Saturday, July 5, 2008

Wordzzle - Strangers

After taking last week off from the fun that is Wordzzle, I'm joining in again with a small entry. It's been pretty busy around here lately, so I didn't do all three challenges this time, but I also didn't want to miss out on another week. With that I decided to stick with the mini this week.


The words were: sympathetic, filet of sole, mysterious stranger, elephantine, music


Wordzzle is the brain child of the talented Raven of Views from the Ravens Nest. Do go by and visit when you have a chance.





Strangers





Sitting in the dining room of an extremely posh downtown restaurant, Charles was enjoying his entrĂ©e, a fabulously prepared filet of sole served with a champagne beurre blanc, lemon scented rice and delicately steamed asparagus tips. The music coming from the nearby piano bar caressed his ears and added to the overall ambiance of the evening. “Ahh, this is the good life,” he thought. That was until he glanced out the front window.

There on the sidewalk in the cold drizzle sat an elephantine sized man. It was obvious from the soiled and shabby clothes he had on that this gentleman was another of the city’s homeless. Suddenly Charles was taken back in time. He watched as one by one people walked past the man trying their best to dismiss his existence, rationalizing in their own minds that if they pretended not to see him, that somehow there wasn’t a problem.

Charles knew better though. It hadn’t been that many years earlier when he was in the same position as the tired and lonely man on the street now was. Although he didn’t know the particular circumstances of what had brought this other man to his current situation, he did remember if it hadn’t been for the kindness and compassion of another intervening in his own life, that he may very well have still been out there too. This mysterious stranger had come into his life just as he had nearly given up all hope. Through a simple gesture of a warm meal and an engaging conversation, this individual, who Charles had never met before, but showed genuine interest and concern, had turned his life around forever. He recalled that, that one encounter in itself didn’t restore his life completely, but it was a catalyst to a new beginning.

Charles had come so far from that day and he vowed to never forget how one sympathetic individual could make an impact in the life of another. “Waiter,” he motioned, “would you please ask the chef to prepare another meal. . . and I’ll need this one to go!”

21 comments:

Raven said...

Beautiful! Good to have you back. Hope you had a good vacation.

Richard said...

A story with great heart. I loved it.

Rich

Dianne said...

My Nana would have called you a mensch Jeff. I good guy with a good heart.

Really comes out in this story.

and your dinner was so much better than the TV dinner I came up with.

Good to have you back in the Wordzzle!

Mike Golch said...

Jeff, I hope that the vacation was great. Have a great weekend my friend.
Big time hugs and God's Blessings and Love headed to you anr your family.
Taht's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Jeff B said...

Raven- It felt weird to have missed a week, but the vacation was mucho fun and much needed by all.

Richard- Thank you.

Dianne- Your TV dinner version cracked me up, and thanks for the kind words.

Mike- It was a great time.

Anndi said...

Dinner sounded wonderful and your story shows what a good guy you are. I think Gene's going to think someone hi-jacked your blog ;)!

*hugs*

Jay said...

Very uplifting story. Well done Jeff!

Glad you came back to the Wordzzle this week.

Mimi Lenox said...

Lovely story, Jeff. Thanks for visiting me today! I am behind on my reading.

Jeff B said...

Anndi- I thought I'd put a nice post together while he's away fighting the fires.

Jay- I feels like a comfortable pair of shoes.

Mimi- I completely understand.

Unknown said...

Good for you! And good for Charles! Great wordzzle!

Kimmie said...

Jeff, I want to thank you for writing a story that shows how wonderful and big your heart is. It gave me a case of the misties. I am honored to know such a kind and generous man.
Big Hugs,
Kimmie

Travis Cody said...

It's so easy to look past the unfortunate. We forget that cicumstances can turn on us so quickly, and we could be in the same shoes.

Excellent story.

Ron said...

As ALWAYS, Jeff...you do such a beautiful job with these.

GREAT story...with WONDERFUL lesson.

Thanks for reminding me, buddy!

Carletta said...

Very nicely done - an uplifting story!

Thanks for coming by and commenting on my first try.

Mel said...

*applauding*

I like the message muchly.

Well done, sir!

Jeff B said...

Kim- I think we could all learn a lot from Charles.

Kimmie- If it encourages even one person to look at a fellow man or woman with a bit more compassion, then it was done for a reason.

Travis- How true. I think most of us are a lot more vulnerable than we like to think.

Ron- Trust me when I say that these stories remend me just as much as anybody else how to treat others.

Carletta- Your welcome. Hope to see your Wordzlling again.

Mel- Thank you my dear.

Akelamalu said...

Wonderful!

It's the beginning of a novel do tell us what happens next Jeff please.

maryt/theteach said...

Oh, Jeff, a great, sympathetic story! You done good! :)

Jeff B said...

Akalamalu- Perhaps I'll expand on it another time, but for now it's just a nice, short message.

Teach- Glad to see you again.

SMM said...

Hey thanks for coming by and commenting on my second attempt at Wordzzle. Btw the dinner does sound rather yummmm.

Jeff B said...

SMM- You welcome and hope to see you visit again.