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To The Circus We Went

by Jordan789 

Posted: 19 December 2008
Word Count: 295
Summary: For the Christmas Fable/Moral Challenge-----


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When we made it to the city, it was already six-forty and we had twelve blocks to walk and to be in our seats in twenty minutes—not an easy task with a seven year old and Times Square traffic.

“Hold my hand and keep walking, and we’ll see the lions soon enough,” I told Charles.

We passed a salvation army collection tin, the classic type with a man ringing a bell.

“Every penny helps,” he said. “Help feed the homeless. Every penny helps.”

I felt a tug at my hand, and Charles had stopped and stared at the man. “Charles, let’s go,” I said, but he stood planted, his face hanging open.

“What’s that man doing?” He asked.

“He’s collecting money for the homeless,” I said.

“The who?”

“The people that don’t have homes.” Someone must have told him about homeless people in school by now. “What’s gotten into you, Charles?”

He stared at the man and the lights from the billboards ran circles and a car commercial larger than the biggest animal on earth flashed in perfect picture on the side of a television.

“Do you want to give the man some money?” I asked Charles.

He turned to me then as if he finally understood. “We’d better,” he said, “Or who else will?”

My son, Charles, would be the next Dalai Llama. Mother Theresa, a role model. He’d rework the entire soup kitchen situation, homeless shelters, and find jobs for everyone. My son would do all of this. I handed him thirty-seven cents, and he reluctantly stepped towards the man and the ringing bell, and the jar. He let the money fall.

The man nodded to Charles. “Every penny helps! Feed the homeless!” His voice repeated for all of Times Square to hear.






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Comments by other Members



V`yonne at 09:14 on 20 December 2008  Report this post
That's nicely seasonal and I love the innocence but most of all I liked:
He turned to me then as if he finally understood. “We’d better,” he said, “Or who else will?”

Prospero at 09:21 on 20 December 2008  Report this post
A wonderful morality tale for Christmas.

Well done. Jordan.

Best

Prosp

Jumbo at 09:32 on 20 December 2008  Report this post
Very nice, Jordan.

Young Charles has matured a little more in those few lines.

Thanks for the read

Regards

john

Bunbry at 12:26 on 20 December 2008  Report this post
A nice sentiment at this time of year Jordan.

Nick

Forbes at 23:30 on 20 December 2008  Report this post
Jordan

We haven’t read you in a while. On the surface a sweet/sad tale of childhood vanishing, but what a mean sod for a dad! 37 cents to the homeless! And so at odds with his aspirations for his son. But well done for hitting the target - Christmas.

I wasn’t clear on the parable here. Perhaps: When you grow up don’t be as mean as your old dad?

A couple of picks:

salvation army should be Salvation Army.

his face hanging open. Sounds a little ghoulish, perhaps you meant mouth hanging open?


Avis


Jubbly at 18:32 on 23 December 2008  Report this post
Yes Jordan another lovely tale. I agree about that line, He turned to me then as if he finally understood. “We’d better,” he said, “Or who else will?”
Exceptional.

J
x


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