shark
10-12-2003, 04:44 PM
" Spare a copper mister?" The old tramp begged, but his request fell on deaf ears. Shrugging deeper into his tattered coat he fought to keep the cold from his bones, he lost the battle and sat dejectedly on the cold stone steps of the church, shivering as the snow fell on him and around him.
" Spare a copper mister?" He begged the next passer by, but again his request fell on deaf ears.
As the light began to fade and the street gradually emptied he groaned wearily to his feet. He trugded lonely, through the snow covered empty streets searching desperately for shelter as the wind began to whip the falling snow into a blizzard.
Desperately hungry, desperately cold, he finally stumbled through the open portal of a derelict building and collapsed shivering, in the freezing cold. He lay amongst the dirt and rubbish on the frozen floor and knew that tonight, he was going to die.
With his last ounce of strength he dragged himself to his knees and clasped his hands in front of him and looking heavenward, he began to pray.
" Lord, I don't know if I'm meeting you tonight or not, that's obviously up to you. But I want to put my case to you now, just in case we don't meet again.
I know your busy Lord, but right now I'd really appreciate a friendly ear.
I'm readyto die Lord, death no longer frightens me, I know that sounds selfish Lord, but I do thank you for the life you've given me, but I'm tired now Lord, I want some rest. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I've never complained. Did I complain Lord, when you saw fit to send me to war and I had to kill fathers and sons
and brothers just because I was told they were the enemy? And did I complain Lord, when they put me into hospital because the war and the things I done affected me so much. You know I didn't Lord, because I still went to church did'nt I Lord, didn't I?
And when you made me better Lord, and they let me out of that hospital, what was the first thing I did Lord? Yep, that's right, I went to church and I thanked you. And in return you found me a good job, and my life was getting good.
And then Lord, oh boy oh boy! You really put the icing on the cake for me. You must remember Lord? I met Josie, sweet ,gentle, kind Josie. She didn't care that I'd been in that hospital, she didn't care about the things I'd had to do in that war, she loved me Lord, she loved, me.
And when me and Josie got married Lord, I cried with joy Lord, and I thanked you Lord, and because I thanked you Lord, you blessed me and Josie with two fine children, and I cried with joy Lord, because I could feel your hand on my shoulder.
But Lord, oh Lord,I find it so difficult to understand why you took Josie and the children away from me, you have so many angels Lord, why did you need my Josie and the children to be your angels as well?
They were my angels Lord, for eight short years they were my angels.
Forgive me Lord, but after you called Josie and the kids, I kinda missed you hand on my shoulder, it just didn't seem to be there anymore.
They put me back in that hospital again Lord, and you know, when I got back out after all those years, there was nothing left, no house, no job, no Josie, no kids.
I used to visit their grave Lord, I'd try to talk to them, tell them that I still loved them, tell them how I wished they were still here,
but all I could do was cry, I tried hard not to, I tried my best to hide the pain I was feeling, but I just couldn't do it, and so, on my last visit I said my final goodbyes and vowed they would never see my grief again.
I've wandered Lord, I've wandered this land looking for your hand. I've wanted to feel it on my shoulder for so many years. But I'm lost Lord, I've failed. I've loved you Lord, perhaps not as much as I loved my Josie and the kids, and maybe that was my mistake. I think I read somewhere that you're a bit jealous. But I've always prayed to you Lord, and all I've ever asked for is your forgiveness and your love.
This night though, this night when I meet my death, I pray to you with a different request, let me see Josie and the kids as I knew them all those years ago, and then I will go happily wherever you wish to send me. "
The feelings of the people that first discovered the body of the old tramp two days after his death were initially, feelings of sorrow that someone should die in such conditions, but, after seeing the joyous expression frozen onto the old tramps facial features, it left even them with a feeling of contentment.
shark
" Spare a copper mister?" He begged the next passer by, but again his request fell on deaf ears.
As the light began to fade and the street gradually emptied he groaned wearily to his feet. He trugded lonely, through the snow covered empty streets searching desperately for shelter as the wind began to whip the falling snow into a blizzard.
Desperately hungry, desperately cold, he finally stumbled through the open portal of a derelict building and collapsed shivering, in the freezing cold. He lay amongst the dirt and rubbish on the frozen floor and knew that tonight, he was going to die.
With his last ounce of strength he dragged himself to his knees and clasped his hands in front of him and looking heavenward, he began to pray.
" Lord, I don't know if I'm meeting you tonight or not, that's obviously up to you. But I want to put my case to you now, just in case we don't meet again.
I know your busy Lord, but right now I'd really appreciate a friendly ear.
I'm readyto die Lord, death no longer frightens me, I know that sounds selfish Lord, but I do thank you for the life you've given me, but I'm tired now Lord, I want some rest. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I've never complained. Did I complain Lord, when you saw fit to send me to war and I had to kill fathers and sons
and brothers just because I was told they were the enemy? And did I complain Lord, when they put me into hospital because the war and the things I done affected me so much. You know I didn't Lord, because I still went to church did'nt I Lord, didn't I?
And when you made me better Lord, and they let me out of that hospital, what was the first thing I did Lord? Yep, that's right, I went to church and I thanked you. And in return you found me a good job, and my life was getting good.
And then Lord, oh boy oh boy! You really put the icing on the cake for me. You must remember Lord? I met Josie, sweet ,gentle, kind Josie. She didn't care that I'd been in that hospital, she didn't care about the things I'd had to do in that war, she loved me Lord, she loved, me.
And when me and Josie got married Lord, I cried with joy Lord, and I thanked you Lord, and because I thanked you Lord, you blessed me and Josie with two fine children, and I cried with joy Lord, because I could feel your hand on my shoulder.
But Lord, oh Lord,I find it so difficult to understand why you took Josie and the children away from me, you have so many angels Lord, why did you need my Josie and the children to be your angels as well?
They were my angels Lord, for eight short years they were my angels.
Forgive me Lord, but after you called Josie and the kids, I kinda missed you hand on my shoulder, it just didn't seem to be there anymore.
They put me back in that hospital again Lord, and you know, when I got back out after all those years, there was nothing left, no house, no job, no Josie, no kids.
I used to visit their grave Lord, I'd try to talk to them, tell them that I still loved them, tell them how I wished they were still here,
but all I could do was cry, I tried hard not to, I tried my best to hide the pain I was feeling, but I just couldn't do it, and so, on my last visit I said my final goodbyes and vowed they would never see my grief again.
I've wandered Lord, I've wandered this land looking for your hand. I've wanted to feel it on my shoulder for so many years. But I'm lost Lord, I've failed. I've loved you Lord, perhaps not as much as I loved my Josie and the kids, and maybe that was my mistake. I think I read somewhere that you're a bit jealous. But I've always prayed to you Lord, and all I've ever asked for is your forgiveness and your love.
This night though, this night when I meet my death, I pray to you with a different request, let me see Josie and the kids as I knew them all those years ago, and then I will go happily wherever you wish to send me. "
The feelings of the people that first discovered the body of the old tramp two days after his death were initially, feelings of sorrow that someone should die in such conditions, but, after seeing the joyous expression frozen onto the old tramps facial features, it left even them with a feeling of contentment.
shark