Norma C Plummer Stories
Reading Snacks Four
A MISGUIDED SAMARITAN
Before service on a Sunday morning, from my place in a pew on the east
side of the church, I looked across to the west side. There I noticed
our Senior Minister sitting with his head down resting against the
hymnbook rack.
Was he having a spell or attack of some kind, I wondered? He raised his
head, hung it forward and down, moving this way and that, as if having a
seizure.
So I hurried back to an usher to explain the problem. The usher returned
from his checkup in a short time, and reported the dear man was just
trying to tie his shoe, in which the usher assisted.
Oh well, I sincerely thought help had been needed. Maybe a caring
attitude was appreciated in any case.
A SNIPPET ABOUT SNOW ROBOTS
It had begun to snow enough to make one hesitate about going outdoors.
However, this reminded me of the simple charm of a certain Peanuts comic
strip, where it showed the ambitious little yellow bird putting great
effort into rolling snow into the shape of a small snowman.
When Snoopy the dog arrives on the scene, he is in time to see several
small snowmen set up, all alike.
Soon the yellow bird has moved its nest above the snow level, and is
perched up there ready to give a recital. But lacking an audience, he
has remedied this by producing rows of small snowmen facing his perch,
and from which he will sound forth. For him, bird song will be his soul
music to these snow robots.
May these robots appreciate his music, and melt away slowly.
AN ECCLESIASTICAL ELEVATOR
Having foreseen the wide sweep of stairs leading up to the sanctuary
level, worshippers wait patiently for the church elevator. The mechanism
may be heard clucking above somewhere.
It comes down at last, and the attendant ushers the passengers safely
aboard the cage-like contraption. With a hearty clunk it inches upward
until it reaches its limit.
The exiting passengers are met by an attendant. One passenger comments,
"You must be a twin of the man downstairs." He laughs and admits being
the same person. Of course he had plenty of time to climb the stairs,
and read some of "War & Peace" before completing his duties. (Perhaps
this is his way of training for more heavenly ascents.)
Then in another city there is a much larger elevator installed in a
cathedral-style building, which transports worshippers back down to the
lower level. It would be large enough for a department store. One feels
tempted to call out about what merchandise is currently on sale. "Lower
level" you say? I'll take the stairs, thanks, because I'm hoping for an
upper level future.
by Norma C Plummer