[vicsireland] Story: Eric And The Old Man
- From: Melanie Pelka <melanie.pelka4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 15:18:25 -0000
Hi all.
I think the following story is really lovely. I would like to share it with
you and combine this with my best wishes for everyone; may you have a
wonderful and peaceful Christmas filled with love, light and joy and all
good things.
It was Sunday, Christmas Day. Our family had spent a holidy in San Francisco
with my husband's parents, but in order for us to be back at work on Monday
we found ourselves driving the 400 miles back home to Los Angeles on
Christmas Day. We stopped for lunch in King City. The restaurant was nearly
empty. We were the only family and ours were the only children. I heard
Erik, my one-year old, squeal with glee. 'Hi there', the two words he always
thought were one. 'Hi there', and he pounded his fat, baby hands - whack,
whack, whack - on the metal high chair. His face was alive with excitement,
his eyes were wide, gums bared in a toothless grin. He wriggled and giggled,
and then I saw the source of his merriment. And my eyes could not take it in
all at once.
A tattered rag of a coat, dirty, greasy and worn; baggy trousers; spindly
body; toes that poked out of would-be shoes; and a face like none other -
gums as bare as Erik's. 'Hi there, baby, hi there, big boy, I see ya,
Buster'. My husband and I exchanged a look that was a cross between 'What do
we do?' and 'Poor devil'. Our meal came and the banging and the noise
continued. Now the old bum was shouting across the room - 'Do you know patty
cake? Atta boy. Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look! He knows peek-a-boo!'
Erik continued to laugh and answer 'Hi there'. Every call was echoed. Nobody
thought it was cute. The guy was a drunk and a disturbance. I was
embarrassed. My husband, Dennis, was humiliated. Even our six-year old said
'Why is that old man talking so loud?' Dennis went to pay the bill,
imploring me to get Erik and meet him in the car park. 'Lord, just let me
get out of here before he speaks to me or Erik' and I bolted for the door.
It soon was obvious that both the Lord and Erik had other plans. As I drew
closer to the man, I turned my back, trying to sidestep him and any foul air
he might be breathing. As I did so, Erik, his eyes still riveted on his best
friend, leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms to a baby's
pick-me-up-position. In a split second of balancing my baby and turning to
counter his weight, I came eye-to-eye with the old man. Erik was lunging for
him, arms spread wide. The bum's eyes both asked and implored 'Would you let
me hold your baby?' There was no need for me to answer, since Erik propelled
himself from my arms to the man's.
Suddenly a very old man and a very young baby consummated their love
relationship. Erik laid his tiny hand upon the man's ragged shoulder. The
man's eyes closed and I saw tears hover beneath the lashes. His aged hands,
full of grime and pain, gently, so gently, cradled my baby's bottom and
stroked his back. I stood awestruck.
The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a moment, and then his
eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm, commanding voice -
'You take care of this baby'. And somehow I managed 'I will' from a throat
that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest, unwillingly, as though
he was in pain. I held my arms open to receive my baby, and again the
gentleman addressed me 'God bless you, ma'am. You've given me my Christmas
gift'. I said nothing more than a muttered 'Thanks'. With Erik in my arms, I
ran for the car. Dennis wondered why I was crying and holding Eric so
tightly saying "Oh God, oh God, forgive me".
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- » [vicsireland] Story: Eric And The Old Man - Melanie Pelka