No one remembers for certain how he arrived that autumn Saturday. Some said that he stepped off the southbound bus in front of the post office, while others recall seeing someone who looked like him walking in from the east that same day. Mrs. Gardener swore that she had seen him riding in the back of Farmer Garcia's pickup, but the old man said that his only passenger that day had been his loyal dog, Fredo.
James first saw the stranger by Mr. Gregory's grocery store. The young schoolboy was trying to catch Sally Walker and pull her hair, because she had broken his pencil point during the math exam the day before. James was waiting for her to come out of her mother's cloth shop, when the stranger walked into Mr. Gregory's store. James forgot about Sally as soon as he saw the tall man, and his curiosity drew him across the street and into Gregory's Grocery.
The youth felt warmth and fear toward the newcomer; warmth because of the kind look on the stranger's face, fear because the man's eyes seemed to look right into one's heart.
The man picked out an apple from a large bowl of Red Delicious on the counter and asked Mr. Gregory, "How much for an apple?"
"Eighty cents," replied the grocer dryly.
The newcomer looked gently, but firmly at Mr. Gregory. Their eyes met for a quick moment and Mr. Gregory turned away, his face as bright red as the apple in his customer's hand.
"Eighty cents?" inquired the stranger, but Mr. Gregory suddenly fumbled for words.
The grocer knew that he had obtained the apples for nothing from Mrs. Gardener as payment for part of the interest on her store account. Mrs. Gardener, a poor woman who lived alone, grew apples and vegetables on her small plot of land. She barely had enough to live on herself, so she often had to buy food at Mr. Gregory's store on credit. Jack Gregory was a stern businessman. If someone like Mrs. Gardener didn't pay up her account by the end of the month, Mr. Gregory charged a high interest on it. That's how he had acquired most of Mrs. Gardener's apples.
"How much was that again?" the stranger asked.
Nervously, Mr. Gregory said, "Um, eighty cents an apple. It's hard to get apples at a good price this late in the fall."
As he stuttered those words with the stranger's hard eyes looking at him, Mr. Gregory became afraid, as if this stranger knew all about his unfair dealings with Mrs. Gardener. Beads of sweat began to drip from Jack Gregory's neck, and his hands fidgeted on the cash register.
Then he added, "But since you're new here, I'll give you that one for fifty cents."
The stranger put his hand into his pocket and pulled out some change. He set eighty cents on the counter in front of Mr. Gregory and said, "No, that's all right. I'll pay what others have to pay." With that the stranger turned and started toward the entrance. The little bells on the door jingled as he walked out closing the door behind him.
Mr. Gregory stood by his cash register unable to pick up the coins on the counter. His face paled and his stomach churned nervously. His body froze, as if he had been in his meat locker overnight, unable to move for several moments.
For the first time in a long time he felt bad about overcharging a customer. He didn't know why he felt that way, but for the rest of the day he stayed confused and nervous. Every time the little bells on the door tinkled, Mr. Gregory would jump up as if scared. If a customer asked how much something cost, Mr. Gregory became confused about the prices of the goods that before he was always sure of. Every sound, every shadow startled Jack Gregory that day, for fear that the stranger might return.
James stood by the doorway when the tall man walked out with the red apple in his hand. He watched Mr. Gregory for a moment, and then followed the visitor to see where he would go next.
The tall man strolled down the street a short way to the small town park. He went over to a bench under a shady mulberry tree that was losing most of its leaves. He sat down and bit into the tasty apple.
James slowly approached the park. He couldn't keep himself from staring at the stranger, though he did not know why he was attracted to this visitor in a way he wasn't drawn to other travelers who sometimes visited his town. James stepped closer to the bench, paused, and went closer still. He took another step, and as he did, he tripped on a rock and fell. When he got us and brushed the dirt off his pants, he raised his head to see the stranger looking straight into his eyes.
"Are you all right?" the stranger asked.
"Um. Yes...sir,” James answered timidly.
"What are you doing this morning?" the tall man, leaning forward on the bench with the apple in one hand, asked directly.
"Nothing," replied James quickly, and then he remembered that he was really trying to catch Sally Walker and pull her hair. He looked at the stranger, who stared back at him and asked:
"Nothing?" The stranger smiled slightly.
"Well, not nothing nothing," explained James, "just nothing important. Just kids' stuff." He was going to say more, when a group of well-dressed men came walking through the park talking loudly with one another. James told the stranger, "That's the mayor and the town council."
The group of town officials stopped near where James and the stranger. The mayor was speaking:
"Well, I'm all for community projects, but I think that using the South Trail land for a town recreation center at a time when our debts are high would not be in the best interests of our townsfolk’s' future." As he spoke these words, the mayor glanced over to the bench where the visitor sat. Their eyes met for a brief second. Suddenly the mayor coughed and choked. He knew that his real reason for not wanting the South Trail land used for a town recreation center was due to a promise from shopping center developers back east who had secretly offered the mayor ten thousand dollars and a seat on the board of directors, if the mayor could convince the town board to vote in favor of the developers buying the South Trail land at a low price. The mayor tried to persuade the townspeople and its officials that they needed a modern shopping center with "big name stores from the east". He told them how much money "would roll into the streets and into their pockets" by having these developers build a shopping center. Of course, they didn't know about the mayor's secret and how he would become richer beyond his dreams.
When the mayor's eyes met those of the tall man seated near James, his own selfish desires came into his mind and made him worry, suddenly, that someone sensed his lying. He coughed and choked until the councilmen became concerned and muttered, "Are you all right, Bill? You better sit down and rest a moment. Maybe some dust is stuck in your throat; it's been a dry autumn." They helped him to a bench that faced the one where the stranger sat.
Without getting up the stranger abruptly said, "I think that he'll be all right."
The councilmen eyed the visitor suspiciously and one of them inquired, "And who are you?"
"My name is Justo Honradez and I'm a community planner," the stranger said calmly as a large mulberry leaf gently floated down before him. James' eyes grew wide, as he learned that this stranger had a name and a profession. He wasn't a nameless drifter after all.
The councilmen's attentions focused on the newcomer, as they stood around their heavy-breathing mayor stretched out on a bench. Another one of them asked, "Community planner, eh? What community are you working in?"
"Anywhere that I'm needed," Justo answered without hesitation. "Right now, I came to see how I might help here."
"Here!" the six men exclaimed together. The mayor choked again, unable to say a word.
"That's right,” replied Justo, "maybe I could be of service to you for a short time."
"We already have a planning office here," one councilman said.
"Yes," another added, "and a fine bunch of workers they are, too." As the words left his lips, he nearly gagged. He knew that the town planner and his two clerks used more time to sharpen pencils then to solve problems facing the town.
Justo Honradez gazed out peacefully to the treetops where the first winter birds had landed, announcing their arrival with loud squawks. Then he stood up in front of the town dignitaries. His eyes passed from one councilman's face to another, and then finally settled upon the mayor, a pudgy sort of fellow, who had regained his composure. The mayor instantly stared down at the ground when Justo's eyes came to him. Justo casually told the men that they need not pay him should they decide to use his services. He told them that they could reach him at the Hotel Hillside when they wanted him. With that he walked slowly out of the park toward the part of town where the hotel was. Behind him the men silently stared until he was a block away, then they began chattering louder than the birds above them about this strange man in their town.
"Who does he think he is?" one said angrily.
"I think he's going to mean trouble for our town," another said. "We better put a police watch on him."
Another asked, looking right at the mayor, "Bill, what do you make of him?"
Still shaken by his own coughing fit, when he first saw Justo Honradez, the mayor shook his head from side to side, "I don't know. I honestly don't know." And he honestly did not know what to make of the presence of the newcomer with the penetrating stare.
"He's kinda spooky," one official said twisting his head to the side as he spoke, "He's kind of like an odd ghost."
"You can say that again," the others joined in.
James stood around by the gossiping officials for a few moments. Like a dart, the thought hit him that he might lose track of Justo, so he bolted away from the park and down the street in the direction of the Hotel Hillside. He caught up to him by the post office and they walked along together. James watched Justo's face, while Justo looked far away towards the clouds gathering above the southern mountains.
As they walked together, neither spoke. There was only the sound of their shoes on the pavement; Justo with a steady click, James with a syncopated shuffle. Dry reddish and orange leaves flapped in the slight breeze as they fell from the trees that lined the street. James wanted to find out more about this stranger who had come to help his town, but the longer they were quiet, the harder it seemed to speak. James' mind filled with doubts. Could Justo be a bad man who's come to rob the people? Or worse, was he an odd ghost sent by someone to harm the
town? Or if he really did come to do good, then why were strange things happening wherever he went? Finally, in a burst of words that even surprised himself, like the unexpected pop of a balloon, James asked:
"Why did you choose our town to come to, and what is a community planner?" His questions snapped out bluntly, though James had meant to ask them in a courteous way.
Justo Honradez did not look at James, nor break his casual stride, nor speak, for just then several dusty looking boys the same size as James came running past, shouting at James, "Where'd you get that dumpy pair of trousers?" The gang laughed as they circled around James, who, embarrassed, glanced quickly down at his new pants his dad had brought back from the city last week.
Justo stopped and watched the young guys with a sullen stare. Their laughter stopped, too, as they looked back at Justo with a wave of sudden fear. The teasers then looked at their own ragged pants and again at James' new pair, as they realized how jealous they were of James. Justo sighed and began walking once again. James followed suit, while the gang stayed silently behind staring at James and his strange new companion.
James thought to himself, "Boy, this man has a weird power over people." He, too, grew afraid and began to think about slipping away. As James contemplated how to run off without showing his fear to Justo, the tall man turned to James and said:
"I didn't choose this town. It was chosen for me. Every place has a time when certain things must be done. The outcome depends always on the people who live there. Whether the result is helpful, or not, depends on them. A community planner helps those who want to see. One cannot help those who turn away. The planner shows the sincere how to do something, not to do it for them."
Justo's voice was firm, but comforting, and James forgot his plan to escape. He felt suddenly more relaxed walking next to Justo, and it was easier to speak:
"But it seems that you can look at people," said James, "just look into their eyes and see...something...like you can see truthfulness. How do you do that?"
They had reached the entrance of the Hotel Hillside, a humble place
of weathered wood. Justo put a gentle hand on James' shoulder and replied as they stood by the front door of the hotel, "I don't see any more than what the eyes show."
"What is it you see in their eyes...in my eyes?" James asked with a desperate twist of his eyebrows.
Justo answered, "Hmm. Maybe I can show you by doing an experiment."
"An experiment?"
"Yes," said Justo, "an experiment is a way to observe how something works so that some truth can be revealed."
"What kind of an experiment are you going to do here? Are you going to catch people and lock them up in a science lab?"
Justo laughed. "No, I plan to do the opposite. Be patient and you will see. Monday morning the experiment will begin." Justo turned to enter the hotel, then he swung meekly back to James, "By the way, what's your name?"
"James. James Gunthrops, sir."
At that moment a teenage girl came dashing out of the hotel yelling, "But mom, I'm only going to the library with Julie!"
From inside the lobby a woman's voice yelled back, "I don't want you running around with those guys, when you have studies to do."
The girl made a cry of disgust and shouted, "I won't, mother! I'll be studying with Julie!" She looked up at Justo's eyes momentarily and then gasped for air. Her real intentions swelled in her head-- she planned to spend fifteen minutes in the library with her girlfriend, then skip out for a soda with her boyfriend, while Julie covered for her. When she saw Justo's eyes, she felt that he somehow knew all about the plot.
"I feel faint," she muttered. Justo grabbed her arm and helped her until she stood up alone again. "Thank you, mister," she said, weakly.
Again, the voice from inside called out, "What?"
A middle-aged woman opened the door and startled as she saw Justo and James. "Oh, I was talking to my daughter. She doesn't know her mother's concerns for her." As the lady spoke those words, she also choked a bit. The mother was jealous of her daughter's freedom, while she had to manage the hotel affairs.
To interrupt the embarrassment of the mother and daughter, Justo said, "Excuse me, I was coming to check on my room reservations."
The mother caught her breathe and said, "Oh yes, you must be Mr. Onrad. Is that right?"
"Honradez," Justo replied humbly, "Justo Honradez."
"Yes, please come right in." The woman started into the hotel, paused, looking back at her daughter, and said sharply, "Just," she paused again and softened her voice, "be careful, and enjoy the afternoon." Her words brought an expression of surprised joy on her teen-ager's face.
"Yes, mama." With that the girl briskly walked down the street.
Justo followed the woman into the hotel lobby. He smiled at James as he went into the building and said, "James, see you later, okay?"
James grinned back brightly. "Oh yes, sir. I'll look for you."
Justo disappeared into the hotel. James stood by the front window briefly to see Justo filling out a registration card at the desk, as the lady talked and fumbled around with several room keys.
"An experiment," thought James, proud to be in on Justo's secret. "Boy, this is going to be interesting." An energy rushed over James as he thought about his new friend. He felt that as long as Justo was in town, everything would be fine. He ventured into the street, touching each of the trees lined along the curb as he headed home for dinner. He didn't even stop to watch Sally Walker, as she mockingly called, "Out buying some new pencils, Jimmy?" from the door of her mother's cloth shop.
That night the clouds that had been meeting over the southern mountains quietly moved over the town.
A grey sky greeted Sunday morning. The word had blown around that the town had a visitor unlike other visitors. Gossip and whispers, and even arguments, spread from house to house, store to store, and street corner to street corner. Some felt that the newcomer meant trouble for their peaceful community. A few even were bold enough to assert that the stranger came from the devil. Others claimed that Justo was sent from heaven to judge the town; that's why he seemed to know what was in a person's heart just by looking at them. Those who had met Justo had experienced the same feeling; that he knew their real thoughts, and he could tell when someone told a lie.
"He's eerie," said James's father. "I don't want you around him anymore." James sadly looked up at his father's face, as Mr. Gunthrops pronounced his judgement against Justo. "He may be a good man, or he may be bad. I don't know, but, for now, it's better to stay away from the man. Do you hear?"
James mustered up a weak, "Yes, father," and solemnly moped to his room, thinking, "Nobody really cares about the truth anymore. Now I won't get to see Justo's experiment."
Meanwhile, the local sheriff paid a visit to the Hillside Hotel and asked Mrs. Singh if her new guest gave her any trouble.
"Well," she answered thoughtfully, "he's different than anyone else who's stayed here before, but in what way I can't really explain. He's quiet and has a sincere smile, and... somehow...when you look into his eyes..." Mrs. Singh shivered as she spoke, "...he seems to know what you're thinking."
Sheriff Rivas noted down the words on his notepad. Then he said,
"Strange guy. Is he around now?"
"No," answered Mrs. Singh, "he stepped out a short time ago. He didn't say where he was going, but he did say 'Good morning' in the warmest way I've ever heard around here."
"Uh huh," nodded Sheriff Rivas, "and did he happen to put on his registration card what business he's on here, or where's he from?"
Mrs. Singh searched her guest file for Justo's registration card and pulled it out, "Says here, Justo Honradez from Buena Luz. It doesn't say where Buena Luz is. And under profession, well, he just put community planner. Does that tell you anything? Is he wanted by the police or something, sheriff?"
Sheriff Rivas scratched his head, "We don't know. My guess is that he's just passing through, but it seems a lot of townsfolk have had the same experience with him as you have, Mrs. Singh. He seems to know what people think, and that bothers folks a bit around here. You know how we simple country folk are; we get worked up about most anything that's a little bit new or different."
Mrs. Singh trembled as she held Justo's guest card in her hand, "Will you let me know if you find out anything about this man? I don't want to house dangerous people, you know, sheriff."
"Don't worry, Mrs. Singh," the sheriff assured her, "I'm just doing a routine check to see what's got the town buzzing with doubt. I'm sure that townspeople are over-reacting."
The discomfort that Justo's presence made among the residents caused more and more commotion. When a person boasted or exaggerated, or worse, told a lie, they would show signs of nervousness, maybe stutter or break out into a sweat.
The mayor became more uncomfortable, too, for on Monday morning the council would be making their final decision on whether to sell the South Trail land, and now, with all the talk about Justo going around town, and his own choking encounter with the man, the mayor was in a tizzy. He had a fever and a nagging headache. He was tempted to ask the council to postpone the Monday meeting, but his advisors suggested that such a delay would only add to the doubts many had.
The town's agitations caused Sheriff Rivas to make another visit to Mrs. Singh's hotel in the afternoon. He wanted to speak directly with this Mr. Honradez, but Justo hadn't been back to the hotel since he had left.
"Maybe he's left town," suggested the sheriff.
"I don't think so," said Mrs. Singh, "he paid for three nights. He's got two to go."
Thus, that particular autumn weekend was the most nervous one ever on record in the hillside town.
James unhappily sat in his bedroom that Sunday morning trying to understand why he felt confused. Why should he be bothered by the arrival of one strange, tall person whom he had never met before, whom he knew very little about? Why should his parents, on the other hand, be worried about him being around the visitor? James thought, "I could just as well be playing volleyball with my schoolmates." He sighed as he sat on his bed swinging his legs back and forth.
Sometimes when he felt depressed or sad, James would take a walk to a special place by the river under an old tree, where he could sit on a big boulder, listen to the sounds of nature and let his mind drift into daydreams. Without telling his parents, he slipped out his bedroom window and ran down the street. On the way to the river James had to pass through downtown. Passing by the Hillside Hotel, he thought about stopping to see Justo, but the words of his father rang out in his head: "Stay away from him!"
He noticed Sheriff Rivas's patrol car parked in front of the hotel, which made James stop short and wander closer to the place. He saw the sheriff talking with Mrs. Singh at the lobby desk. James wanted to enter and hear if they were talking about Justo, and, if so, what were they saying about him, but the fear of displeasing his father kept him from going in. He lingered a few moments and then hurried off out of town over the hill to the bend in the river where his "special spot" waited.
One reason James like his "special spot" was that no one ever came there. It was his secret place, where he could be alone when he wanted to be alone. Of course, sometimes there were visitors; birds and squirrels. Once he even saw a coyote come close to the riverbank on the other side. That Sunday morning, as he drew near to his place by the river, James saw the figure of someone already there. He felt an unexplained burst of disappointment within himself to think that his very own secret spot was not his alone anymore, but as he came closer, he saw that the new visitor was none other than Justo Honradez.
"Oh my gosh!" James said half out loud, "How did Justo know about my special spot?"
As James approached the boulder where Justo sat, Justo looked up calmly and said, "Oh, hello, James. What are you doing here?"
"I come here sometimes," answered James, very surprised to see Justo, "to think. How did you know about my place...this spot, I mean?"
Justo smiled and said, "I like to take walks near nature. My steps led me here. It is a wonderful place to sit and think."
That comment made James even more surprised; that Justo would have the same feeling about the "special spot" that James had.
Justo asked James, "So you come here, sometimes? You have a nice place, James." Justo watched a flock of cranes flying south overhead.
After the cranes had disappeared from view, Justo asked, "Do your parents know that you are here?"
James almost choked. "He does know everything!" he thought. James answered anxiously, "Well, I'm not supposed to be near you. My father says. And...I didn't tell him or my mom that I was coming here. They might ask me all sorts of questions, and I didn't feel like talking. I only want to think a little bit...about you. A lot of people are angry about you being around, Mister Justo. They think you mean trouble for the town."
From his place on the big rock, Justo nodded, "Then the experiment is beginning to work."
James looked up with his mouth open, "Experiment?" he shrieked.
Justo said, "Yes. All the conditions are set for the experiment to be tested. Tomorrow morning the treatment will begin."
"Treatment?" exclaimed James.
"Yes, James," replied Justo, "in an experiment the treatment is given to see what changes will happen. Once the treatment is given, it will be seen what changes take place."
James leaned against the rock where Justo sat. Some more cranes flew overhead. "I don't understand. All I know is that since you've been in town, everything is stirred up. And everybody says that you can tell what they think. How can you change people just by being around them, Justo?" James's voice became angry, though he didn't mean to sound angry.
"Hmmm." said Justo thoughtfully, "maybe the people of the town are really reacting to their own selves. Maybe they are beginning to think hard and deep about themselves. Tell me, James, what have you noticed most about the people since yesterday? What's different about them?"
"Well,” James thought for a moment, "I don't really know exactly what it is, but it seems that before you came we didn't think it was bad to say something that wasn't really true, and now..." James paused, watching the river, "now when somebody starts to tell a fib or something, it makes them get all nervous."
"That's right," said Justo, matter-of-factly, as if he knew all along what was going to happen. "And that's the real work of a community planner; to help people think about the results before they talk or act. A lot of problems could be solved if that happened, wouldn't you say so, James?"
"Yes, sir." James wanted to ask more questions, but Justo jumped off the boulder and faced him.
"Now," said Justo, "so you do not displease your parents, I will let you have your wonderful place to yourself, but don't stay too long, or your parents will become worried about you. That wouldn't be good, would it?" James shook his head side to side in agreement. Justo continued, "Tomorrow will be one of the best days ever to come here." With that Justo put his hand on James's shoulder, smiled warmly, and then walked toward town.
James wished to follow him, but he knew Justo wouldn't let him. He stayed, instead, and climbed upon the rock, tucked his feet underneath himself and watched the river for a while before running home.
Justo returned to the Hillside Hotel to find Sheriff Rivas and many townspeople gathered outside the hotel entrance. Several of the citizens yelled out, "There he is!" as Justo approached. Justo walked past the crowd to the entrance where the sheriff stood.
Sheriff Rivas spoke first. He stuttered as he spoke, feeling nervous about making such a big fuss over the quiet stranger. "Mr. Honradez, I don't mean to cause you any disturb..."
One of the crowd interrupted with a shout, "What ya going to do with him, Sheriff?"
Sheriff Rivas cast a glance of displeasure over the crowd, then continued, "It seems that our town has not had a visitor who has stirred up the folks as much as you have in the couple of days that you've been here. And as sheriff,” Sheriff Rivas said solemnly, "I have to look into things that affect the town..." His words dropped off as his eyes connected with Justo's. Sheriff Rivas wasn't checking up on Justo as a normal routine but had been ordered by the mayor to keep a watch on the stranger and report his every move.
The sheriff could not speak. His lips tried to move, but no words came out. He felt ashamed and embarrassed. The large mob of people stood hushed in the streets. Even passing cars stopped, as their drivers and passengers gazed onto the gathering. Several town councilmen timidly watched from the back of the crowd. Grocer Gregory leaned against his store entrance down the street. Mrs. Gardener was among the crowd. Farmer Garcia sat in his parked pickup; his dog, Fredo, settled in the back with his tongue out, panting heavily. Coming from farther down the street was the mayor himself with someone who had gone to fetch him.
It looked like a showdown in front of the Hillside Hotel between the tall stranger and the whole community. Everyone waited to see what would happen next. Would Justo say anything? Most people feared that he might start exposing all their fibs, half-truths and lies in public and humiliate everyone.
Justo stood calm as usual. He seemed to be waiting, too. When the mayor arrived, out of breath, and halted next to one of the councilmen in the back, Justo turned to the people and spoke:
"Mr. Mayor, Councilmen, Sheriff, friends," he began his address. "I am happy to be here visiting your lovely community. It is a good place with wonderful people. And, of course, as you all know, it is not a perfect town..." His eyes studied the group, most of whom had their heads cast downward, as each one thought about their tendency to be dishonest. Justo paused for a long spell. He looked up at a few clouds passing overhead. Farmer Garcia's dog yelped from the pickup, then silence, like the sky above, stretched over the gathering again. Justo continued, "but it is a pleasant place to live. However, the signs reveal that the future may not be so bright if things go on as they gradually are. That's why I'm here. It's not important where I came from, but I can tell you that I am a community planner, who is here as your servant. I realize that during the past two days my presence has created a lot of worry and uneasiness among most of you, and you all know why that it." Justo stopped again to let the audience think about his words. Truly, everyone, even those who hadn't personally met him, was uneasy about Justo's presence, because whenever someone started to make up a story or falsehood, they would feel guilty and afraid.
Again, Justo resumed his speech, "With your kind permission, I don't wish to say much more, but I do have a proposal to make with all of you..." Murmurs and whispers circulated among the people. "...and if the mayor would be so kind as to come forward with the councilmen, I will publicly share that proposal with all of you."
Cautiously and hesitantly the mayor and his council nudged through the crowd and came to Justo, who warmly shook their hands.
Justo then said, "I wish to propose to the whole town, which includes every member living within its town limits and those who have regular visits to town..." Justo glanced toward Farmer Garcia's truck and then to Mrs. Gardener and a few others in the assembly. "...that beginning at dawn tomorrow, everyone will agree to live the next twenty-four hours without telling a lie or half-truth, or in any way try to deceive, trick or be dishonest with another person, or cheat anyone for any reason."
The crowd stirred with chatter. Justo motioned for everyone to quiet down and listen. He let the gathering become still, and continued, "Now if you can complete the designated twenty-four-hour period without anyone," he emphasized the word 'anyone', "breaking the agreement, then, each and every one of you will be granted your greatest desire and wish." Again, the crowd broke into noise. People began visualizing the things they wanted most-- new houses, ranches, riches, long vacations, large wardrobes, handsome boyfriends, charming girlfriends --each looked around at their neighbors as they pondered how it would be possible for everyone to be truthful for an entire day.
Justo quieted down the crowd again and said, "If anyone breaks the agreement, then the promised wish will not be granted. And furthermore, during the twenty-four-hour contract, all should participate in the agreement with courtesy and kindness without any hint of accusation toward another of breaking or trying to break the agreement. An unkind word or deed could prevent the fulfillment of the promised wish. The town leaders with the sheriff can inform every one of the proposal should you now accept it. I will see that no outsiders with bad intentions will enter your town during the agreement, so the effort can proceed in the best way possible. I feel that you all are deserving of this endeavor, and I know that all of you will do well. Now I will let you consult among yourselves about this proposal, and I will await your reply in my room." With that Justo disappeared into the hotel.
Outside a noisy confusion filled the street. The mayor tried to call everyone to silence without much success. Then the sheriff tried without succeeding any better. Finally, Farmer Garcia honked the loud horn of his pickup and the crowd settled down.
James, returning from a soothing meditation on his special rock, entered the main street where the town had gathered. He saw them crowded before the hotel, each one stunned; some lost in dreams of what they wanted most, some angry at the audacity of the stranger, many stood motionless, open-mouthed. All were disoriented. The first thought crossing James's mind was, "The experiment! The experiment has started. Oh, gosh! Justo has started the experiment!"
James, too, froze with his eyes fixed on the townspeople before him; fascinated at what a 'town' of people really looked like from afar. His ears wanted him to draw nearer to hear the voices, the commotion and the stir, but his feet held their ground a half block from the mass of souls. Watching from a distance gave James a feeling of being detached, as if he was a stranger, sort of like Justo. He began to imagine what his own town and its residents might be like to a newcomer. He spotted his father in the back of the crowd, and even saw his own dad with new eyes, as a person like other people, who live, think, work and suffer, at times; who try to understand what to do from moment to moment, day to day. James lingered in awe by the swell of power that circled over the town. As he pondered his town's world, spread over the main street like peanut butter on bread, another thought struck him-- why had Justo let him in on the secret of the experiment that was now unfolding? Justo didn't seem to have told anyone else? And how strange that Justo had found the place by the river, as if he knew that James would soon come there. And where was Justo now? James could not see him amongst the people. Maybe they planned to rush into the hotel and harm his newfound friend. A sudden flash of fear caused James to jump and run closer to the crowd. As he neared, the mayor and the sheriff could be seen trying to hush the people. The mayor had his arms raised out and he was shouting, "Now, friends, let's keep our hats on and our wits about us. Listen up a bit! Let's collect our thoughts and give me your attention for a few more moments..."
The town was snared. Even the respectable clergymen could not escape from the challenge. One readily denounced Justo as "a direct descendant of the Devil," while other pastors could not but agree that Justo was "God-sent" to warn and to re-direct the community from its slowly encircling apathy and the weakening of its integrity.
Soon, in the shouts and shock of the townspeople, it became clear that to reject Justo's summons, regardless of who he was, would be to cause suspicion of being dishonest or untruthful. What truthful soul could find fault with the idea of such an honest contest, even if no
one's wish ever came true?
Mrs. Gardener muttered aloud, "We're being tested; I don't know by whom, maybe by God Himself, but let's gear ourselves up and do it, whether our dreams come true or not." A large round of applause and cheers ensued.
Several people, angered by Justo's assertiveness and total control of the town, attacked the idea of a twenty-four hour "examination", but, before an hour had ticked by, the entire town submitted to the contest. The crowd dispersed to their homes; each to rest and prepare for the heavy dawn that hung above the town like black clouds before a storm. Some were filled with dread and fear-- a fear that one small slip of the tongue on their part might ruin everyone's dreams. Others were lost in whirls of fancy as to which of their favorite dreams they would choose.
Apparently, it wasn't clear who informed Justo in his room about the town's decision; the mayor swore remembering that Sheriff Rivas immediately left the multitude after the town's consensus to tell Justo of their acceptance of the contract; Sheriff Rivas thought that Mrs. Singh offered to tell Justo; Mrs. Singh only remembered standing by the hotel door dreaming of taking a long, ocean cruise with her daughter after the twenty-four hours were over. No one recollected actually telling Justo face-to-face that the town accepted his plan, or could recall knocking on the door to his room.
Everything was cloudy, indeed, that day. Nobody later could recall when the famous gathering had ended; some thought it ended about sunset, others said the meeting broke up long after dark.
James found his father in a depressed mood at home, but his mother was surprisingly cheerful. She even sang an old spiritual that James had not heard in several years.
James walked to the chair where his father sat and put a hand on one of his dad's arms. "Don't worry, Dad. It's an experiment!"
His father grunted under his breath something about "outside trouble." James told him, "Good night," and went to his mother and kissed her as she bowed her face to his. Then, he went to bed.
PART II THE EXPERIMENT
Mr. Gregory awoke with the thought of a giant supermarket flashing across his mind: GREGORY'S ONE STOP SHOPPING PLACE. If that Mr. Justo's pact was no hoax, thought Mr. Gregory, he was only twenty-four hours (and counting down) away from a dream come true. How nice it would be to have all the space he needed and wanted things to sell! With many more things to sell, just imagine how rich he would soon be!
"Of course," he said out loud to himself, as he dressed for a day's work, "why not just wish for permanent riches and skip the grocery store work altogether? Nah, life might turn dull fast without work. Better to wish for riches and a giant supermarket." He moved to the mirror to fasten his tie. "Hmm. I wonder if that would be two wishes?"
As Mr. Gregory walked to his well-packed store and unlocked the front door, his mind continued phrasing his wish in a way that he could be rich and have a supermarket: "Ah, yes," he thought, as the key turned and the lock opened with a loud click, "a rich, giant supermarket owner, or better to say a wealthy
entrepreneur. That's it!" As the little bells over the door jingled, Mr. Gregory's mind buzzed with excitement. "Now...just to go all day without one fib or lie."
He looked around his cluttered shop and he quickly saddened. Signs glared all around the store with messages like: LOWEST PRICE AROUND. FOR SALE: CHEAP. and FRESH APPLES: BEST BUY EVER.
He knew that all his signs lied. He had even cheated people so that he could get some of his products, like Mrs. Gardener's apples. Justo's haunting presence from the earlier day rushed through him. Mr. Gregory realized that to gain his wish to be "a wealthy entrepreneur," the entire store's prices would have to be changed.
"Where to start?" he asked himself in a melancholy whisper, as the bells jingled, and the day's first customer entered.
Mr. Gregory turned to see Mrs. Gardener. "Oh my, no!" winced Mr. Gregory to himself. Except for Justo Honradez, the last person that Mr. Gregory wanted to see was Mrs. Gardener, especially on that day. His unfair dealings with poor Mrs. Gardener flooded his head.
"Mr. Gregory?" she called as she hobbled on her cane toward the counter.
Mr. Gregory blushed. He put his hands out in front of him and said, "Now, Mrs. Gardener, I've done some thinking, and I noticed some errors in my math..." his voice dropped off, "...uh, I should say rather that I haven't really been upright with you, Mrs. Gardener. About the apples, and, uh, your store account, too. But, I want to make it all up to you." He paused a moment as he looked into Mrs. Gardener's always twinkling eyes. "In fact, I'm certain that your store account was paid up long ago..." He could not believe his own words, but the string of them were already out and he could not catch them. "What's happening to me?" he thought, as Mrs. Gardener watched him with wonder.
"Oh, my goodness," she exclaimed. "There must be some mistake! Are you sure 'bout all this, Mr. Gregory? Because I sat down and had a long chat with myself last night after that stranger-man spoke at the hotel; and, well, I decided to be truthful with you, Mr. Gregory. You see, I do have the money to pay up my account, and I've had it all along. But I held on to it, because I wanted to have something set aside in case I had an emergency of some kind. But..."
Mr. Gregory took Mrs. Gardener gently by the arm and assured her, "No, Mrs. Gardener, you keep that money, and your account is paid up. There's no mistake. And what more? I've decided..." the words flowed from his lips as if a different person had possessed him, "...to give you an unlimited supply of seeds of any kind that you wish, and,” he added with emphasis, "I have a special place right here in the store to sell your produce." He stepped to a central spot in front of the counter. "Right here. We can move these old buckets and garden tools over, and have MRS. GARDENER'S FRESH PRODUCE right here..." Mr. Gregory pointed decidedly to a place where metal pails and plastic buckets were stacked.
Mrs. Gardener shook her head in amazement. "Oh my!" was all she could utter for a long moment. Her eyes filled with tears. Her arm that always trembled slightly on her cane stopped shaking for the moment. "Oh my, Mr. Gregory!" She exclaimed. "When this day of truth started, I refused to make any sort of selfish wish..."
Jack Gregory blushed as she spoke, pondering his own self-centered wish to be "a wealthy entrepreneur."
"...but,” Mrs. Gardener continued, "there popped into my head quite uncontrollably this thought that...well, that wouldn't it be nice to have a little place downtown to sell my vegetables and fruit, and," she sighed, "here it is like a dream come true! And you know, Mr. Gregory," she stared directly at him with her twinkling eyes and blinked, "my reason for coming here today was, as I already said, to bring myself to account with you truthfully and to pay my bill. Oh, my goodness!"
So, it was that Mrs. Gardener's dream came true before the experiment had gone three hours. Jack Gregory, as if caught up in a whirlwind of fate, was acting as he never had acted before.
As Mrs. Gardener hobbled out of the store, Mr. Gregory admitted to himself with a sigh of reluctance, that he felt better than he had in many years-- deep inside he felt peaceful and happy. He looked about his store. The day would pass quickly, and he had much to do, much to change and rearrange. Justo's miracle was already at work.
The mayor had similar ambitions to Jack Gregory. He liked being at the heart of things, moving them forward with himself in the middle, of course. On the day of the Experiment his morning started with thought and reflection about what his highest wish really was. Fame? Untold riches and power? Something that would outlast his own life, perhaps, like a town, or better yet, a city. A large, famous city named after him. Cornfield City. Maybe a Cornfield County could be included, and the Cornfield River...Mayor Cornfield had a broad vision of the possibilities all pointing to himself.
But...the day of truth was at hand, and he was twenty-four hours away from fulfilling his greatest ambitions and desires. Twenty-four long hours. He looked up at the calendar by his bed. His wife called him to breakfast. He felt depressed.
"Time to go, Mayor Corn," she yelled from the kitchen downstairs. Mayor Corn was her nickname for her egocentric husband.
The mayor thought out loud, "The Council meets today about the southside land! Why did it have to fall on the same day as this stupid contest? Who could possibly be truthful an entire day anyway?" His head twisted to one side as he stood up from his bed and began to dress. "Mrs. Gardener maybe. Farmer Garcia's probably never had to lie. But where has it gotten them? They have no riches, no fame. They're just content to be nobodies the rest of their lives. But me! I was made for greatness. Bah! Day of truth!"
He sat down again on his bed after putting on his slacks. "I'll lose the chance to make ten thousand dollars and sit on the board of directors for Eastline Developers if I have to be truthful. Especially if I have to tell how I plotted everything out after secretly talking to those developers during the mayors' convention last year. I'm ruined!" He put his head in his hands. Then he sat up excitedly, "But wait," he murmured to himself, "all I have to do is to be truthful today and my greatest wish will come true. Why limit my wish to a meager ten thousand dollars and directorship, when I could wish for the whole works? I'll be the happiest man in the state! Unless that stranger is a liar himself, trying to pull a quick trick on the town at my expense." With mixed emotions of hope and despair, Mayor Cornfield finished dressing and headed downstairs for breakfast with his obedient wife.
James did not want to go to school on that Monday morning. He wanted to visit Justo and then wander around town to see how the Experiment was working out. "If I didn't tell my folks that I wanted to skip school, it would be like fibbing; and if I asked them if I could skip school, they'd tell me to go to school." Not wanting to go to school, James went to school.
At school James noticed as soon as he arrived that all his classmates behaved better than they ever had before. Even Miss Brown, the teacher, acted different. Several times she'd start to say one thing, then she'd stop and slowly say something else. James guessed that she was making sure that she didn't fib to her students, and say something that she didn't mean like, "I want each of you to do your own work or moss will grow on the north side of your faces." Miss Brown had many interesting sayings like that to scare the students into being good. Today she didn't use those sayings. James wondered what Miss Brown's wish was.
During recess some of the students asked each other about what wish they were telling the truth for. Sally ran up to James and asked him, "What'd ya wish for, Jimmy?"
He hated being called Jimmy, but he didn't become angry today. He gritted his teeth and said nothing. He had not made a wish, and the question puzzled him.
"What's your wish?" Sally asked again.
James replied, "I haven't made one, yet."
"Are you sure?" Sally quizzed.
James answered, "I wouldn't lie, especially today with the Experiment going on."
"The experiment? What experiment are you talking about, Jimmy?"
"Well," he said, "I meant to say the proposal to be truthful all day that Mister Justo gave the town last night."
Then Sally moved closer to James, faced him and said in a clear voice, "Jimmy, I'm sorry that I broke your pencil last week during the test. I did it because I wanted to tease you, but I didn't mean to embarrass you like that in front of the teacher."
"Oh, that's all right, Sally. I had already forgotten about it."
Sally gave a broad smile, "And do you know what my wish is, Jimmy?"
James said, "Better not tell me, 'cause if the Experiment...I mean the proposal gets broken before twenty-four hours is up, then nobody's dream will come true, and everyone will be disappointed." He stared down at some clumps of dirt by his shoes, and gently dug his foot into them.
"You're right," said Sally, "Tomorrow ya'll know anyway. That is if everyone keeps the agreement. Do you think they will?"
James looked into Sally's eyes and, after thinking about her question for a while, said, "Perhaps. I really don't know. But I do know that Justo knows what he's doing."
Sally said, "Well, I don't know anything about that Justo guy, but it's kind of nice to have a contest like this. Ya know? Just to see if we can do it and all."
Sally's frank comments surprised James. He saw her for the first time as a nice person and not as someone who always bothered him in school. "Could I ask you one thing, Sally?"
"Sure,” Sally eagerly answered, "What is it, Jimmy?"
"Well, I would rather be called James than Jimmy if it wouldn't offend you too much."
"Sure, Jimmy....I mean James. I'll try to remember." They laughed, and the bell rang ending the morning recess.
All around town the mood of each person was changing. People were friendlier, and they were more careful with their words. They had to think before blurting something out. They had to be careful with their actions. At first, everyone was nervous. No one wanted to be the one to ruin the proposal by telling even a small lie. As the day moved on, everybody grew more relaxed. It felt good to be truthful. Many people of the town moved about normally, because they did not lie anyway. For a few, like Mayor Cornfield and the Town Councilmen, it was not easy.
The important Council meeting was to start at ten in the morning at the Town Hall. They were to decide about selling the Southside land to the Eastline Development Company, or to turn the land into a park and recreation area.
Mayor Cornfield brought the meeting to order with the clack of his gavel. What followed was interesting. Each councilman had an opportunity to speak.
As each one had their time to talk, it became plain that each one's motive for being in favor of a recreation park or in favor of selling the land was selfish. One admitted that the only reason he wanted to see a recreation area was because his brother hoped to be the recreation manager; another thought that by supporting the park he would become more popular in town. Another councilman, who favored selling the land to the developers, said that he thought by siding with the mayor, it might lead to a higher office in the state. As each councilman finished their turn, the room became more serious. The newspaper reporter, who took notes at the meeting, could not believe this sudden display of honesty by the town leaders. Each one apologized to the town for considering their own needs before thinking about the future of the townspeople.
Then Mayor Cornfield's chance to speak. He sat speechless. The councilmen became worried that he might collapse again like he did the day in the town plaza in front of Justo.
The mayor took a deep breath. He did not cough or mutter. When the words came out they were clear and true. His eyes looked about the room to each councilman, his secretary and the newspaper reporter. He said, "Now I must also come true."
The words that rolled out of his mouth like a river in a flashflood. The mayor could not stop them. They flowed free and bold.
"The reason, the real reason that I hoped the town would sell the Southside land, was not to help the town get out of its financial difficulties or modernize, but because of something that had happened last year at the state's mayors’ convention. I was approached, during that time, in the evening hours at my hotel room by members of the Eastline Development Company, including a Mr. Raleigh Light, a right arm man of the company's president. They handed me one thousand dollars in crisp hundred-dollar bills and told me that nine thousand dollars more awaited me, if I could convince our town to sell them the Southside land at a "reasonable" price. They also assured me a place on the Board of Directors for the operation, once the land was purchased. I took the thousand dollars and have it here now." Mayor Cornfield took an envelope from his suit's inside breast pocket and pulled out ten neatly folded bills. "This is one thousand dollars. Enough to make be betray the trust of this town in me. I'm now sorry for it."
The room turned more serious, and quiet enough to hear through the closed windows the winter birds enjoying the mulberry trees a block away in the town plaza. Everyone, including the mayor, stayed frozen in their seats, unable to move even their heads from side to side.
Then the newspaper reporter, Lila Hopkins, began to laugh. She laughed and laughed. The councilmen, the mayor and his secretary turned to watch her. They began to laugh, too. The public onlookers joined in, as the room surged with laughter. They now knew that Justo had made them learn an important lesson. Having become honest, they could work together better, the town could prosper, and all could be happy and proud.
One of the councilmen suggested, as their laughter subsided, that they go as a group to the hotel and thank Justo Honradez personally for giving them the greatest gift of all-- happiness. It was worth more than all of the developers, and all of the money, and all of the fame and all of the grocery stores in the universe.
As they rose to leave, Sheriff Rivas stormed into the room with great excitement. "You cannot believe what is going on here!" he exclaimed. "I've had five people, including our lone prisoner confess to wrongdoing and they all asked how they could pay for their crimes. Even Farmer Garcia came in and admitted to parking in front of fire hydrants during the past five years, when he knew that I wasn't around. Whatever this stranger is doing here, I sure cannot complain about it!"
"We agree with you!" shouted the others as they invited Sheriff Rivas to accompany them to the Hillside Hotel to give their thanks to Justo.
Mrs. Singh had just returned from having an ice cream soda with her daughter at the drug store. Arm in arm, the mother and daughter entered the hotel at the same moment that the mayor, councilmen, sheriff, reporter and onlookers crowded into her hotel lobby.
"My, what a surprise!" Mrs. Singh proclaimed. "You know this is the first time in years that I've left this business unattended more than five minutes. And now to have so much company; it feels so grand! That Mr. Honradez sure is great, isn't he?"
Mayor Cornfield stepped forward with his hat in his hands,
“Actually, Mrs. Singh, we feel the same way. That's why we came; to see Mr. Honradez and thank him. Is he in?"
Mrs. Singh answered, "I haven't seen him since he went upstairs last night during the big meeting outside, but this morning I came in here very early about five and his room key was here on the counter along with payment for his room. The maid later went to his room to clean it, and she came back down and told me that Mr. Honradez's room was unsoiled. The bed, the soap, the towels looked as if they had not been used. It's as if he wasn't here at all. But maybe he's returned from a walk or something." Mrs. Singh walked to the check in desk and found his key still on the counter. "I left it out in case he came back while I was out. He was my only guest last night."
"Mind if I check the room?" asked Sheriff Rivas.
Mrs. Singh handed him the keys, "It's room 9."
The sheriff walked up the stairs. The crowd downstairs could hear him knocking at the door and calling Justo's name. They heard him clanking the key and turning the doorknob. Then they heard his steps thumping down the stairs.
"Nothing." the sheriff said. "Like you said, Mrs. Singh, it's as if he wasn't here at all."
The crowded lobby filled with clamoring voices, as everyone looked one another in momentary confusion. "How could that be?" asked Lila.
Another stated, "Maybe he slipped out last night?"
"Could he come back?"
"He did paid for another night,” Mrs. Singh said.
"It's like he wasn't here," repeated the sheriff, "but we all saw him yesterday, or rather he saw us."
"What do you make of it?" the mayor asked Sheriff Rivas.
"Hard to say, Mayor Cornfield," the sheriff responded, "but now that I think about it his very name might be the key. Justo Honradez."
"What does his name mean?" Lila Hopkins asked with her pen and notepad ready.
"It's Spanish for Just Honesty. And that seems to be why he was here, if, in truth, he really had been here at all."
And so, it was that by the middle of the day, everyone in town already knew what their greatest gift was. Their dearest wishes had come true. To be happy was something more grand than big houses, fast cars, riches and fame. Through the afternoon the feeling of joy increased. It was like being reborn. A new life had started. It was a life, fresh and bright. Tests would still come, no doubt, but with truthfulness as their guard, the town could always rest assured that it would go forward.
By nightfall the whole town was content, except for one soul. Out on his special spot by the river, James say crying. His greatest wish hadn't come true. He wanted to be with Justo. His young mind could not yet understand that Justo Honradez was a quality within each person. Even though James recognized that the Experiment had worked just as it had been planned, he desperately wanted to see the person, Justo, one more time.
The sky darkened, and James sadly climbed down from his rock to head home, so that his parents would not worry about him. He brushed off his pants and took a step.
"Wait one moment, friend," a voice spoke from behind him.
James turned around to see Justo standing by him. "Justo!" James shouted aloud.
Justo smiled, "You didn't think that I'd let my favorite friend down,
did you? What did you think about the experiment?"
"It's great!" exclaimed James, suddenly filled with ecstasy. "But do you think that all the people can pass the night without a lie?
"I suspect they will, James," Justo assured him.
"I was getting sad that maybe I wouldn't see you again. That was my greatest wish!"
"Well, I know," answered Justo as he knelt beside James. "But I want to tell you something, James. This experiment was not a magic show. It would have happened whether a stranger like me came here or not. It might have taken more time for everyone to learn how to be truthful, but eventually they would have to learn it, because it is the one way to be happy. Do you understand, James?"
James pondered Justo's words, as the last ray of sun illumined the reddish sky. "Yes, I can understand it. Sooner or later the town might have become so unhappy that everybody would have to tell the truth. But I still want to be with you, Justo."
"James," Justo said with firmness, "if you know what truthfulness is, we will always be together." Justo smiled and then looked toward the western horizon. "It's almost dark now, and we both must go. My path is destined for me, and you have a path, too. If we're not in the same place, it doesn't mean that we are not together. It just means that we are doing our work. Now I must go visit other towns like yours in these hills, James, but you promise me to always stay happy."
It was hard for James to answer. It was hard for him to promise to be happy, especially with his best friend about to leave him. He took Justo's hand, as Justo stood up, and held it firmly as he said, "I'll try my best, Justo."
"Try?" asked Justo.
"I will be happy,” James said.
Justo said, "That's good. And I want to tell you that I appreciated your help with the experiment. You have a respectable town, that's why the treatment worked so fast. You're going to make a qualified scientist one day, if you work hard and practice having good qualities. I wouldn't be surprised if you do some wonderful things in your time to help a lot of people. It's been nice working with you, James. Good night."
With that Justo grasped James's hand firmly for a moment, and then released it. Justo quietly walked along the river away from town. The last ray of sun was about to escape behind the hills. James was not sad anymore. He ran toward town and to his house to enjoy a tasty meal with his folks. He could hardly wait to hear how the day of truth had gone for his mom and for his dad.
As time passed, the lives of the citizens changed remarkably. Mayor Bill Cornfield left politics and started a community school, where both teachers and students came from the community. Mrs. Gardener, for instance, began a field class about vegetable farming; Farmer Garcia gave a "hands on" course on home repair; and Grocer Gregory taught accounting and bookkeeping.
Lila Hopkins, the news reporter, became the first women mayor in the town's history. Mrs. Singh turned her hotel over to her uncle during the following summer, so she could travel with her daughter to India. Sheriff Rivas remained sheriff by popular demand, though he spent more time reminding townspeople to vaccinate their dogs than he did writing parking tickets.
Sally Walker made her own wish come true. She loved art and became a painter and later opened a local drama workshop.
And James Gunthrops? He continued visiting his special rock to pray, meditate and think, often remembering Justo's visit. Sometimes he invited his parents to hike there with him, which they did. James dedicated himself to school and community service and earned a scholarship to the university, where he studied both science and religion. At last word he was living in a distant country working with villagers on local projects, as part of an international movement for world peace.
No one was ever certain that an actual person named Justo Honradez had visited their town. Even the ink in Mrs. Singh's guest book faded out, except for the words "Buena Luz". As time passed, it became less clear if Justo had truly come, though everyone remembered him.
One thing the town has never lost to this day is its wonderful happiness. People from all over the country visit the town and enjoy the new recreation park. Visitors always wonder why they feel so happy when they enter the town. Well, the townspeople know, and that is the truth.
THE END
by C. S. Cholas, 21 January 1993, Corozal Town, Belize
