Rusty tied his pony to the hitch in front of Jones’ General.
“Hey there Rusty what can I help you with?” said Mr. Jones.
“Mom needs some paper to wrap Toys-For-Tots” Rusty replied.
“In the box by the freezer” said Mr. Jones.
Wat-cha ask Santa to bring you Rusty?” “Don’t believe in
all that; ain’t no Santa Clause.” Smiling the bearded old man
said, “You coming to Midnight?” “Not this year ain’t no
Jesus either” Rusty replied. “A lot packed in there,”
Mr. Jones responded. “I read the books and they all say
something different about the same thing.”
Rusty put the wrapping paper and money on the counter.
Mr. Jones bagged the paper and said, “Put that in the Po-Box
son, the paper’s on me.” Hesitating, but asking anyway
“How about you Mr. Jones you believe?” “Lots you can’t prove
Rusty. The sun doesn’t rise the earth rolls down; you just can’t
feel it that way. Something happened two thousand years ago
that changed life on this planet and will be felt as long as the sun lasts.
In my time I have read books in all the disciplines found they all
have good points. We all believe in the same thing Rusty.
Something without any beginning or end has always
been here and will always be here and is responsible for
everything that is here. Which rabbit hole you choose to go
down, or not, is your free choice. My choice is love-
I like being loved.”
a truth you impose
is not equivalent
to a truth arrived at
Rusty tied the wrapping paper to the pony “Hey Rusty” it was
Becky, “You coming to midnight?” “ Hey Becky, no not this year”
“To bad looking forward to seeing you.” Noticing how she looked
as she walked into Jones’ her hair pulled back into a ponytail,
the bit of leg he could see between the top of her boot and the
bottom of her skirt, the cute little cap atop her head, the way she
moved, like a willow branch. Something new stirred within him.
Opening the gate to the ranch Rusty knew his mother would
have lunch his father would be in from the fields. The words
of old man Jones rambling around in his brain. ”The sun doesn’t rise
the earth rolls down you just can’t feel it that way.” Rusty thought
Yep love is better. The gate clicked shut, looking past
the willows, back toward town, his thoughts turned to Becky.
spring dew
boots covered with
cherry blossoms