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> >
> >
>This is a first-person account from a mother about her family as they
> ate
> > >dinner on Christmas Day in a small restaurant many
miles from their
> home.
> > >
> > >Nancy, the
mother, relates; We were the only family with children in the
> >
>restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was
quietly
> > >eating and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee
and said, "Hi
> > >there."He
> > >pounded his fat baby
hands on the high-chair tray. His eyes were wide
> with
> >
>excitement and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin.
> >
>
> > >He wriggled and giggled with merriment. I looked around
and saw the
> source
> > >of
> > >his merriment.
It was a man with a tattered rag of a coat, dirty, greasy
> >
>and
> > >worn. His pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast
and his toes poked
> > >out
> > >of would be shoes. His
shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and
> > >unwashed. His
whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose
> was
>
> >so varicose, it looked like a road map. We were too far from him
to
> smell,
> > >but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved
and flapped on loose
> wrists."Hi
> > >there, baby; hi there,
big boy.
> > >I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik. My husband
and I exchanged
> looks,
> > >"What do we do?" Everyone in the
restaurant noticed and looked at us and
> > >then
> >
>at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful
>
baby.
> > >Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the
room, "Do ya
> know
> > >patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo?
Hey, look, he knows peek-a boo.
> Nobody
> > >thought the old
man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I
> were
> >
>embarrassed. We ate in silence, all except for Erik, who was running
>
> >through
> > >his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum,
who in turn, reciprocated
> > >with
> > >his cute
comments.
> > >
> > >We finally got through the meal and
headed for the door. My husband went
> to
> > >pay the check
and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man
> sat
>
> >poised between me and the door. "Lord, just let me out of here before
he
> > >speaks to me or Erik," I prayed. As I drew closer to the
man, I turned
> my
> > >back trying to side-step him and
avoid any air he might be breathing. As
> I
> > >did, Erik
leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's
> >
>pick-me-up
> > >position. Before I could stop him, Erik had
propelled himself from my
> arms
> > >to
> > >the
man's. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby
>
consummated
> > >their love relationship. Erik, in an act of total
trust, love, and
> > >submission
> > >laid his tiny head
upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed
> >
>and
> > >I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands
full of grime, pain
> > >and
> > >hard labor-gently, so
gently cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his
> back.
> >
>No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood
>
> >awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a
moment,
> > >and
> > >then his eyes opened and set
squarely on mine. He said in a firm
> commanding
> > >voice,
"You take care of this baby." Somehow I managed, "I will," from a
> >
>throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest
> >
>unwillingly,longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby,
> and
> > >the
> > >man said, "God bless you,
ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift."
> > >
> > >I
said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran
>
for
> > >the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and
holding Erik so
> > >tightly, and why I was saying,"My God, my God,
forgive me." I had
> > > just witnessed Christ's love shown
through the innocence of a tiny
> child
> > >who
> >
>saw no sin, who made no judgement, a child who saw a soul, and a
mother
> who
> > >saw a suit of clothes.
> >
>
> > >I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was
not. I felt it
> was
> > >God asking...."Are you willing to
share your son for a moment?", when HE
> > >shared His for an
eternity. The ragged old man, unwittingly, had
> reminded
> >
>me,"To enter the Kingdom of God, we must become as little children."
>
> >
> > >
> >
> >
______________________________________________________
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> >
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>
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