Eddie Faust
About a year ago, Eddie Faust, a local fellow, whom I taught years ago, passed away.
If you didn't like Eddie, there was something wrong with you.
Eddie was very intelligent…a smart kid when I taught him in high school. Smart, but he didn't take school very seriously and occasionally would cause a classroom disruption---nothing serious.
One of the simple techniques I used to maintain order in the classroom was to place disruptive students on “Elephant Watch.” I asked them to step out of the classroom to the hallway and report back if they saw an elephant. I would check on the students regularly and almost invariably invite him or her back to the classroom when it seemed appropriate.
Once when I sent Eddie on “Elephant Watch,” he quickly returned to the classroom announcing that he had seen an elephant. Of course, I was more than a little dubious, but he convinced me of the veracity of his claim: there was indeed an elephant sighting while Eddie was on watch. Eddie had seen an elephant which was being transported on school street to the Legion Hall grounds as part of a carnival.
Class resumed with Eddie as a participant---he had, indeed, seen an elephant.
Back then the town had a land dump in which citizens deposited refuge. While depositing my trash there, shortly after Eddie had graduated from high school, I encountered Eddie. I engaged Eddie in a conversation suggesting that he should probably go on to college. My suggestion was not well received, and in order to avoid bodily harm, I withdrew my suggestion. Apparently Eddie had heard this before and had grown weary of it.
I think Eddie went on to work a few different jobs then found one he seemed to truly enjoy: gas station attendant. He worked at a local gas station-auto repair shop. One of his duties was to service folks' cars when they came in for gas.
Eddie performed these duties like a true professional: he was always pleasant, enthusiastic, and communicative. He filled the tank, checked the oil, checked the tire pressure, and cleaned the windshield. Holy crap. He made customers feel like royalty.
The owner of the business, Gary, built his own garage and discontinued the filling station. Eddie moved with Gary and continued his work as a mechanic.
One day, Eddie disappeared from Somerville. I use the word “disappeared” because he didn't announce his departure to anyone…at least I don't know of anyone who was told.
His momma, his employer Gary, and everyone else were shocked: apparently his wife, a seemingly nice young woman who seemed to be a good match for Eddie, for whatever reason moved back to her home state, Minnesota, without Eddie.
Her departure, apparently, is what prompted Eddie to disappear and join her in Minnesota.
Personally, I never heard a word about Eddie in the intervening years. Then one day, I was informed that Eddie had passed away and had been living locally with his mother before his death---cancer I believe.
I didn't know that Eddie had returned to Somerville. I would have loved to have had one last conversation with him. We might have spoken of elephants.
He was a delightful human being, and I still miss knowing that he is a part of our community.
Thanks, Eddie.
enough