| THE GROUCH |
The crabby old man lived completely alone At the end of a wide, quiet street In a ramshackle house that needed repair Shutters sagged in what seemed like defeat Most neighbors knew him only by sight He'd never been a talkative man The scowl permanently etched on his face Stopped attempts long before they began! He'd hobble on foot down the road with his cane So the bus ride to town he could take... And his return loaded with grocery bags Scattered neighborhood kids in his wake A young boy had once found the courage To approach the old man offering help But the grouch raised his cane up as if to strike And the young Samaritan ran off with a yelp! After that no child dared to even get close They'd just whisper and watch in a crouch The whole town considered him an evil old man And he was known far and wide as "The Grouch!" Store clerks all hated to see him come in As he fumed that the price was too high It seemed he just could not be pleasant He refused to even give it a try! He'd never been known to smile at all Had not spoken a single kind word Or had one solitary nice thing to say That anyone in town ever heard... Apparently he had no family No friends were seen...none at all At least no visitors were ever observed Or noticed trying to pay him a call! The grouchy old man did not attend church Even at Christmas...not one time a year! He had no use whatever for worship it seemed And he made that fact quite crystal clear! Back when the brand-new young minister Had marched up to his front porch and knocked? The neighborhood watched while holding their breath Everyone was prepared for a shock! "Good morning" said the smiling young preacher When the grouch finally opened his door... "I've come here to share the Gospel with you Of Salvation, my friend, and much more!" But the grouch only scowled and glared at his guest The preacher was NOT asked inside!! Furious, the old man raised his arm & pointed Past the visitor straight down the drive! "Get off my land NOW...Mr. Reverend! And don't you dare to ever return! My Salvation is my business and mine alone I'd say you have much left to learn!" Then he slammed the front door so loudly That the echo was heard down the street! The young minister stood there quite shaken Before beating a hasty retreat!! He stomped off in the grip of much anger He could feel himself trembling inside... "May Almighty God have mercy" he muttered "On such spiteful bitterness and pride!" And so the town legend of the crabby old man Grew worse with each passing year... There was no hope of his attitude changing He'd made that much abundantly clear! |
Obviously, all that he wanted Was to be left completely alone In the leaky old rattletrap building That the old grouch considered his home And the neighbors willingly obliged him They seldom spared even a thought For the cantankerous old man their children all feared Who did not act as good people ought! Then one day in late winter, the postman Noticing several days worth in the box Called on the sheriff, who fearing the worst Broke in when no one answered his knocks The inside they found was neat as a pin Furniture worn-out and mostly threadbare... Everything was tidy...in order it seemed But the old man sat dead in his chair! On the table he'd propped up an envelope Containing just enough cash in small bills To pay for his casket and funeral According to details outlined in his will He wanted everything given to charity The house he had left to the town He wouldn't be needing it...suit him just fine If they decided to tear it all down So the old man's wishes were honored He was buried the very next day... No mourners were present at graveside Only the preacher...with head bowed to pray: "Dear Father, we commend this body To the dust from whence it first came... I truly tried so hard to reach him that day But he had no use at all for Your Name!" |
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