Elias

There is not one word of relief that could ever be told to me for he is gone now and that is one absolute truth. This, in fact is not a short story nor a desperate chronicle but a confession that finds itself so close to my heart that it is almost sung by my humble words.

To be particularly honest with you, every time I thought of that man my body shivered without control as if his spirit took all over me… can you imagine that? That man changed the world forever with just one thought. That’s the kind of life everyone wishes for, isn’t that so? Well, I have got nothing left to say other than welcome and I assure you, once you finish exploring this memory, your life will be covered by his magic.

December 15^th 1966

The phone rang…

“Hello, yes?”  

“Hi, is this Mr. John Fawler?” – asked the man at the other side of the line.

“Yes, you’re talking to him, what´s up?” – I answered, trying to hide how tired I was.  

“John, I am calling from the D office, Mr. Elias is ready for the interview, and you can go and visit him today” 

I couldn’t believe what I heard; Mr. Elias himself granted me an interview. Well, I never cared much about my clothing and that was not going to change that day. I stood up, took a shower and grabbed both my little black leather covered notebook and my hat of luck – as if that was going to make any difference, right? – I was ready to face Anaheim’s disastrous traffic once more.

Time escapes from us…  

By the time I got there, a mob surrounded the building, they were worried, and they were shouting his name… I went pass them as If I was just another fan full of concerns about Mr. Elias´s health, but the truth is that those ten years of intensive studies gave me a piece of plastic, an identification that said “Journalist” and I had the right to get in.

I walked towards the information counter, the woman behind the desk was a giant, I bet not even the fiercest of men would dare to say anything rude to that lady. She was doing some kind of paper work. I tried to be as quiet as I could, after all she might have thought I was just another disrespectful loud fan who came to torment the ill.

“Hello, I am John Fawler” – I said.

She gave me look full of anger, her eyes were red as if she had slept even less than I did. She examined me very carefully without saying one single word…

“I am a journalist, you see? I am actually here to interview Mr. Elias”

Her sight changed completely. Tears filled her eyes and a soft smile was drawn upon her face. The giant had become a docile angel.

“Oh, my son… thank God you’re here. He is very sick; I don’t know how much time we’ve got left. Excuse me if I was rude to you, I have been here for two days”

“Don’t worry, Ma’am, I understand, I haven’t slept much either”  

“His room number is… 1932” – she said firmly.

I walked towards the room. I don’t think I can describe what I felt back then. Every step got me closer and closer to the man I admire the most in the world. Think about it for just one second… how would you feel? 

What would you think?

Two times I knocked.

I got no answer.

Then a blond nurse opened the door. She looked me in the eye and said “He is ready” and walked away.

“John?”

“Yes sir. It is me”  

“Johnny, it is a wonderful gift to have you here with me, come on in”

The room was painted in white, everything was lit by our Californian bright sun and still being in such a sad place like that became a colorful experience, I was there, Mr. Elias was there… what else could I ask?

“Mr. Elias, I am here for the interview” – I cleared my throat.

He was lying down, his body ached, I could tell…

“Fine, fine… I am going to ask you the first question of the evening…” – he said in a joyful manner.

“Oh, ok, fine by me” – I replied.

“Johnny, you have got to understand that in every job that must be done there is an element of fun, you find the fun and… snap! The job is game… please tell me, are you having fun so far?”

“Well, sir, yes of course… I am just a little bit nervous”

“Don’t be, just relax, you’ve got a friend in me…”

And then the interview started.  

“Mr. Elias, tell me, how did it all start?”

“Well, son, it all started back in Kansas… I helped people to put their bags on the train and they would be really nice to me, you see? They gave all kinds of tips, big bills, small bills. I remember that time when a lady asked me if I could draw something for her as she waited the train and so I did. That moment changed my life. She was absolutely amazed by my drawing skills. “Kid, you have got some talent there” she said to me… and well, I believed that. From that day on every night of every single week I looked to the skies at night and I wished upon a star as dreamers do.  And you know what, Johnny? All my dreams came true”

“I could tell, sir. I imagine that it wasn’t easy for a young man like you to get out of Kansas and head to sunny California”

“It was easy, I mean, all I had to do was pay for my ticket” – he laughed.

“It was easy, I mean, I was ready… I had discovered my skills and I had a dream so everything that I had to do was get on that train and start living. I needed to hold forever, where they all live unaware of what I’d give, of  what Id dare; I just needed to live one day out there.”  

“Amazing” – I whispered.

“Sir, what would you say is the most important thing towards building a path, I mean, you got to California and started working, how did you build that path?”

“Johnny, as I walked out of that train I faced many difficulties, the first and most complex of them all was to find a place to stay. I don’t know if there´s such a thing as a guide to build your path or to build your career, to be honest with you I realized that from the day we arrive on this planet and linking step into the sun, there’s is more see than can ever be seen or to do than can ever be done. Life is short, I just… did it.”

“Why hasn’t Mr. Elias stopped since then?”

“Come on! How could I? I mean, I don’t believe in fate, but once you find what you truly love you can’t stop, you can’t have enough. I’m dying here, son… and all I can think of is the next forty seven years of projects…  We are all connected to each other in a circle, in a hoop that never ends… Johnny, we need to sing with all the voices of the mountains, we need to paint with all the colors of the wind. You touch lives in so many different ways, how could I stop? It’ll be irresponsible for me to stop” – He answered while tears covered his weary eyes.   

My eyes were full of tears too but I didn’t want him to see it, I was both impressed and moved, I was happy and terribly sad… I had to keep on with the interview.

“Once you got to the world of creations and to the core of the business… were you intimidated by someone, anyone?

“I don’t think so, no. We were all the same right? I mean human beings in love with the art of entertainment. In fact, the thought that had been with me since that afternoon drawing at the train station was that I wanted more. John, don’t misjudge me, I saw those great men from our history and I knew that I want to be were those people are,  Up where they stay all day in the sunwanderin' free, I really wished  I could be part of that world.

“And so you do, sir”

“Oh, John… I wish there would be more time…”

“Me too, sir. Me too”  

“I have another  question before our time is up, sir”

“Fire away, son.”

“What do you think will the impact of your legacy in the years to come?” 

“My legacy… son, throughout the years I  have worked really hard to inspire generations of men and women who will be the next great creators of our world.  I have strong belief in possibilities, you see?. Let me explain myself. Let’s say you’re a great chef then you should now anyone can cook, right?”

“right” – I replied

“Well, that is what all is about… I had come to realize that not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere. And it is my dearest hope to contribute with those hidden artists that hasn’t been born yet by giving the best of my ideas and my spirit through my very own creations”  

“Thank you very much for this, Mr. Elias, I will write this interview and publish it, it’ll be in the papers all around town in two days. I admire you, and I can tell you that I am one of those inspired men.” 

He sat at the edge of his bed, coughed and gave a hug.

That was it.

That night was the outmost sad night of my life.  

I went to my apartment, took a shower and sat.   I had to write down the interview -you cannot imagine how messy my notes were - That was without a doubt the most incredible interview I had ever made. I was inspired, I was…

The phone rang.

It was from the hospital.  

Mr. Walt Elias Disney died from lung cancer that 15^th of December of 1966.

To be particularly honest with you, every time I think of that man my body shivers without control as if his spirit takes all over me… can you imagine? That man changed the world forever with just one thought.

That’s the kind of life everyone wishes, don’t you think?

Well, I have got nothing left to say other than thank you for reading this memory and remember…

It all started with one little mouse.