CONSIDER THIS: Nothing mightier than the meek

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com

Michael Rodriguez

I’ve grown quite fond of one particular Twilight Zone episode that, unlike many of the series’ eerie themes, showcases a rather uplifting message.

In “Night of the Meek,” Art Carney plays Henry Corwin, a down-on-his-luck department store Santa Claus who never met a bottle of liquor he didn’t like. Consider that the episode begins on Christmas Eve with the store manager explaining to customers the whereabouts of a very-late Corwin, who was downing a shot at a nearby bar that very moment.

Corwin eventually made it back to work only to find his manager and a number of customers growing impatient while their children – well, at least one little brat – no longer desired to sit on Old St. Nick’s lap.

He was drunk, you see, and who really wants to talk to Santa when he’s “loaded,” as the aforementioned brat pointed out.

Yet Corwin wasn’t necessarily portrayed as a fall-down drunk, even though the inebriated Santa stumbled and fell while attempting to find a gift for the child. Instead, Corwin was thoughtful and caring of the plight of children who were living in his neighborhood’s modest conditions. In fact, Corwin explained that he drinks because his only other option would be to weep.

Take into account that Corwin said he lived in “a dirty rooming house on a street filled with hungry kids and shabby people, where the only thing to come down the chimney on Christmas Eve is more poverty.”

So, it’s no wonder that, after his manager had fired him, Corwin’s first reaction was to run toward another bottle. Thankfully, the bartender denied him service. This led Corwin to an event that, in true Twilight Zone fashion, changed his life forever.

In an alley adjacent to the bar, Corwin came across a bag, more like a sack filled with trash that a stray cat had knocked over. He didn’t think much of it when passing by, but the curious sound of bells jingling nearby prompted a double-take that revealed a slew of gifts where the trash was once strewn. Amazed by this discovery, not to mention the transformation of matter from empty canned goods to wrapped Christmas presents occurring right before his eyes, Corwin was reinvigorated with the spirit of giving and proceeded to distribute the gifts to literally anyone and everyone who asked. Those who didn’t ask Corwin offered.

Besides a few problems involving his manager reporting to police that the sack of gifts Corwin was distributing were items stolen from the department store, the once down-on-his-luck Santa Claus now had fortune on his side. I don’t want to spoil the whole show for those of you who haven’t seen this classic 1960 episode, but let’s just say magic was on Corwin’s side that fateful Christmas Eve.

The episode ends, as they all did, with a poignant message from show creator Rod Serling, who at one point noted, “there’s nothing mightier than the meek.”

The other night, after speaking with Anita Villanueva, an employee at Rosie’s Grocery Store where I often buy water and apple juice, I learned that many of her customers talk about the San Benito News and the stories we publish, specifically in her case about the Santa Muerte statue.

Many had strong opinions on the matter while others were even visiting from out of town just to see the sculpture.

Whatever the case, the articles elicited a response from our readers. Such response can often lead to great things from great people. Take Noe Zavala, for instance, who after reading about the death of 7-year-old Ruby Ramirez, a first grader at Sullivan Elementary School, was motivated to help the girl’s family financially.

The rest, in my opinion, was magic.

You see, Ruby’s family doesn’t have much. And if it wasn’t for Zavala and the help of his group, the family may have experienced financial difficulties coupled with the grief of losing Ruby. It’s not that the family cares about money, obviously, but the community cared enough to donate over $2,000 in just a few hours’ time. As Ruby’s brother Estuard pointed out, it won’t bring his little sister back, but at least the family can mourn without having to decide whether they’ll pay for bills or the expenses associated with Ruby’s untimely death.

Now I understand others are coming to the family’s aid.

In these cases, when the community comes together determined to lift a family from the depths of despair to the heights of hopefulness, there is indeed nothing mightier than the meek.

Read this story in the Feb. 3 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.