Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Christmas Gifts (11/13/08)
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TITLE: A Cup Of Coffee And A Pecan Pie | Previous Challenge Entry
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11/15/08 -
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The snow continued to fall as Sarah glared at the Christmas tree.
“Still no presents,” she thought. “Looks like Santa is definitely not coming.”
Sara was afraid this might happen. How was she going to explain to the twins that Santa had passed them by this year? It was too much for her brain to absorb.
Sara grabbed her purse, donning her ten-year-old coat. “Come on girls, I am going to be late to work,” she yelled. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
The twins bounded down the stairs. Their innocent voices broke the silence of the room and the darkness of her mood. How could she be depressed when she was blessed to have these two precious girls in her life?
Sara and John had thought they would never have children. Then, after fifteen years of marriage, Sarah found she was pregnant. A happier couple couldn’t be found.
The pregnancy hadn’t been easy. Sarah fought nausea while holding down two jobs in order to supplement their income. Their insurance had lapsed when John lost his job at the steel mill. Thank goodness he had been able to get a part-time job with the post office. With two incomes they were barely able to make ends meet.
They put her to bed for three months. Amazingly she carried the babies to term. They were perfect. They all came home filled with joy and anticipation.
But things had just gotten harder. The girls were three now and were more than a handful. Sara didn’t mind though. She was determined not to complain.
Dropping them at the sitter’s she barely made her shift.
“Sorry I’m late,” she yelled to Rudy as she hung her coat in the back closet.
“Not to worry,” he replied. “Tonight is unusually slow with the snow and all.”
She liked working for Rudy. He was flexible, easy to work for, and conveniently located. And she could drop the girls at the sitter’s on the way.
“Your not kidding it’s slow,” she thought as she unloaded the dishwasher. “If I could only make forty dollars in tips, I could buy the girls those dolls at Blair’s Department Store.”
By seven-thirty Sara had only collected ten dollars. “Looks like Christmas is going to be slimmer than I thought,” she mumbled as the wind blew the door open and a new customer in.
He was tall and lean, a definite stranger to these parts.
“I’ll take a cup of coffee and a pecan pie,” he yelled as he plopped himself into the corner booth.
Sara watched him as she placed the order.
She was drawn to this stranger. There was something about him she couldn’t put her finger on. Probing, she discovered he got caught in the storm. Finding the local motel full he decided to sit out the storm in the café.
She had an idea. “It’s a cold night,” she said. “We have a room next to the garage, if you’re interested. John used to keep his tools there but had to pawn them. It’s small but clean.”
“That’d be great,” he replied smiling in gratitude.
On the way to Sally’s they stopped at Blair’s. She fingered a wool coat as she made her way to the children’s department. She forced her eyes away from the dolls opting for a plastic table with two chairs.
At the cash register John suggested. “Give me the address. I need to get gas so I’ll meet you at the house.”
The night passed without incident. It had been a long day.
The next morning Sarah woke early. Stealing down the stairs to make coffee, she stopped dead in her tracks. Sitting in the two plastic chairs were the two dolls from Blair’s. On the table were a coat and set of tools.
Walking to the tree she saw a white envelope hidden in the branches. Written on the outside of the envelope were the words, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”
Inside were ten one hundred dollar bills – a thousand dollars, enough to cover the bills for the next three months.
No department store could have brought more joy to the face of a mother in need. “Glory to God in the highest” she cried, as she knelt on the floor in gratitude, tears streaming down her face. “And on earth, peace, goodwill to men.”
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Great Story...
But, I could never be so trusting... so had a very hard time with that aspect.
Still...I like the story.