FIVE
"I know him," said Montgomery, looking at the man frozen in
place in the kitchen of a restaurant. "His name is Mac-something."
"MacPherson," said Leo. "You served with him in the army. You
went through Basic Training together. He wasn't much of a soldier, if
you'll remember."
"Yeah, I remember," said Montgomery. "He had trouble learning
the things he needed to learn. "
"And you helped change that," said Leo. "Because of you, he
learned what he needed to learn to stay in the army. You spent hours
with him after duty hours helping him learn what he needed to know."
"Yeah," said Montgomery. "I never saw him after Basic
Training."
"Well, you did more than just help him get through the
training," said Leo. "He was medically retired in 1991 from the
military. He had planned to make a career of it. But that career was
cut short when he lost a leg during Desert Storm."
"And that's good?" asked Montgomery.
"He lost his leg defending a group of injured soldiers," said
Leo. "Because of him, seven men returned home who would otherwise
have died over there. And he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his
bravery. He's a genuine hero, Charles. Because of what you did for
him all those years ago."
"He did it not me," said Montgomery.
"He couldn't have done it if you hadn't helped him," said Leo.
Leo turned and walked out of the kitchen to the alley out back.
Montgomery followed. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe quietly slipped out of
the walk in cooler where they had been hiding and made their way to
Prue's car. As they left the restaurant, Piper unfroze the room and
MacPherson continued his duties.
"It was cold in there," said Phoebe.
"No other choice," said Piper. "We had to be close enough so
that I could refreeze him if it wore off. Stop complaining. It's not
like it was the freezer."
"You've done a lot of good, Charles," said Leo. "You may not
always know it, but the things you've done have been important. To a
great many people."
"Like I said," said Montgomery, "ancient history. That all
happened a long time ago. Things have changed since then. I'm not
the same man I was."
Leo could tell he was beginning to get through to Montgomery.
Montgomery was beginning to realize the effect he had had on people.
Only one more stop and maybe Phoebe's crazy plan just might work.
"What we do has long reaching affects," said Leo. "Maybe it was
years ago. But you've still had an amazing affect on a great many
people. And that's helped them have an affect on still others. All
because of what you've done."
"Maybe," said Montgomery. "But that doesn't change what I am
now. I'm just a drunk and a bum."
"You've had a bad run of luck, that's all," said Leo. "That can
change."
"Says who?" asked Montgomery.
Leo held out his hand for Montgomery. Montgomery took his hand
and Leo orbed them out once again.
"I know him," said Montgomery, looking at the man frozen in
place in the kitchen of a restaurant. "His name is Mac-something."
"MacPherson," said Leo. "You served with him in the army. You
went through Basic Training together. He wasn't much of a soldier, if
you'll remember."
"Yeah, I remember," said Montgomery. "He had trouble learning
the things he needed to learn. "
"And you helped change that," said Leo. "Because of you, he
learned what he needed to learn to stay in the army. You spent hours
with him after duty hours helping him learn what he needed to know."
"Yeah," said Montgomery. "I never saw him after Basic
Training."
"Well, you did more than just help him get through the
training," said Leo. "He was medically retired in 1991 from the
military. He had planned to make a career of it. But that career was
cut short when he lost a leg during Desert Storm."
"And that's good?" asked Montgomery.
"He lost his leg defending a group of injured soldiers," said
Leo. "Because of him, seven men returned home who would otherwise
have died over there. And he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his
bravery. He's a genuine hero, Charles. Because of what you did for
him all those years ago."
"He did it not me," said Montgomery.
"He couldn't have done it if you hadn't helped him," said Leo.
Leo turned and walked out of the kitchen to the alley out back.
Montgomery followed. Prue, Piper, and Phoebe quietly slipped out of
the walk in cooler where they had been hiding and made their way to
Prue's car. As they left the restaurant, Piper unfroze the room and
MacPherson continued his duties.
"It was cold in there," said Phoebe.
"No other choice," said Piper. "We had to be close enough so
that I could refreeze him if it wore off. Stop complaining. It's not
like it was the freezer."
"You've done a lot of good, Charles," said Leo. "You may not
always know it, but the things you've done have been important. To a
great many people."
"Like I said," said Montgomery, "ancient history. That all
happened a long time ago. Things have changed since then. I'm not
the same man I was."
Leo could tell he was beginning to get through to Montgomery.
Montgomery was beginning to realize the effect he had had on people.
Only one more stop and maybe Phoebe's crazy plan just might work.
"What we do has long reaching affects," said Leo. "Maybe it was
years ago. But you've still had an amazing affect on a great many
people. And that's helped them have an affect on still others. All
because of what you've done."
"Maybe," said Montgomery. "But that doesn't change what I am
now. I'm just a drunk and a bum."
"You've had a bad run of luck, that's all," said Leo. "That can
change."
"Says who?" asked Montgomery.
Leo held out his hand for Montgomery. Montgomery took his hand
and Leo orbed them out once again.