Monday, March 10, 2008

Bathroom Monologue: The Wind Turns Leaves Over

The story on the A.P. wire that morning finally convinced Aubert to change. For months he’d noticed bad habits: taking advantage of the feelings of others, cutting people off in traffic, getting short with people on the phone. One time he even walked into the street and started knocking off people’s hats for no apparent reason. For months he noticed these habits, and thought he should change.

Then he read, “Man Charged in Death of Good Samaritan” on the A.P. wire. Someone had stolen a tip jar, jumped in his car, and ran over the customer that tried to stop him. And while Aubert didn’t feel like he was that man (and knew he wasn’t), this bothered him so badly that he had to go out for a walk.

Aubert never went for walks, so he got lost. He wandered by some shops, until he saw one with a peculiar sign in the window. It read: “NEEDED: ONE MORE GOOD MAN.”

Not even, “WANTED.”

“NEEDED.”

He went inside and couldn’t think what to tell the clerk.

She asked, “Did you read the story about the Samaritan?”

His eyes went wide, but then nodded. He helped her clear a couple of tables and said, “Yes. And I’m here now.”

They never took down the sign.

(Inspired by: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080308/D8V93M9O0.html )

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