two-lane country road. Work, in this small Midwestern community, was almost as
slow as his beat-up Pontiac. But he never quit looking. Ever since the factory
closed, he'd been unemployed, and with winter raging on, the chill had finally
hit home.
It was a lonely road. Not very many people
had a reason to be on it, unless they were leaving. Most of his friends had
already left. They had families to feed and dreams to fulfill. But he stayed
on. After all, this was where he buried his mother and father. He was born here
and knew the country. He could go down this road blind, and tell you what was
on either side, and with his headlights not working, that came in handy.
It was starting to get dark and light snow
flurries were coming down. He'd better get a move on. You know, he almost
didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim
light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her
Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.
Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help
for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe, he looked
poor and hungry.
He could see that she was frightened,
standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which
only fear can put in you. He said, "I'm here to help you ma'am. Why don't
you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan."
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an
old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place
to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to
change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was
tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to
him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing
through. She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled
as he closed her trunk.
She asked him how much she owed him. Any
amount would have been all right with her. She had already imagined all the
awful things that could have happened had he not stopped. Bryan never thought
twice about the money. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in
need, and God knows there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He
had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any
other way. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time
she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance that
they needed, and Bryan added "...and think of me."
He waited until she started her car and drove
off. It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for
home, disappearing into the twilight. A few miles down the road the lady saw a
small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before
she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant.
Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole
scene was unfamiliar to her. The cash register was like the telephone of an out
of work actor. It didn't ring much. Her waitress came over and brought a clean
towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her
feet for the whole day couldn't erase. The lady noticed that the waitress was
nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her
attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so
giving to a stranger. Then she remembered Bryan.
After the lady finished her meal and the
waitress went to get change for her hundred dollar bill, the lady slipped right
out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. She wondered
where the lady could be, and then she noticed something written on a napkin.
There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote. It said:
"You don't owe me anything, I have been
there too. Somebody once helped ME out, the way I'm helping you. If you really
want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end
with you."
Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls
to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day.
That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking
about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known
how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was
going to be hard. She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping
next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low,
"Everything's going to be all right, I love you, Bryan."
Please note that this story is an expanded
version of the song Chain Of Love by Clay Walker. All rights for this story
belong to its respective owners and Love Fate Destiny does not owe any rights
to this story.
0 comments:
Post a Comment