[Nfbk] God Bless
cindy smith
cindy.smith8109 at insightbb.com
Sun Jun 19 19:03:57 UTC 2011
Joey, thanks for sending this out, I really enjoyed it. I always
enjoy the things you send.
Cindy Smith and Guidedog Perry
On Jun 19, 2011, at 10:35 AM, Joey Couch wrote:
> Carl was a quiet man.. He didn't talk much.
>
>
> He would always greet you with a big smile and a firm
> handshake.
>
>
>
>
> Even after living in our neighborhood for over 50 years,
>
>
> No one could really say they knew him very well.
>
>
>
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> Before his retirement, he took the bus to work each morning.
>
>
> The lone sight of him walking down the street often
> worried us.
>
>
>
>
> He had a slight limp from a bullet wound received in WWII.
>
>
>
>
> Watching him, we worried that although he had survived WWII,
>
>
> He may not make it through our changing uptown
> neighborhood with its ever-increasing random violence, gangs, and drug
> activity.
>
>
>
>
> When he saw the flyer at our local church asking for
> volunteers for caring for the gardens behind the minister's residence,
> he responded in his characteristically unassuming manner. Without
> fanfare, he just signed up.
>
>
>
>
> He was well into his 87th year when the very thing we had
> always feared finally happened..
>
>
>
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> He was just finishing his watering for the day when three
> gang members approached him.
>
>
> Ignoring their attempt to intimidate him, he simply asked,
>
>
> "Would you like a drink from the hose?"
>
>
>
>
> The tallest and toughest-looking of the three said, "Yeah,
> sure," with a malevolent little smile.
>
>
>
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> As Carl offered the hose to him, the other two grabbed
> Carl's arm, throwing him down.
>
>
> As the hose snaked crazily over the ground, dousing
> everything in its way, Carl's assailants stole his retirement watch
> and his wallet, and then fled.
>
>
>
>
> Carl tried to get himself up, but he had been thrown down
> on his bad leg.
>
>
> He lay there trying to gather himself as the minister came
> running to help him..
>
>
>
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> Although the minister had witnessed the attack from his
> window, he couldn't get there fast enough to stop it.
>
>
>
>
> "Carl, are you okay? Are you hurt?" the minister kept
> asking as he helped Carl to his feet.
>
>
>
>
> Carl just passed a hand over his brow and sighed, shaking
> his head.
>
>
> "Just some punk kids. I hope they'll wise-up someday."
>
>
>
>
> His wet clothes clung to his slight frame as he bent to
> pick up the hose.
>
>
> He adjusted the nozzle again and started to water..
>
>
>
>
> Confused and a little concerned, the minister asked,
> "Carl, what are you doing?"
>
>
> "I've got to finish my watering. It's been very dry
> lately," came the calm reply.
>
>
> Satisfying himself that Carl really was all right, the
> minister could only marvel.
>
>
> Carl was a man from a different time and place.
>
>
>
>
> A few weeks later the three returned.. Just as before
> their threat was unchallenged.
>
>
> Carl again offered them a drink from his hose.
>
>
>
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> This time they didn't rob him.
>
>
> They wrenched the hose from his hand and drenched him head
> to foot in the icy water.
>
>
>
>
> When they had finished their humiliation of him, they
> sauntered off down the street, throwing catcalls and curses, falling
> over one another laughing at the hilarity of what they had just done.
>
>
>
>
> Carl just watched them.
>
>
> Then he turned toward the warmth giving sun, picked up his
> hose, and went on with his watering.
>
>
>
>
> The summer was quickly fading into fall Carl was doing
> some tilling when he was startled by the sudden approach of someone
> behind him.
>
>
> He stumbled and fell into some evergreen branches.
>
>
>
>
> As he struggled to regain his footing, he turned to see
> the tall leader of his summer tormentors reaching down for him. He
> braced himself for the expected attack.
>
>
>
>
> "Don't worry old man, I'm not gonna hurt you this time."
>
>
>
>
> The young man spoke softly, still offering the tattooed
> and scarred hand to Carl. As he helped Carl get up, the man pulled a
> crumpled bag from his pocket and handed it to Carl.
>
>
>
>
> "What's this?"
>
>
> Carl asked. "It's your stuff," the man explained. "It's
> your stuff back.
>
>
> Even the money in your wallet" "I don't understand," Carl
> said. "Why would you help me now?"
>
>
>
>
> The man shifted his feet, seeming embarrassed and ill at
> ease. "I learned something from you," he said. "I ran with that gang
> and hurt people like you we picked you because you were old and we
> knew we could do it But every time we came and did something to you,
> instead of yelling and fighting back, you tried to give us a drink.
> You didn't hate us for hating you. You kept showing love against our
> hate."
>
>
>
>
> He stopped for a moment. "I couldn't sleep after we stole
> your stuff, so here it is back."
>
>
>
>
> He paused for another awkward moment, not knowing what
> more there was to say. "That bag's my way of saying thanks for
> straightening me out, I guess." And with that, he walked off down the
> street.
>
>
>
>
> Carl looked down at the sack in his hands and gingerly
> opened it. He took out his retirement watch and put it back on his
> wrist. Opening his wallet, he checked for his wedding photo. He gazed
> for a moment at the young bride that still smiled back at him from all
> those years ago..
>
>
>
>
> He died one cold day after Christmas that winter. Many
> people attended his funeral in spite of the weather.
>
>
>
>
> In particular the minister noticed a tall young man that
> he didn't know sitting quietly in a distant corner of the church.
>
>
>
>
> The minister spoke of Carl's garden as a lesson in life.
>
>
>
>
> In a voice made thick with unshed tears, he said, "Do your
> best and make your garden as beautiful as you can. We will never
> forget Carl and his garden."
>
>
>
>
> The following spring another flyer went up. It read:
> "Person needed to care for Carl's garden."
>
>
>
>
> The flyer went unnoticed by the busy parishioners until
> one day when a knock was heard at the minister's office door.
>
>
>
>
> Opening the door, the minister saw a pair of scarred and
> tattooed hands holding the flyer. "I believe this is my job, if you'll
> have me," the young man said.
>
>
>
>
> The minister recognized him as the same young man who had
> returned the stolen watch and wallet to Carl.
>
>
>
>
> He knew that Carl's kindness had turned this man's life
> around. As the minister handed him the keys to the garden shed, he
> said, "Yes, go take care of Carl's garden and honor him."
>
>
>
>
> The man went to work and, over the next several years, he
> tended the flowers and vegetables just as Carl had done.
>
>
>
>
> During that time, he went to college, got married, and
> became a prominent member of the community. But he never forgot his
> promise to Carl's memory and kept the garden as beautiful as he
> thought Carl would have kept it.
>
>
>
>
> One day he approached the new minister and told him that
> he couldn't care for the garden any longer. He explained with a shy
> and happy smile, "My wife just had a baby boy last night, and she's
> bringing him home on Saturday."
>
>
>
>
> "Well, congratulations!" said the minister, as he was
> handed the garden shed keys. "That's wonderful! What's the baby's
> name?"
>
>
>
> "Carl," he replied.
>
>
>
>
> That's the whole gospel message simply stated.
>
>
>
>
> So, say a small prayer for the person who sent you this.
>
>
> God, bless this person in whatever it is that You know he
> or she may be needing this day!
>
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> --
> Joey Couch
> cell phone 606-216-8033
> email
> joey.couch at gmail.com
> or
> ki4vjd at arrl.net
> twitter name @ki4vjd
> facebook joey.couch at gmail.com
> Skype name joey6584
>
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