by, David VanCura
Dear Mr. L.J. Stevans,
My name is Alexandra Fueller, I have been quietly looking for you for years to express my thanks to you. So when I found this ….. running forum of yours, I knew I had to share our encounter with the world. I think that is long over due for you to share your adventures with the public. I can only hope that the rumored darker side of your past doesn't catch up to you because of it. For a very long time I would hear the occasional tale of things you have done since you left our town, some good and some not so flattering. But I guess it just depends on who is telling the stories that determine in what way you are viewed. There have been a few passing men in our town who seem to be on the more shady side of the law, that talk about how you ruined their plans and such. it never fails to bring a smile to my face and remind me of what you did for us and me in particular. As for the stories that paint you in a different light....well.. I am sure that when you are ready all will be explained . Whatever is said, it still will never change the way I or my family view the man you are.
It's been more than 30 years since I last saw you but your impact on my, my family's and my towns lives is still felt today. I will never forget the day you walked into our town of Milton, it was my 16th birthday and if not for you it would have most certainly been my last.
You see my Father worked very hard to keep all 7 of us clothed and fed and sheltered. He worked the Coal Mines on the out skirts of our town for more than 15 years only to get cast aside when a new management bought out the Mines. It was at that point he turned to gambling and petty crimes. He worked for a local thief by the name of William, who had his hands in just about any criminal activity that took place in the area. The gambling never seemed to work in my Fathers favor and that led to him doing “jobs” for William. There was a line my Father would not cross however. When he refused to do as William said, he was told there would be a price to pay for his refusal and his youngest child (me) would be the one to pay it. My Father tried to get us out of town which seemed to only enrage William more, and because of it my Father wanted to not celebrate my 16th Birthday in the town square with our neighbors which is a long running tradition. My Mother on the other hand, insisted that we had to get back to a state of normalcy. However, my Father knew that William would make his move during the party, he said William was like a showman in that way. He wanted everyone to see what the penalty was for going against his will. It turns out my Mother should have heeded my Fathers words.
The party went off without delay and it seemed like everything was going just fine, and that is when you arrived Mr. Stevans. It is hard to forget a man that interrupts your Birthday and steals one of your gifts off the table and flees the scene. We were about to give chase when my Father halted us, he must have sensed what you clearly knew. As I started to protest and insistent that we follow you, and turn you in to the police we heard an explosion. We were quick to investigate and ran 2 streets down to find you sprawled out in the road with the package in charred pieces a mere 15 feet from you. We knew then what you did, what we didn't know was why a man would risk his life like that for strangers.
When you awoke in the hospital 3 days later, I was there. I wanted to be the first person you saw. Call it a 16 year old's first crush, how could any young girl not fall for a handsome man that just saved her life. Of course I knew you were too old for me but at that age a crush is a crush and a girl could always dream. When you gathered yourself you asked if anyone else was hurt. To that I replied “Thanks to your actions, no.” When I asked you why you saved me and how you knew about the firebomb. You cryptically told me you were in the wrong place at the right time, and you made it your business to learn things upon arriving in a new town.
A week later you arrived at our door to inform us your were well enough to move on and that William and his men would no longer be a problem. You then handed a large envelope to my Father, and a single red rose with a bow around it for me. You then kissed my hand and wished my a belated Happy Birthday, with that you were gone.
To this day I don't know what you said to my father or what was in the envelope or how you handled William. What I do know, however is that never again would we see or hear from William, or want for food or money. I may never know why you did the things you did but you sir are a hero to me and my family. To this day I still have that rose pressed between the pages of my favorite book. It took till yesterday when I read your post for me to learn about your inability to lie, I've heard stories of course, but I thought it was just that, a story. I once heard of a man who could ONLY lie, but that I know must be false, who could live that way. Maybe you have heard of him in your travels.
In closing, Mr. Stevans I just want to offer you a heartfelt thank you, and I am thrilled to be the first in what I am sure will be a long line of people wanting to share your deeds with the world.
Stay Safe,
Alexandra Fueller
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