Red marbles

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Doe Master
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Red marbles

Post by Doe Master »

I know it is sappy but here is a email I got and would like to share it.
RED MARBLES

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes.

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. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello Barry, how are you today?'

'H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'

'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'

'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'

'Goo d. Any thing I can help you with?'

'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'

'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.

'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' said Miller.

'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.'

'I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.

'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', Mr. Miller told the boy.

'Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller'

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

With a smile said, 'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with the m for p eas, 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, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the store 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 for marbles.

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 visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.

Upon 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 y oung men.

One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking.

They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling 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 reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles.

With her 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 'tr aded' the m.

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.

The 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.

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.

The fastest line at the grocery store.

A good sing-along song on the radio.

Your keys found right where you left them.

Send this to the people you'll never forget.
N8tr Boy
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Post by N8tr Boy »

How true DM, we are watched by more people then we think. What we do

with and in our lives touch so many lives its hard to understand.

Make everyday count as if it's our last.

Mark
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Post by dick195252 »

Not sappy at all my friend :wink: If more people lived there lives like Mr Miller what a great world it would be :)
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wabi
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Post by wabi »

Very good story and it reminds me of my thoughts yesterday as I drove along a section of country road where some folks with very little cash, but a lot of happiness live.
Please let me drag out the old soap box and get started......... :wink: :lol:
I can remember when we lived in a community where there were a lot of people who were poor as far as dollars were concerned, but quite rich in values. A couple old bachelor brothers who owned a fine team of work horses lived just down the street from us. They cared for their own small acerage, plus they had many regular "customers" who depended on them to till their gardens for sone supplimental income. My father was a blacksmith, so they knew us well. Every evening they would pass our house on the way to the local general store, and they would always stop and get me so I could ride one of the horses to the store and get my small treat of candy or gum. They loved wild game, so my father would often share with them after a hunt. They would never have accepted outright obvious charity, but they were happy to accept the extra game that we didn't need and just didn't want to see go to waste.
There were many people in the same circumstances. They were proud, honest people with strong ethics and moral standards.
There also was a "children's home" on our street. It was an orphanage where many children who had been abandoned or left parentless by some disaster were housed. They were, for the most part, well cared for and good kids by any standars. I had many friends among them and often played at the home, or they came to my home and played with me. They didn't get a "free ride" for their care, they also had chores they were expected to do (just like any kid that age back then).
Somewhere the "system" changed! Government stepped in and started handing out "freebies". Instead of working for a meager living, people with no steady income could easily sign up and draw some form of "welfare". Children that once were "orphaned" because they lost their parents and remaining friends or family members were just too poor to feed another mouth suddenly became a good source of income for any relative that could take them in and offer "foster care". Politicians figured out that supporting programs that handed out easy income to poor families could get a lot of votes for their support of such programs. With the government handouts came no restrictions on teaching and instilling high ethical and moral standards.
I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but it seems to me that we were a lot better off when all the help was handed out at a small (personal) local level. If someone was just too lazy to work hard, they didn't get much help, but if a family was struck with disaster people were quick to step in and help. Once the "big government" took up the responsibility of handing out help the people at the local level lost the will and ability to selectively take care of the problems.
I would like to see more "family values" in society. More local responsibility for helping the needy, and less "government" involvement.
Ok, I'll climb down and get off my rant now.
Might even take my son to the lake and see if we can catch a mess of trout for our friend who can't get the time to go fishing because he's working so much overtime to support his family. Of course we aren't handing out charity - we just have too many and don't want to be wasteful! :wink:
wabi
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Post by saxman »

I enjoyed both stories very much. :D
Scott
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Post by Farmer »

A good story . It would be great if everyone was like that .
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Post by Grizzly Adam »

We should all be more like Mr. Miller. :D

But I sure didn't admire peas when I was a boy! :wink:
Grizz
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