> > > >> > During the waning years of the depression > > > in a small southeastern > > > >> > Idaho community, I used to stop by Mr. > > > Miller'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. Miller was > > > bagging some early potatoes for > > > me. > > > >> > > I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone > > > and feature, ragged but > > > clean, > > > >> > > hungrily apprizing 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. Miller and the > > > >> > > ragged boy next to me. > > > >> > > > > > >> > > "Hello Barry, how are you today?" > > > >> > > > > > >> > "H'lo, Mr. Miller. 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. Miller." > > > >> > > > > > >> > > Mrs. Miller, 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. Miller 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. Miller, > > > 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. Miller. 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. > > > >> > > > > > >> > > My 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 the Lord 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 message to the people you'll > > > never forget. And REMEMBER if > > > >> > > YOU DON'T - Don't worry nothing bad > > > will happen to you, you will just > > > >> miss > > > >> > > out on the opportunity to perhaps > > > brighten someone's day. > > > >> > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > - > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ===== > > > > Peace! Gretchen > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > > Do you Yahoo!? > > Faith Hill - Exclusive Performances, Videos & More > > http://faith.yahoo.com > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Internet access plans that fit your lifestyle -- join MSN. > http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/default.asp > >
Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Sign the Petition. http://petitiononline.com/Release/petition.html ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1ddNB.b2HgmN Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
