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Stories, favorites and great
Christmas rifle
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Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for necessities.
For those genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. I learned from him life's greatest joy comes from giving, not receiving.
Christmas Eve, 1881, I was fifteen years old and felt like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy the rifle I'd wanted for Christmas. We did chores early that night. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.
After supper I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace to wait for Pa to get down the old Bible. Still feeling sorry for myself and, honestly, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures.
But Pa didn't get the Bible. He bundled up again, instead, and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was so busy wallowing in self-pity.
Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night and he had ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the Christmas rifle, now Pa wanted to drag me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason I could see. Chores done, I couldn't think of anything else needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up, put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what.
Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him.
The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed.
"I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said.
"Here, help me."
The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high side boards on.
After we exchanged sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood - the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing?
Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?"
"You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I'd been by, but so what?
Yeah," I said. "Why?"
"I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt." That was all he said, then turned and went back into the woodshed for another arm load of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it.
Finally, Pa halted our loading. We went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.
"What's in the little sack?" I asked.
He told me, "Shoes, they're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy, too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."
We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it.
We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn't have been our concern.
We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house, unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to their door.
We knocked.
The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?"
"Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?"
Widow Jensen opened the door to let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children, wrapped in another, were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire which hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.
"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and put the sack of flour down. I put the meat on the table.
Then Pa handed her the sack with the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly, then took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children - sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last.
I watched her carefully.
She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes, spilled over and started to run down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but no sound would come out.
"We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me. "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up," he told me.
I wasn't the same person as I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak.
My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before, filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people.
I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits perked up. Those kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us.
"God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying He would send one of his angels to spare us."
In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat, tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it, I could see it was probably true. I was sure a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.
Pa insisted everyone try on their shoes before we left. I was amazed they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed if he was on the Lord's errand, the Lord would make sure he got the sizes right.
Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave.
Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see they missed their own Pa, which reminded me how I was really glad I still had mine.
At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell."
I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and moved away.
Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, May the Lord bless you, I know for certain that He will."
Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and didn't even notice the cold. After we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that, but on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand."
I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now that rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and radiant smiles of her three children.
For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life."
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#EZ.27042 Exp 12-14
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Ref: Nixon, Don |
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Stories, favorites and great
Jingle bells
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No matter where you go, some gremlin thinks up something to make you smile. Congratulations, Edeka.
Edeka is Germany’s largest supermarket chain. They hid 13 cameras and as customers stood at checkout counters, lights went off, but cashiers continued to scan items through the checkout. That’s when cashiers’ machines began to beep a very familiar tune!
The cashiers choreographed the holiday classic, ‘Jingle Bells’ to the delight of their customers.
Click on the video button and begin the video and let us all try to be gremlins.
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Edeka |
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#EZ.32548 Exp 12-20
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Ref: Bill Walaitis
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Stories, favorites and great
When have you experienced a life-altering phone call?
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By: Gareth Patterson, Tech Architect, started to program on ZX81 in 1981 (2016-present)
It was March, 1997…. I receive a voice mail from an old boss. On my voice mail… at my client… on a number only my fiancee knew. (Everyone else used my cell)
The message was something like: “If this is the Gareth Patterson from Halifax, this is Yo. Give me a call at XXX”
Yo was my first boss out of school. She hired me from an evening course I had in my final year of college. We hit it off. I worked very hard for her and was an excellent programmer. That was 1989–1991.
I called Yo back… she asked “Where did I call?”. I told her Brooklyn. She said she was calling a mutual friend in Orange County…. and the number was only different by the area code. (I later confirmed). We talked and she asked me what I was doing…. “I’m getting married in July and going on a job interview tomorrow in Boulder.”
Her response changed my life forever… “I’m CEO of a company in San Francisco… I’ll have an offer on your desk on Monday morning.”
She did… I accepted… and moved to San Francisco, a place I had never been to before. That was over 20-years ago and we’re still in the same house!!!
Comment
Sarah Madden
One question: Did you also marry your fiancée — or your new boss? That last sentence confused me. Either way, it’s a great story!
Gareth Patterson
Fair enough…. I married my fiancee! We’ve been married for over 20-years and have a 18-year old son and 16-year old daughter.
Yo, my boss, has remained a friend - not close - but someone who will always be an important part of my life.
Sarah Madden
Sweet. The whole story is such a wonderful way it turned out.
Nicholas DeLessio
This is going to be a silly question, but Orange County NY, or CA?
Orange County CA currently has a number that’s one digit off from a Brooklyn area code, but in the 90s, Orange County NY also had an area code one digit off from a different Brooklyn area code (it no longer does, as 914 was reassigned to Westchester County in the late 90s.)
It sort of makes sense both ways, since your boss lived in CA but you were in NY, and OC NY is in the metro region.
I have no need to know this outside of burning curiosity.
Gareth Patterson
CA… 714 and 718!
Aaron
Wow what are the odds of that!!
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#EZ.38162 Exp 12-14
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Ref: Qoura Q&A
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