Think about it.
Sometimes, the very thing that gets the old brain producing again is a
short
story or article that provides a spark. That spark may be anger, humor,
frustration, whatever. Anyway, here's a short story I wrote nearly
fifteen
years ago. I published in a small weekly newspaper that I ran in western
Montana. And I've published it on the web since then.
Ernie's Christmas Prayer
From his place under the freeway bridge, Ernie watched the world.
It was a little after sunset on Christmas Eve, and the dark city was
dressed
up in bright colors. Even the houses down in the lower section were
covered
with glowing points of red, green, blue, and golden amber. But the tall
buildings downtown were the most wonderful of all. Like the fantastic
towers
of fairy-tale castles they stood tall in the black night, pu****ng back the
darkness with lighted windows and bright holiday lights.
Ernie was cold. His tired, old body was finally giving up its hold on
life,
he knew. But the pain still held on tight. Like dry and brittle shards
of
glass, the pain chewed at his muscles and joints whenever he moved even a
little.
A block and a half away, children were singing Christmas songs in front of
the old folks’ home. A few blocks beyond that, the Salvation Army was
having
a special Christmas Eve dinner for people like him: folks who wander the
streets because they have no home.
Ernie would’ve been there, too, but his old legs just wouldn’t take him.
Looks like the time has come, he thought. Guess I’m gonna die under this
old
bridge. With that thought, Ernie let out an audible sigh as a familiar
sadness stirred in his heart once more.
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You can read the entire story online, free of charge. No registration,
member****p or email address required. No red tape.
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Life doesn't always work out the way we had hoped.
In the short story, "Ernie's Christmas Prayer," Ernie has lived a long
life,
but not a very good one. Now as he nears the end of the trail, he's all
alone, huddling under a freeway bridge, cold, and full of memories on
Christmas Eve. What happens in answer to Ernie's prayer makes a story you
will not soon forget. This short story that has already become a
seasonal
favorite for many around the world.
You can find Ernie's story here:
http://www.jimsdesk.com/stories/ernie.htm
Jim
www.jimsdesk.com
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