Cleansing
Two men were walking down a wide path. It had rained
earlier that day. The clothing the men wore indicated that they enjoyed similar
status in life. They were both dressed casual. Their woolen heads were
sprinkled with specks of grey.
One man walked with ease as his arms swung at his
side. The other had his arms wrapped securely around three books. One could
tell he cared greatly for these books. One had been printed in 1837. The second
had been printed in 1954 and the last was printed in 2016.
They conversed casually about the weather, their work
and their families. Very near their path they came upon a small lamb. He was
stuck in a mud hole. He was submerged up to his neck. The lamb was exhausted
from trying for an unknown amount of time trying to free himself from his
encasement. A mighty stench rose from the hole because in the lambs panic and
effort he had filled the hole with excrement, sweat and tears.
The gentlemen with the books crossed his legs and sat
down on the ground. He began to search through the pages of his books. First
the book dated 1837, he looked. Then the 1954 book. Next, was the 2016 book.
Back and forth he turned page after page. Not satisfied in one book he returned
to the first then the last then back to the second. He was flipping pages so
fast he generated enough wind to bend the wheat stocks of the field.
In the mean-time the other man had stepped into the
mud hole. He was standing thigh deep in mud and lamb excrement. He was making a
gentle clicking sound with his mouth as he reached down and slowly lifted the
lamb from the mud. When the lamb was free of the mud he kicked the man on the
hip. The man let out a curse but still gently settle the lamb on solid ground.
The other man gathered his books and the two returned
to their journey. The man with the books began to walk a little faster because
he knew it was about to rain again. He did not want to get his books wet.
Besides he was bothered by the stench that now covered his companion. The mud
covered man was walking at his usual gentle pace for he noticed that the lamb
was now trying to follow him on its still weak and wobbly legs.
Suddenly a heavy rain came. One man got wet and the
other was cleansed.
The End
