking a deep breath, I spoke up.

"Mrs. Ballantyne, I am not sure what Christie told you, but I came here today to ask your permission to tell the story of your difficult childhood as well as the circumstances of our parking lot meeting.  As you recall, back in 2005 I wrote an Internet story about the time you came to my rescue.  I am sure you had a million important things to do on the day you came to my grocery store, but you had the empathy to stay with me until you were sure I was past my crisis.  I have long believed that your life and mine are linked in a special way.  My updated story reflects my belief that God led you to my side.  For that reason I would very much like to tell the world why you are so important to me."

Mrs. Ballantyne smiled.  Without hesitation, she replied, "Yes, Rick, I remember your story well.  It was a very nice story, so of course you have my permission." 

As she spoke, Mrs. Ballantyne had that familiar twinkle in her eye.  But then her expression suddenly changed to a frown.  Uh oh.  Something had just crossed her mind.  Mrs. Ballantyne's brow furrowed as she said, "But only on one condition!"

I stopped breathing.  With my heart thumping wildly with anxiety, I asked myself what could it be.  Mrs. Ballantyne was the undisputed star of my book!!  I would die if she said no.  Just then a big grin came over Mrs. Ballantyne's face.

"Rick, you have to promise me you will tell the story of the time I beat my brother George at tennis when he was captain of the A&M varsity!!!"  

When she flashed that huge smile of hers, I knew she was teasing.  What a goofy thing to ask for!  I shook my head in wonder.  At age 94 Maria Ballantyne still had her sense of humor.  However I also sensed she was completely serious. 

 

Well aware how much pleasure my friend derived from the memory of her glorious triumph over her brother, I nodded. 

"Don't worry, Mrs. Ballantyne.  Consider it done."

If by chance my Readers have wondered why the lengthy story of Maria's tennis battle appeared in the book, there's your answer.  We chatted a bit more, but I could tell she was getting tired.  Before I left, I had an important question to ask.

"Mrs. Ballantyne, do you believe in Fate?"

Mrs. Ballantyne grew quiet and thought about it for a while.  She looked at me carefully, then spoke up. 

"Rick, I will tell you what I do believe in.  I believe in Miracles."

I nodded.  What a wonderful answer. 

"Yes, Mrs. Ballantyne, so do I."

It was time to go, so I added one more thing. 

"Before I leave, I want to tell you how grateful I am for what you did for me back in high school.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me that day.  I also want to thank you for teaching me the power of Kindness.  You have made a huge difference in my life."

 

 


the hidden hand of god

Chapter SEVEN:  JET SET CLUB
 

 

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