Who doesn't love a good mystery? My brother, Steven, is a successful hair stylist in Boston and he recently found himself at the center of a great one.
He was busy with a client one day when a woman walked into the Salon. She told the receptionist that she did not have an appointment, she was just waiting for someone. She sat in the reception area silently observing. After Steven offered her a drink and some candy, the woman asked the receptionist if that was Steven. The receptionist said "yes, would you like me to get him for you?" Her reply was no and she remained seated.
After about five minutes, she got up and asked the receptionist to give Steven a large manilla envelope which had been hidden behind her back and then she left the salon.
When he opened the envelope, Steven found 25 one hundred dollar bills and a white business size envelope. Inside the white envelope was another envelope and inside that was a third. The third envelope had another 25 one hundred dollar bills inside.
$5000 - No note, no explanation - $5000
Steven was shocked and surprised. Who would do this?
Later that day Steven realized that it had been just over a year since one of his clients had died. He wondered if she had sent the money. It made sense...it probably would be a year before a person's last wishes would be legally carried out.
Martha had been a client for about four years. She lived in Rhode Island and traveled to Boston every four weeks for her hair appointment. Her four daughters were also clients.
Here is the story of Martha's last visit to Steven, just over a year ago:
Steven got a call from one of Martha's daughters telling him that her mother had been diagnosed with cancer. It was in her spine. She was heavily medicated and may not be able to travel. Steven told her that he was going to try and clear his schedule so that he could travel to Rhode Island and do Martha's hair at her home. Within minutes, the daughter called back to say that her mother was grateful, but she would prefer to go to him...she wanted the visit to be as "normal" as possible.
Martha, and two of her daughters, kept the appointment. Steven arranged for the daughters to meet with a wig designer, for cancer patients, across the street while he did Martha's hair.
As soon as the girls left the salon Martha asked Steven to come closer. With tears in her eyes, she told him that she was in extreme pain, and it was becoming more and more difficult to remain strong for her girls. She was frightened.
Steven took her hand and reassured her that she did not need to be strong. She had raised her girls to be very strong. She had taken care of them their whole lives and now it was their turn to take care of her.
He told her not to deny her daughters this opportunity, and to give them the gift of allowing them to be strong for her. He then told her a very funny story and tried to make the rest of her appointment as routine as possible.
When the daughters returned and tried to pay their mother's bill, they were told by the receptionist that Steven was not charging for the appointment.
"Mother, you won't believe this...Steven is not charging you for today," Martha was told.
Martha's response was "Oh yes he is!" "Where is he?" As she turned around, she saw him standing there holding a potted orchid. He told her it should bloom in the next three weeks. He wanted her to have something nice to look forward to and something beautiful to look at.
Martha died two weeks later.
Steven was convinced that the mysterious money was from Martha. He knew how much she appreciated her last visit. He also knew that she didn't like being recognized for good deeds. She once told him that she was being honored for some charitable contribution and she wished they weren't doing it. She said she didn't give for the recognition, she gave because it was the right thing to do.
It would be just like Martha to want to remain anonymous.
To Be Continued...
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