text: This is the story of the most fabulous man I have ever met. I’m telling it because Mr. Leon Miller would be too humble to ever speak highly of himself. Every once in a while you meet that one person who is the embodiment of true selflessness. No skeletons in the closet like the rest of us. Leon went above and beyond to always help others. Whether it was walking an old lady across the street even if he was running late to work, or fixing some young new driver’s flat tire. Leon did it all. He was a yes man. However his yes’s were true yes’s. Never did give a pity yes. Leon loved to help. He was the neighbor you went to when you needed to borrow some sugar. I loved working at the bank with him. He always made the place feel like you were in one big capsule of adderall. The warm rays that this man generated were so euphoric and welcoming. You forgot all of your troubles when Leon walked through the doors. What a beautiful man. I don’t work at the bank anymore. It was too hard for me to be around all of the money always fighting the urge to pocket just a little. Now I am a taxi driver. You would think it is a grueling job but I truly don’t mind. It doesn’t compare to working with Leon though. It felt like I was working with Jesus Christ himself. Except way less annoying and righteous. Leon has a beautiful family. Why wouldn’t he? Good people deserve good things. His wife Heather was a beautiful soul. Most people say they have a happy marriage, but we all know that’s a farce. It seems like we all love to hate each other these days. Leon and Heather really did have a happy marriage. Like a movie. The kind to make a softy cry. Those two high school sweet hearts who went the distance and didn’t regret it. Talk about rarity. Speaking of rarity, he had a set of beautiful twin daughters who were both heart surgeons in the same hospital. How confusing that must get. A family of life savers. Leon saved my life. I’ll never forget the day I woke up. The luminescent lights were so bright. A constant ringing followed by a series of beeps fluctuated in my ears. The noise became my pulse. As I looked down my feet were strapped to my bed. Next to my bed was a man in a brown corduroy suit jacket with matching pants and a brussel sprout green tie. His fading gray hair looking almost like that of an arctic fox. “Hello James.” The man said to me. “Glad to see you are awake!” From that day forward my life was changed. Rehab never helped me. Eleven times and not one successful result. What I needed was Leon to find me face down in the gutter like that poet Edgar Allan Poe. Poor Guy. Was a literary genius and nobody ever knew it. Not I however. I am no literary genius. Just an ex junkie that an old kind soul rushed to the hospital. My Jesus. Leon Christ. When they discharged me I had no place to stay. Leon took me right in. Heather gave him no dirty look. I would listen through the walls and she would only say, “James is a bright young man that we can fix right up, can’t we baby?” “Yes my love.” Leon would reassure her. That’s just the type of people they were. True selflessness. Leon got me cleaned up and off the streets and I never went back. I don’t even smoke reefer now. I’m not one of those kombucha born again yoga hippies. Just a normal guy with a rough past. Leon did fix me up. After I was all clean and ready he got me an interview at the bank. Of course I got the job. Anyone Leon speaks highly of always gets good things. I don’t know if I deserved it but my savior always assured me I did. I worked at the bank with him for three years and cherished every moment. We were all horribly saddened when he announced his retirement and gave his final day. I know I would miss working with him even though I had an apartment a few streets down. The day before his last we threw him a big surprise party because we knew he would turn it down. He said he didn’t deserve such praise but we all knew he did. Such selflessness. I woke up on the day of his final eight hours at the bank and couldn’t help but notice one salty tear glide down my cheek as I took away my five o’clock shadow in the mirror. Leon had changed my life. I owe him everything and it hurt to know he was leaving. I got in my Prius, listening to Primus and prepared for the saddest drive to work I would take. The only sad drive to the bank I’ve ever had. When I arrived Leon had already opened up shop and was sitting at his teller station. “James my son, I got you a gift.” It was a picture of us in the hospital together. That’s when the levee broke. One salty year turned into a river. On his last day he got me a gift. The picture still sits on my night stand. Girls always tell me my dad looks like such a kind man. I always tell them he is the best. We all tried to keep our spirits high that day while the minutes turned to hours. With ten minutes left in Leon’s final day, a man walked through the door. I’ll never forget his ugly wing tipped shoes and noticeable track marks. His ski mask looked like it was worn to the bone. Like he has made this sort of transaction before. “Everyone get in the floor now!” “Let’s make this quick and easy and nobody gets hurt.” He walked up to Leon’s desk. “Okay old man, you know the drill. Put the money in the bag.” Leon complied. The man must’ve known it was closing time because he didn’t ask for money in the safe. Leon dished out a couple grand and the man seemed satisfied. The wing tipped fellow was oddly calm. When the transaction was finished the man calmly turned to leave. “Have a great day sir. I pray you find god.” Leon said. The last words he ever spoke. The man stopped and turned. “Tell him to find me first.” He raised his gun and pulled the trigger and in the blink of an eye my savior was crucified. That was four years ago and the man was never caught. Such a pity. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t reminisce about my best friend Leon. Good people deserve good things but don’t always get them.