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Who was he, and what was he really like? What motivated him? That was the quest that brought us from around the world. We could all have served in some other hospital or we could have fulfilled our goal of service and some other context, closer to home.
Schweitzer looked very like a German grandfather (or sometimes like Mark Twain) with his classic gray hair and neat full mustache. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he spoke, except when the topic called for seriousness. He walked somewhat bent, with his hands behind him, each clutching the other elbow. He had enormous feet, making his walk somewhat deliberate, measured, and happy. His pockets bulged with crumbs and other tidbits that he fed to his animal friends who expected as much or even more and followed him shamelessly. His greeting voice was unexpectedly high-pitched, almost indicating a minor phase of excitement even when thinking of something else. He frequently offered unsolicited answers to what he was doing when encountered. |
When he spoke to guess, no matter how expert the conversationalist or how important the station, it was always Schweitzer who interviewed in the guest who turned out always unexpectedly as the interview week. Schweitzer had an uncommon interest in all things, Great and small, and to the casual observer, he seemed to make no distinction. Nothing escaped his notice and if the mood was right, few things escaped his comment.
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The keen, witty black eyes were always fascinating. Here could be measured the depth of his sense of humor, as he commented generally or told stories in particular. By his own admission. he was a poor teacher at best, but he told a story astonishingly well, and as in rural communities everywhere, the stories got better with each telling, and they were always appreciated even by listeners who already knew them by heart. The family at Lambarene had no jaded sense of taste that always required some new story. The old classics were repeated, re-heard, and re-appreciated amid genuine laughter. Woe, however, to the new visitor who was unaware that with the repeated punchline and cackle of laughter, there would be a quick jab to the ribs of the elbow, as if an exclamation point.
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