Re: Fw: A Red Marble (fwd)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 10/14/02 7:45:40 AM Pacific Daylight Time,

torpartyof5@... writes:

<< > >> >>

> > >> Subject: A Red Marble

> > >>

> > >>

> > >> A RED MARBLE

> > >> During the waning years of the depression in a small southeastern

> Idaho

> > >> community, I used to stop by Mr. 's roadside stand for

> farm-fresh

> > >> produce as the season made it available. Food and money were still

> > >extremely

> > >> scarce and bartering was used, extensively. One particular day Mr.

>

> > >> was bagging some early potatoes for me. I noticed a small boy,

> delicate of

> > >> bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of

> freshly

> > >> picked green peas. I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the

> > >display

> > >> of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new

> potatoes.

> > >> Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation

> between

> > >> Mr. and the ragged boy next to me. " Hello Barry, how are you

> > >today? "

> > >> " H'lo, Mr. . Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas ... sure

> look

> > >> good. " " They are good, Barry. How's your Ma? " " Fine. Gittin'

stronger

> > >alla'

> > >> time. " " Good. Anything I can help you with? " " No, Sir. Jus' admirin'

> them

> > >> peas. " " Would you like to take some home? " " No, Sir. Got nuthin' to

> pay

> > >for

> > >> 'em with. " " Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas? "

> " All

> > >I

> > >> got's my prize marble here. " " Is that right? Let me see it. " " Here

> 'tis.

> > >> She's a dandy. " " I can see that. Hmmmm, only thing is this one is

> blue and

> > >I

> > >> sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home? " " Not

> > >'zackley

> > >> .....but, almost. " " Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with

> you

> > >and

> > >> next trip this way let me look at that red marble. " " Sure will.

> Thanks,

> > >Mr.

> > >> . "

> > >> Mrs. , who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.

With

> a

> > >> smile she said: " There are two other boys like him in our community,

> all

> > >> three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with

> them

> > >> for peas, apples, tomatoes or whatever. When they come back with

> their red

> > >> marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after

all

> and

> > >he

> > >> sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an

orange

> one,

> > >> perhaps. " I left the stand, smiling to myself, impressed with this

> man.

> > >> A short time later I moved to Colorado but I never forgot the story

of

> > >this

> > >> man, the boys and their bartering. Several years went by each more

> rapid

> > >> than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some

old

> > >> friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that

Mr.

> > >> had died. They were having his viewing that evening and

> knowing my

> > > > friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon our arrival

> at the

> > >> mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and

> to

> > >> offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were

> three

> > >> young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice

> > >haircuts,

> > >> dark suits and white shirts ... very professional looking. They

> approached

> > >> Mrs. , standing smiling and composed, by her husband's casket.

> Each

> > >of

> > >> the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly

with

> her

> > >> and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them

> as,

> > >one

> > >> by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand

> over

> > >the

> > >> cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary, awkwardly,

> wiping

> > >his

> > >> eyes.Our turn came to meet Mrs. . I told her who I was and

> mentioned

> > >> the story she had told me about the marbles. Eyes glistening she

took

> my

> > >> hand and led me to the casket. " Those three young men, who just

left,

> were

> > >> the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated

the

> > >things

> > >> Jim " traded " them. Now, at last when Jim could not change his mind

> about

> > >> color or size... they came to pay their debt. " We've never had a

great

> > >deal

> > >> of the wealth of this world, " she confided, " but, right now, Jim

would

> > >> consider himself the richest man in Idaho. " With loving gentleness

she

> > >> lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting

> underneath

> > >were

> > >> three, exquisitely shined, red marbles.

> > >> Moral: We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind

deeds.

> Life

> > >> is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take

> our

> > >> breath.

> > >> P.S. God Loves You. A wish for you! Today...I wish you a day of

> ordinary

> > >> miracles -- A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself. An

> unexpected

> > >> phone call from an old friend. Green stoplights on your way to work

or

> > >shop.

> > >> I wish you a day of little things to rejoice in... The fastest line

> at the

> > >> grocery store. A good sing along song on the radio. Your keys right

> where

> > >> you look. I wish you a day of happiness and perfection -- little

> bite-size

> > >> pieces of perfection that give you the funny feeling that someone is

> > >smiling

> > >> on you, holding you so gently because you are someone special and

> rare. I

> > >> wish You a day of Peace, Happiness and Joy. They say it takes a

> minute to

> > >> find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love

> them, but

> > >> then an entire life to forget them.

> > >> Send this phrase to the people you'll never forget and remember to

> send it

> > >> also to the person who sent it to you. It's a short message to let

> them

> > >know

> > >> that you'll never forget them. If you don't send it to anyone,it

means

> > >> you're in too much of a hurry and that you've probably forgotten

your

> > >> friends. Take the time!

>

>

> >>