Long Post But Worth Reading... please comment
By g_aileen09
@g_aileen09 (1354)
Philippines
May 8, 2007 12:34am CST
I received this one thru email and i thought of sharing it with my friends.
A Good Story
The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new. She looked like that she had never missed a meal in her life. His first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like so many others had done before.
"Leave me alone," he growled.
To his amazement, the woman continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth displayed in dazzling rows.
"Are you hungry?" she asked.
"No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining with the president. Now go away." The woman's smile became even broader. Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are you doing, lady?"the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me alone."
Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem, ma'am?" he asked.
"No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"
The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you want with him?"
"See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."
"Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm and lift him up.
"Let me go, officer. I didn't do anything."
"This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered. "Don't blow it."
Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not yet arrived. The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by he table.
"What's going on here, officer?" he asked. "What is all this. Is this man in trouble?"
"This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman answered.
"Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person like that here is bad for business."
Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so. Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the first place."
The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down the street?"
"Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."
"And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at these weekly meetings?"
"What business is that of yours?"
"I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."
"Oh."
The woman smiled again. "I thought that might make a difference." She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a giggle. "Would you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"
"No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."
"Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"
"Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."
The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee for you right away, officer."
The officer watched him walk away. "You certainly put him in his place," he said.
"That was not my intent. Believe it or not, I have a reason for all this."
She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest. She stared at him intently. "Jack, do you remember me?"
Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes "I think so -- I mean you do look familiar."
"I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I came through that very door, cold and hungry."
"Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been hungry.
"I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything. Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out of my apartment. I walked the streets for days. It was February and I was cold and nearly starving. I saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get something to eat."
Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you could work for something to eat. I said that it was against company policy."
"I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it. I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I looked over, I saw you put the price of my food in the cash register. I knew then that everything would be all right."
"So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.
"I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up. Eventually I started my own business, that, with the help of God, prospered." She opened her purse and pulled out a business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a visit to a Mr. Lyons . He's the personnel director of my company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll find something for you to do around the office." She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place to live until you get on your feet. If you ever need anything, my door is always opened to you."
There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank you? "
he said.
"Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory. Thank Jesus. He led me to you."
Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the entrance before going their separate ways. "Thank you for all your help, officer," she said.
"On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a miracle today, something that I will never forget. And...And thank you for the coffee."
3 people like this
9 responses
@g_aileen09 (1354)
• Philippines
9 May 07
it's nice to cry sometimes, for tears clean our eyes. Hope the first tear came from your right eye....
Please visit this link... it has something to do with crying :)
http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/905288.aspx
1 person likes this
@singlepixel (2743)
•
8 May 07
that is very touching. i've read many stories like that before. all of them were good including this one. thank you for sharing.
@g_aileen09 (1354)
• Philippines
8 May 07
The pleasure is mine, my friend. Thank you for finding time to read it. I hope this topic will make a difference in our lives, in one way or another.
@singlepixel (2743)
•
8 May 07
like you said, it's a long post but worth reading. we appreciate more of these quality readings.
@KrisNY (7590)
• United States
9 May 07
What a beautiful story- It brought tears to my eyes. I’ve read many e-mails like this- I only hope that some of them are actually true- Wouldn’t it be a nice place to live if things like this happened- and were talked about more often than all of the bad news we see on the news everyday! I know I’d much rather see the good and the bad instead of just the bad!
@g_aileen09 (1354)
• Philippines
9 May 07
I tell you, my friend... fiction or truth, ... the benefit of kindness is there... and still, they're good ones to be circulating in the cyberworld. For no matter how we are hooked up in our PCs, we still find time to be human and humane at times.
Thank you for joining us in this topic.
@bosing143c (564)
• Philippines
17 May 07
a good one my friend. it really pays to have strong faith in God and to have your self confidence intact...
1 person likes this
@g_aileen09 (1354)
• Philippines
17 May 07
Thank you, my friend. We become whole and complete because we told ourselves that we can...through our faith.
@g_aileen09 (1354)
• Philippines
16 May 07
Indeed, my friend. this is really an inspiring story :) thanks for joining me here.
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
13 May 07
Great story! There was another discussion posted about whether or not good deeds are remembered. This story answers that question. Thanks for sharing.
1 person likes this
@RebeccaLynn (2256)
• United States
8 May 07
What a great story! I have tears in my eyes.
Thank you so much for sharing that!
We should all be so helpful!
@g_aileen09 (1354)
• Philippines
9 May 07
Yes. Morals of stories... they're sure to be lots of help for us in getting along with others.
@lyndee22 (1210)
• Philippines
8 May 07
A very heart touching story. How many (of us) will remember, looked and go back to the people who had helped them in their lives. How many will thanked them for what they have failed and gained. And how many will remember to thank and praise God for all the things that had come to their lives. The woman is a true child of God. She is an eye opener, an instrument for good being, humility and respect.
@g_aileen09 (1354)
• Philippines
8 May 07
And I am bery happy to tell you that indeed, the one who sent me this email is a true child of God. :)
@joice86 (1078)
• Philippines
8 May 07
Wow, that's was a very touching story. Someone, who remembers where she came from and did not forget the person who had helped her. I wish everyone is just like her. What a great inspiration she can be to everyone else. Thanks for posting this one. A very beautiful story to share....
1 person likes this