The Day After
'Twas the day after Christmas and all through the house, all the creatures were stirring, especially the mouse! The stockings were torn down and the mantle was bare, the hopes were all valid, for surely, someone had been there.
The children were still nestled all snug in their beds, while memories from yesterday danced in their heads.
I read the paper while the wife sipped some coffee, and gently rubbed the ears of her new pet doggy.
When out on the porch there arose an odd noise
I sprang from my chair, but with style & poise (and then some). I still have a reputation to keep, around the office and with the boys. The dog raised an ear and Ma turned her head, as I opened the door to our old neighbor, Fred!
He had an older brother just down the way who was sick. The neighborhood knew him by the first name of Nick. He was a friendly old man with a beard white as snow, and normally goes hunting with an arrow and bow. Last year he took our boys out to the field, taught them shooting, and tracking, got hurt, but has since healed.
"Good morning there, Fred! What may I do for you today," I asked with a smile moving the paper out of the way.
"Not a thing, yet this morning" said Fred with a grin as he brushed some snow off his chinny-chin-chin.
"Can I offer you some coffee, just roasted last week?"
"I regretfully decline, dear friend, for it is not coffee that I seek. I've had this stirring in my spirit all this month and this year, a buzz far beyond the feeling after liquor or beer. I've noticed of late, you've not been quite yourself; why normally you resemble a jolly, old elf. Your socks don't match, and your hair is a mess. I've even seen you get the paper in a dress!"
"Now, calm down there, Fred," I replied with a smile. "I've not worn these here socks in quite a while. They were a gift from my grandmother who has since passed, and I've worn them for years, that I mention 'cuz you asked. That was not a dress you saw me wear the other day, but a kimono from Japan made especially by Teipay.
I paused for a moment from our conversational talk, and looked beyond Fred to a clean sidewalk. There was snow on the roof, and the road, and the trees, but on the walk I saw none as Fred shivered in the breeze. He had shoveled the snow on this cold winter's day. I was dumbfounded, speechless...what could I say? And here is the odd thing, Fred is older than I. You can tell by the width and the length of his tie.
"Fred, won't you come in, and warm up for a while?"
"Sorry to disappoint," donning his face with a smile. "There is too much to do, and so many sidewalks to plow." he said while putting his gloves back on, and wiping fresh snow from his brow. It made me stop and think of how I am often a jerk, Fred was a true servant, and it showed in his work. He puts others before himself. That's his motto for life, it brought a tear to my eye as I peered over at my wife. It made me realize that I had not been the man I should be, but I could do better, and be better, with my wife right beside me. Treating her and others more better than I, would be my new goal, I could do more than just try.
Normally about this time we would be tearing down the decor, pulling the storage bins out, and paper up from the floor. I realize now, that perhaps I had made a mistake,
"Can we keep them up, all the decor, for just one more day? The tinsel of popcorn and all the ornaments we made? The tree? The snowmen, the lights and the cards?" They were from our family and friends with regards.
Can we take a lesson from Fred and his heart for serving others, putting each-other first and others first with each other. Like evil Gru from Despicable me with his banana-eating minions, but then again...that's just my humble opinion.