A fighter pilot makes a crashed landing in the countryside. Locals flock to his rescue, including some nearby children.
Now, while the grown ups don’t wish him any specific harm, they quickly discover that he is a fighter pilot. A fighter pilot, indeed for the other side.
The children seem much more inclined to help this man, who has fallen to earth from some place far away. His survival from such a fall is quite miraculous to them.
The children help the crashed pilot to a nearby barn, somewhere warm and out of the elements, where he can recuperate. They leave him alone in the barn on the straw with the animals, promising that they will return.
For a few hours now he is on his own, very soon however he hears footsteps as the children return, all carrying presents of some kind.
The presents are laid in front of him; he can’t help but check his reflection in the jewelled hand mirror that is offered to him.
While he gazes upon the looking that is held before him, another steps forward to hold a cont shell to his ear. He is startled for moments by the rush of the ocean that he can hear. While he is surprised, he soon finds the sounds pleasing.
The children sit around the pilot, as he tells them of how he came to crash to Earth and interrupt their day in such a way.
How he survived is still a mystery to him; but were it left to the adults, he may be still stuck in the crumpled wreck of his plane.
They continue to listen, captivated, he tells them that where he comes from, the people practice love and compassion for one another, and though he was employed in this terrible fight, this wasn’t the job he wanted.
Where he came from, he was a teacher. He spoke of his wish to return to teaching once this terrible performance had drawn to a conclusion.
As he wished, he placed his hands together and closed his eyes, his head bowed.
A couple of the children were compelled to look up at the wall of the barn, where there was a torn painting of a man in torn clothing, his hair barely gracing his shoulders as it met his kind bearded face.
They looked from the painting on the wall and then to this man.
They let out a gasp in unison, rousing him from his silent prayer. To them, there was only one man who could survive such a fall and who wished to teach only in kindness.
“You are him!” They exclaimed…
