I can usually put people in a box at first sight.
No, I’m not an undertaker, but you know what I mean.
Discern whether they are likely to be dangerous or troublesome, friendly or unfriendly, sweet or sour…
I was at the seaside the other day - walking away from the town and up a hill which, the signpost had signed, led to a path along the cliff tops.
I spotted someone heading in my direction and I immediately put him in the ‘approach with caution’ box.
He was in his thirties and had the all weather, red tanned, look of tramps and outdoor cider drinkers. He wasn’t exactly scruffy but he looked like he hadn't washed that morning and he had an unkempt beard which looked as though it hadn’t been trimmed for several weeks.
He wore a wind cheater which had seen better days but still looked reasonably clean and serviceable. He had a face that was definitely European, probably English, but yet strangely inscrutable.
I had changed his 'box' to fisherman - recently spent quite a while at sea and not had time to clean himself up yet.
Something about him made me nervous and I waited until we were almost passing before I made a comment about the coldness of the wind.
I was strangely relieved when he didn’t respond but as I walked on I notice that he had stopped and turned.
“Jesus Christ,” he said. “I’ve just been up on the tops and I was almost cut in half!”
He looked at me and it made me nervous, as if he wanted something but he didn’t want to ask.
I mumbled something in response and carried on my way.
I was shocked by the timbre of his voice, the lack of any noticeable accent and the annunciation...
it didn't fit in any of the boxes I'd been ready to put him in.
A few yards further on I remembered I had a couple of pound coins in my pocket - I don’t usually carry money - and I turned around with the thought of giving him the money for a warm drink.
He was gone!
I wondered up toward the cliffs but turned back before I reached them.
The way he had said “Jesus Christ.” had been just like he was introducing himself.
I knew that even if it had been Jesus that it wouldn’t have made any difference.
I was too used to having a place to keep me warm and sheltered, to sleep in at night; food to eat whenever I wanted; toys and gadgets to play with.
I remembered Jesus’ words to the rich man:
“Go sell everything you own and give it away to the poor and then come follow me."
When people say they walk with Jesus I wonder if He walks with them.
Comments
Jasper_Milvain | May 9, 2009 - 20:06
I really liked the idea, and ending with the verse from the bible works well.
You tell the tale cleverly and I didn't see it coming and it does make you think. I reckon you're being a little hard on yourself though. After all, you were going to give him a bit of cash, only he went and disappeared. That's hardly your fault. Don't beat yourself up about it, really.
There are some typos here that you might want to fix.
'the signpost had signed' could be 'the signpost suggested'
'looked as thought it hadn’t been trimmed': change 'thought' to 'though'.
'“Jesus Christ” he said.' Should be '"Jesus Christ," he said.'
'His looked at me': 'His' should of course be 'He'.
Typos apart, I really loved the simple directness of your story. And I really hope that other people like it too.
Thanks.
JM.
SundaysChild | May 9, 2009 - 20:56
Nice tale, Mangone.
Mangone | May 9, 2009 - 21:09
Thanks JM!
Typos fixed, I hope :O)
I'm leaving the 'signpost signing' it's meant as a bit of a joke.
I wasn't really beating myself up just facing the fact that Christianity started out as a totally different religion to the one that exists today.
The bible in which so many major religions have their roots clearly states : "The Love Of Money Is The Root Of ALL Evil."
Yet our whole Western economic system has seemed to encourage the philosophy that to be rich is to be successful.
Predictably we all started to throw our hands in the air and blame the people who have succeeded in paying themselves huge bonuses as soon as it started hitting the rich as well as the poor :O)
Mangone | May 9, 2009 - 21:10
Thanks Sunday.
Jasper_Milvain | May 9, 2009 - 21:19
Thanks for the ... erm ... thanks, Mangone.
I was just kidding about the beating yourself up thing. Yes. The message of your story is an admirable one, and one that is really difficult to convey without falling into trite cliches.
I think you have done an admirable job with it.
Thanks again.
Thanks.
JM.
Mangone | May 9, 2009 - 21:24
Cheers JM :O)
SundaysChild | May 9, 2009 - 21:30
I am not religious in the sense that I am a Christian or whatever, I consider myself agnostic, I am open minded but am not going to spend my time here on Earth, which I can see, feel and smell, obsessing about what may or may not exist when I die.
Seems a bit silly to me. The best I can do is try to be a good human being, to the best of my abilities- and knowing right from wrong should not depend on whether or not one is religious, in my opinion.
However, Jesus's messages were good and he sounds like he was a genuinely decent man, with good morals.
It is the corrruption of these original messages- for some peoples personal gain, or power- that angers me and that's why I could not belong to an organised religion.
Your story is thought provoking.
Good work.
Mangone | May 10, 2009 - 08:41
One last moan which is related only by the theme of 'truth'.
I find it disgusting that in spite of the so called ethos of 'freedom of Information' that everytime someone blows the whistle on Labour they are instantly labelled as a criminal by the 'government' in the forlorn hope that it will deter any more truth telling! Sign of the times or what?
Mangone | May 10, 2009 - 10:29
If you were to have to choose Seven Rules to help solve the probems of the world what would you choose.
Here are mine in no particular order:
"Do not swear falsely by the name of the LORD..." (God is on our side)
"Honor your father and your mother..." (what do you know you're old)
"Do not kill (murder)" (pass the ammunition)
"Do not commit adultery." (it was only a fling)
"Do not steal." (my need is greater than yours)
"Do not bear false witness against your neighbor" (you have WMD)
"Do not covet your neighbor's wife" (he's having an affair you know sweetheart)
~*~*~*~*~*~
It's difficult to think why nobody has thought of them before!
celticman | May 10, 2009 - 11:37
Cynical, but somehow sweet.
Mangone | May 10, 2009 - 12:20
Cynicism is the last refuge of the disillusioned; I'm still living in hope ;O)
Get back to your Hut and write Celtic - we want more NOW! :O)
fergo | September 18, 2009 - 21:39
Ooh, interesting :D. I've always wondered about writing something... in this vein, so to speak, but always shied away because, well, to be frank, I'm an agnostic so would fear messing things up.
Anyways, what I meant to say was, great story!
Mangone | September 18, 2009 - 22:03
Thanks Fergo!
Actually I met him again sometime later and it turns out his name is Kevin - from what I gathered the son of a British army officer.
He tells a fabulous tale of what was probably his pre teen year having, repeatedly, to go on to the Falls road, dustbin lid in each hand to deflect the carelessly aimed firebombs, to get his grannies snuff.
It's a tale of the grudging friendship that crossed the religious divide only to end in near tragedy... but it's his tale and it's up to him to tell it.