[RR] Carl's Garden

[eaglefeather7]

Carl's Garden > > > >  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. > > > >  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. 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. 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. 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. 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 > >  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. In 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. > > > >  Take 60 seconds. All you do is - > > > >  1. Simply say a small prayer for the person who sent > >  you this, > >  (Father, God bless this person in whatever it is > >  that You know he or she may > >  be needing this day!)