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Welcome To Jerry's Haven &Tell Talks.
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newsletter once a week and touch on different subjects as well
as including some links, poetry, and all around Christian Fun.
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can also be viewed on the web at http://www.whatistruth.info/talks1/12.html )
 
I know now that the man
who sat with me on the old wooden stairs that hot summer night
over thirty-five cars ago was not a tall man. But to a
five-year-old, he as a giant. We sat side by side, watching
the sun go down behind the old Texaco service station across
the busy street. A street that I was never allowed to cross
unless accompanied by an adult, or at the very least, an older
sibling. An unlikely pair, we sat together, perched n the top
step. His legs reached down two stairs; mine angled, barely
reaching the first. The night was muggy ad the air thick. It
was the summer of 1959.
Cherry-scented smoke from
Grampy's pipe kept the hungry mosquitoes at bay while gray,
wispy swirls danced around our heads. Now and again, he blew a
smoke ring and laughed as I tried to target the hole with my
finger. I, clad in a cool summer nightie, and Grampy, his
sleeveless T-shirt, sat watching the traffic, trying to catch
the elusive breeze. We counted cars and tried to guess the
color of the next one to turn the corner. I was luckier at
this game than Grampy.
Once again, I was caught in the
middle of circumstances. The fourth born of six children, it
was not uncommon that I was either too young or too old for
something. This night I was both. While my two baby brothers
slept inside the house, my three older siblings played with
friends around the corner, where I was not allowed to go. I
stayed with Grampy, and that was okay with me. I was where I
wanted to be. My grandfather was baby-sitting while my mother,
father and grandmother went out.
"Thirsty?" Grampy
asked, never removing the pip' from his mouth.
"Yes,"
was my reply.
"How would you like to run over to the
gas station there and get yourself a bottle of Coke?"
I
couldn't believe my ears. Had I heard right? Was he talking to
me? On my family's modest income, Coke was not a part of our
budget or diet. A few tantalizing sips was all I had ever had,
and certainly never my own bottle.
"Okay," I replied
shyly, already wondering how I would get across the street.
Surely Grampy was going to come with me.
Grampy
stretched his long leg out straight and reached his huge hand
deep into the pocket. I could hear the familiar jangling of
the loose change he always carried. Opening his fist, he
exposed a mound of silver coins. There must have been a
million dollars there. He instructed me to pick out a dime. I
obeyed. After he deposited the rest of the change back into
his pocket, he stood up.
"Okay," he said, helping me
down the stairs and to the curb, "I'm going to stay here and
keep an ear out for the babies. I'll tell you when it's safe
to cross. You go over to the Coke machine, get your Coke and
come back out. Wait for me to tell you when it's safe to cross
back.
My heart pounded. I clutched my dime tightly in
my sweaty palm. Excitement took my breath away.
Grampy
held my hand tightly. Together we looked up the street and
down, and back up again. He stepped off the curb and told me
it was safe to cross. He let go of my hand and I ran. I ran
faster than I had ever run before. The street seemed wide. I
wondered if I would make it to the other side. Reaching the
other side, I turned to find Grampy. There he was, standing
exactly where I had left him, smiling proudly. I
waved.
"Go on, hurry up," he yelled.
My heart
pounded wildly as I walked inside the dark garage. I had been
inside the garage before with my father. My surroundings were
familiar. My eyes adjusted, and I heard the Coca-Cola machine
motor humming even before I saw it. I walked directly to the
big old red-and-white dispenser. I knew where to insert my
dime. I had seen it done before and had fantasized about this
moment many times. I checked over my shoulder. Grampy
waved.
The big old monster greedily accepted my dime,
and I heard the bottles shift. On tiptoes I reached up and
opened the heavy door. There they were: one neat row of thick
green bottles, necks staring directly at me, and icecold from
the refrigeration. I held the door open with my shoulder and
grabbed one. With a quick yank, I pulled it free from its
bondage. Another one immediately took it place. The bottle was
cold in my sweaty hands. I will never forget the feeling of
the cool glass on my skin. With two hands, I positioned the
bottleneck under the heavy brass opener that was bolted to the
wall. The cap dropped into an old wooden box, and I reached in
to retrieve it. I was cold and bent in the middle, but I knew
I needed to have this souvenir. Coke in hand, I proudly
marched back out into the early evening dusk. Grampy was
waiting patiently. He smiled.
"Stop right there," he
yelled. One or two cars sped by me, and once again, Grampy
stepped off the curb.
"Come on, now," he said, "run." I
did. Cool brown foam sprayed my hands.
“Don't ever do
that alone," he warned firmly.
"Never," I assured him.
I held the Coke bottle tightly, fearful he would make
me pour it into a cup, ruining this dream come true. He
didn't. One long swallow of the cold beverage cooled my
sweating body. I don't think I ever felt so
proud.
There we sat, side by side, watching the sun go
down behind the old Texaco service station across the busy
street. A street I had been allowed to cross by myself. Grampy
stretched his long legs down over two stairs. I dangled mine,
a bit closer to the first step this time, I'm
sure.
©
Chicken Soup For Your Soul
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House
Husband
This week my husband
is at home and playing "house husband." I left a list of
things for him to do. He thought it was soooooo easy I
thought I would share it with you. :)
- Make the
beds......What a waste of effort, we're only going to
sleep in them again tonight. Forget that. Scratch one.
- Pick up
dog poop in yard.......It snowed last night, I don't
see any dog poop....kids do you see any dog poop?
Scratch two.
- Drop your
pants off at the cleaners.......Duhh... I'm on
vacation I don't need them. Scratch three.
- This is
easy, what's the fuss. Think I'll go on the computer
for a while.
- Clean out
Tupperware cabinet....... Uhhhh ...that's a hard one.
GOT IT! Velcro on the door will keep them closed.
Scratch four.
- Mop
kitchen floor.....The dog licked up that sugar spill
from breakfast, floor looks clean to me. Scratch five.
Good doggie go play in the yard. (He just loves
rolling in the snow.)
- Find
something fun for the kids to do.....That tinfoil in
the microwave thing was kinda fun. Scratch six.
- This is
way too easy. I'll have lots of time for the
computer!!
- Vacuum the
carpets...... That's a hard one....... Hey kids wanna
have some more FUN!! Scratch seven.
- Feed kids
lunch.....Hey kids, don't you have a friends house to
go too? YESSSS!!!!!!!!! Scratch eight.
- Clean out
hallway closet...... Hmmmm another hard one. That's
it!! Take enough out of the closet to close the door.
Outta sight outta mind. Hmmmm this other stuff can go
under a bed. Scratch nine.
- Boy-O-Boy
am I good! Lunch time. Pour some chili into the
cracker bag and eat. Taaa daaa!! No lunch dishes !!!
- Do
laundry.....no problem I can do that while I'm on the
computer. Scratch ten.
- Fold
laundry.....(Dang, 'ya know, I never noticed how many
pink things this family actually wears! Gonna have to
ask 'da little lady why she buys me pale pink
underwear?? Hey!! Check this out!! A cashmere Barbie
sweater, cool! Scratch eleven.
- Put the
laundry away....Baskets in bedrooms works for me.
Scratch twelve.
- This is
way too easy. Wonder why women always complain about
house work???
- Water the
plants...OOPS!! Good thing the carpet is absorbent.
Scratch thirteen.
- Grocery
shopping. Buy toilet paper.......These old newspapers
will do, besides, that's recycling and that's good for
the earth.... Scratch fourteen.
- Pick up
the kids ......Yeah right; we're talking about my kids
here. Parents will normally pay to drop them back off.
They'll be back. Scratch fifteen.
- Wonder
who's on ICQ??? Awww, I have plenty of time.
- Make
dinner.....Easy! "Hello do you deliver? Uhhh double
that. 'Ya I know we'll need more dinner tomorrow".
Scratch sixteen.
- Clean out
the dog house......duhh.....the dog sleeps in our bed.
Like that needs to be done! Scratch seventeen.
WOW!!! All done!!! Still lots of time to play on
the 'puter and take a nap.......Man, this is sooooo
easy.......Women must complain about house work just to
make us guys think they're working.
LOL
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Watermelon Cake
(Great for Labor Day Cook
Out)
1 18 1/4 ounce package white cake mix
1 3 ounce package watermelon gelatin
2 eggs
1
1/4 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2
containers of vanilla or cream cheese frosting
red
and green gel food coloring
chocolate chips
In a mixing bowl, combine dry cake mix,
gelatin, eggs, water and oil. Beat on low speed just
until moistened then on high for until well blended.
Pour into two greased and floured 9 inch round baking
pans.
Bake at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes or until
a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove
from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
Set
aside 2 to 3 tablespoons frosting for decorating. Place
one container into a bowl; tint red. Tint second
container green. Place one cake layer on a serving
plate; spread with 1/2 red frosting to within 1/4 inch
of edges. Top with second cake. Frost top with remaining
red frosting to within 3/4 inch of edges. Frost sides
and top edge with green frosting.
Place reserve
white frosting in a small plastic baggie, cut 1/4 inch
hole in one corner. Pipe around top edge of cake where
green and red frosting meets. For seeds, insert
chocolate chips upside down into the cake top.
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