The Little Boy - part one

When the stranger entered the village, dozens of children came running. Each one was holding out his hand and asking for a coin. The stranger felt compassion in his heart and removed his pouch. One coin for each right hand. This was the way he would not pay a clever child twice.

“That’s all.” He shouted with a deep timbre that dispersed the crowd instantly.

The pack of children disappeared as quickly as it had formed. One young boy in a tattered shirt and a with hole in his shorts, stopped in mid flight. He turned back and took three small steps towards the stranger. He smiled.

“Thank you, sir.” Then he was gone.

The stranger walked into the village and observed what he could.   No fine garments. A humble town. People working, so there was work to be had. A few bars and taverns, with customers… wasteful men, drinking in the mid-day.

The market, was a hot street, where merchants selling everything. He wanted nothing, except to be refreshed. He sat at the well and a young woman drew some water. She said nothing, as she set the bucket on the bench.

“Drink, sir.” She broke the silence. “You are thirsty, and you are kind. Let me repay kindness to you.”
“Kind?” the stranger replied.

“The angels are not the only ones that observe what you do.”  She smile, but looked down and away. “People watch. People talk. Everyone sees. Nothing is hidden.” She looked up briefly “Drink, sir, and fill your skin.”

The stranger drank. “Thank you.” He took water for the journey, then turned to go. He did not look back. She was right. Everyone sees. He saw too. She was beautiful.

Out of the city gates. Gone.

He would return.

Vanity of Vanities

“What is the way to happiness?” He pondered on this each day.
In all his wisdom, all his knowledge he could not find the way.

“How can one be happy?” He just couldn’t understand.
“I’ve got more gold, more silver, than any in the land.”

“I will make myself happy! My patience is wearing thin.
I shall indulge in many pleasures, even those of sin.”

He had a thousand lovers. More than any man that’s true,
but still he was unhappy, and his hatred for life grew.

Devastated, spirit torn, in anguish and defeat,
the master cried “O Lord, dear God, my life’s just not complete!”

… Still trying to remember an old poem I wrote in 7th grade. This is about half of it.

Chairs, Sadly, Darkness

Chairs filled the auditorium. There was no light except for the spotlight on the stage. Sadly no great crowd had gathered to see her speak. The chairs were mostly empty and there was an eerie echo bouncing off the back wall.

Her voice shook as she tried to remember all it was that she was supposed to say. She hated reading her speeches because of the way her voice when into a higher pitch like that of a cartoon character. It was not her own and it was not serious.

Maybe it was a good thing that the crowd had not showed up. Less people to see the debacle this would be. Now, where were those words.

“Parents, Teachers, and students. It is my pleasure to introduce you to this year’s revolutionary mega theme. Paperless books. E-textbooks for every student.”

A smattering of applause. About 30 claps. Mostly from 2 people. She gulped as she tried to remember the benefits of her proposal.

So, that was my 5 minute writing exercise. The title is the three words I was given to work with. I didn’t watch the clock, so that may have been only 3 minutes. The idea was that you can create a story quickly if you just start writing and write fast. 

It started off okay, but not sure where it was going. I may try one of these again another day. I guess I never used the word “darkness” either. I did say “no light.” Does that count?

Abram’s Journey

One of Noah's descendants through his son Shem was named Terah. The Bible tells us that he lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. During this time, it was common for men to marry wives from within their own tribes, often step-sisters or step-cousins. 

This is the account of Terah and his descendents:

Terah himself fathered three sons. Their names were Abram, Nahor and Haran. His son Haran also had a son named Lot. They were all living in Ur of the Chaldeans. That was their home. Haran died there while Terah was still alive.

Abram's wife was called Sarai. She was unable to have children. Nahor's wife was called Milcah. She was one of Haran’s daughters, along with Iscah.

Terah took Abram and his wife Sarai, along with his own grandson Lot, who was Haran’s son, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go to Canaan. When they came as far as Haran, they settled there, not continuing on to Canaan. Terah lived to be 205 years old and died there in Haran.
The LORD spoke to Abram and said, "Leave this land where you are living, leave your relatives, and your father's home. Go to the land that I will show you. There, I will make you a great nation, I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you, I will curse. Through you every family on earth will be blessed."

So Abram left, just as the LORD had told him to do. Lot went with him. This happened when Abram was 75 years old.  That is when he left Haran. Abram set out for Canaan. He took his wife Sarai with him, along with his nephew Lot, and all the possessions they had accumulated and the servants they had acquired in Haran.
When arrived in Canaan, Abram traveled through the land to the oak tree belonging to Moreh at Shechem.  The Canaanites lived there in the land at that time.

Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "I will give this land to your descendants." So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. -Genesis 11:27 - 12:7 

A Loneliness Poem

Like man in the desert, miles from the sea,

thirsty and dreaming of ice cold tea.

Broken and weary he drops to one knee.

He rubs his eyes to wipe the sand free.

Through teary-eyed focus, he looks up to see

a desert oasis and wild palm tree.

Enraptured with joy, he jumps up with glee.

He runs to the fountain. At last, he is free!

Alas. He discovers, it was never to be.

(insert a name here), you are a mirage to me.

"A mirage is something that you see that is not there, or something that is not there that you do not see." --Oliver Hardy