The Healing Power of Barbecue Sauce

Dear Boo and Bubble,

Today would have been your great Uncle Bryant's 69^th birthday. A large and larger-than-life character, Bryant was one of those rare individuals whose strength and manliness lay in his gentleness and compassion. He was intuitive, a listener, a leader (look at the yearbooks from high school and college), a gentle giant, and above all else – even before being ordained – a minister. He majored in Philosophy at Washington and Lee University and received his Doctor of Divinity Degree from Duke University.

Bryant's pastoral career followed that of many, but he ended up going to Bowman Gray Medical School in Winston-Salem where he initially served as the Chaplain to the medical students. Over time, his responsibilities grew and he became a more integral part of the faculty. He not only taught Medical Ethics but also worked with the Department of Gerontology where he administered a grant studying the power of professional prayer in the healing process. Operating on the premise that an experiment on prayer could never be pure since you could never know what patients were receiving what prayers, Bryant was in charge of matching participants with clergy, clerics, Rabbis, priests, nuns, monks from all over the world. He became an expert on the topic and spoke at conferences all over the United States.

Bryant also pursued personal hobbies at which he gained the same proficiencies and recognition as in his professional life. He loved fishing of any sort, especially fly-fishing. He cultivated a knowledge and collection of fishing lures. However, his past-time passion centered around the culinary art of barbecue – the development of sauces particularly.

In 2000, this amazing life came to an end suddenly and unexpectedly when Bryant suffered a heart attack.

Several months after his death, a story surfaced that I think encompasses the totality of Bryant's being better than any other. For the sake of ease of its retelling, I will call the author Jim.

Jim had been, in his mind, unceremoniously removed as head of one of the departments at the medical school. The action wounded him deeply, leaving him unable to interact with his colleagues and inclined to an uncharacteristic introversion that relegated him to his office except when teaching. He was sitting at his desk one day when a knock came at the door.

“Who is it?”

“It's Bryant. May I come in? I need a favor.”

“Sure, please do.”

Bryant came into the office with two jars in his hands.

“I want you to try each of these sauces and let me know which one you like the best,” Bryant said. “I made them and have tasted them so much, I've lost my way in deciding what they could use. Sort of need a fresh tongue.”

Jim sensed this was a thinly veiled attempt on Bryant's part to cheer him up, but he didn't want to be rude even though the effort failed.

“I'll do it,” he responded. “Just leave them here on the desk.”

“Great!” Bryant put the jars on the desk and started to leave. “Hey, thanks.”

A few days went by and Bryant once again popped his head into Jim's office.

“Have you had a chance to taste those sauces yet?”

“Not yet, but I will. Promise.”

This went on for a while and then one day, Bryant walked fully into Jim's office and took a seat.

“Got a minute? 'Cause I have an idea I want to float by you.”

Even if wanted to decline, Jim couldn't. Bryant was already established in the notion that he did have a minute.

“Remember a while back when you were telling me about your collection of old TV shows? You know – Dr. Kildare and Ben Casey, MD?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Well, I was thinking what a great teaching tool that would be for my Medical Ethics class. I mean …. the situations in many of those episodes ….. we could discuss them and see what should be done or not. What do you think?”

Jim pondered the suggestion. At first he mentally dismissed it, but the more Bryant elaborated, the more intrigued he became. And for the first time in a long time, his heart sparked.

“I'll have to check my schedule, but maybe I could put something together,” he answered.

“Just let me know. I'd really appreciate it,” Bryant said. “By the way, have you tasted my sauces?”

“Not yet, but I PROMISE to do so by the next time I see you!” Jim actually laughed a little.

For the next six weeks or so, Jim found himself after work in his study at home pouring over hours of old episodes of the TV shows. He narrowed his choices down to a manageable number and took all of the videos to the Bowman Gray graphics department where Bryant had arranged to have them compiled into a backdrop for Jim's lecture. After a couple of practices, Jim informed Bryant that he was ready.

The morning came. Bryant stood up in front of the class to introduce Jim.

“Students, this morning we are privileged to have Dr. Jim Smith of the Department of Internal Medicine to give us what I am sure will be the most unforgettable lecture you will have while here at Bowman Gray. You may not know any of these TV shows, but you will always remember them after today. Jim, the floor is yours.”

Jim took the podium and began his lecture. He had never felt so invigorated, so alive. The students looked back at him with great anticipation. As he began, he looked to the back of the classroom and saw Bryant standing there, a wry smile on his face, eyes twinkling with pride. Jim was flush with the realization that this lecture was the culmination of his rehabilitation that Bryant all started with a request to taste barbecue sauces.

“Before I start, let me get one administrative thing out of the way. Bryant – I like the Lexington Pepper sauce the best. And, thank you for everything.”