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A MAN CALLED JAKE
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> >> >>
> >> >> Bill Andrews was a big, awkward, homely guy. He
> >> >> dressed oddly with
> >> >> ill-fitting clothes. There were several fellows who
> >> >> thought it smart to
> >> >> make fun of him. One day one fellow noticed a small
> >> >> tear in his shirt and gave it a small rip. Another
> >> >> worker in the factory added his bit, and before long
> >> >> there was quite a ribbon dangling. Bill went on
> >> >> about his work, and as he passed too near a moving
> >> >> belt the shirt strip was sucked into the machinery.
> >> >>
> >> >> In a split second the sleeve and Bill were in
> >> >> trouble. Alarms were sounded, switches pulled, and
> >> >> trouble was avoided. The foreman, however, aware of
> >> >> what had happened, summoned the men and related this
> >> >> story: "In my younger days I worked in a small
> >> >> factory. That's where I first met Mike Havoc. He
> >> >> was big and witty, was always making jokes, and
> >> >> playing little pranks. Mike was a leader. Then there
> >> >> was Pete Lumas who was a follower. He always went
> >> >> along with Mike. And then there was a man named...
> >> >> Jake. He was a little older than the rest of
> >> >> us-quiet, harmless, apart. He always ate his lunch
> >> >> by himself. He wore the same patched trousers for
> >> >> three years straight. He never entered into the
> >> >> games we played at noon, wrestling, horse shoes and
> >> >> such. He appeared to be indifferent, always sitting
> >> >> quietly alone under a tree instead. Jake was a
> >> >> natural target for practical jokes. He might find a
> >> >> live frog in his dinner pail, or a dead rodent in
> >> >> his hat. But he always took it in good humor.
> >> >>
> >> >> "Then one Autumn when things were slack, Mike took
> >> >> off a few days to go hunting. Pete went along, of
> >> >> course. And they promised all of us that if they got
> >> >> anything they'd bring us each a piece. So we were
> >> >> all quite excited when we heard that they'd returned
> >> >> and that Mike had got a really nice big buck.
> >> >> We heard more than that. Pete could never keep
> >> >> anything to himself, and it leaked out that they had
> >> >> a real whopper to play on Jake. Mike had cut up the
> >> >> critter and had made a nice package for each of us.
> >> >> And, for the laugh, for the joke of it, he had saved
> >> >> the ears, the tail, the hooves-it would be so funny
> >> >> when Jake unwrapped them.
> >> >>
> >> >> "Mike distributed his packages during the noon hour.
> >> >> We each got a nice piece, opened it, and thanked
> >> >> him. The biggest package of all he saved until last.
> >> >> It was for Jake. Pete was all but bursting; and Mike
> >> >> looked very smug.
> >> >> Like always, Jake sat by himself; he was on the far
> >> >> side of the big table.
> >> >> Mike pushed the package over to where he could reach
> >> >> it; and we all sat and waited. Jake was never one to
> >> >> say much. You might never know that he was around
> >> >> for all the talking he did. In three years he'd
> >> >> never said a hundred words. So we were all quite
> >> >> astounded with what happened next.
> >> >>
> >> >> "He took the package firmly in his grip and rose
> >> >> slowly to his feet. He
> >> >> smiled broadly at Mike-and it was then we noticed
> >> >> that his eyes were
> >> >> glistening. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down for
> >> >> a moment, and then he got control of himself. "I
> >> >> knew you wouldn't forget me," he said gratefully; 'I
> >> >> knew you'd come through!
> >> >> You're big and you're playful, but I knew all along
> >> >> that you had a good heart.'
> >> >> He swallowed again, and then took in the rest of us.
> >> >>
> >> >> 'I know I haven't seemed too chummy with you men;
> >> >> but I never meant to be rude. You see, I've got nine
> >> >> kids at home-and a wife that's been an
> >> >> invalid-bedfast now for four years. She ain't ever
> >> >> going to get any better.
> >> >> And sometimes when she's real bad off, I have to sit
> >> >> up all night to take care of her. And most of my
> >> >> wages have had to go for doctors and medicine.
> >> >> The kids do all they can to help out, but at times
> >> >> it's been hard to keep
> >> >> food in their mouthes. Maybe you think it's funny
> >> >> that I go off by
> >> >> myself to eat my dinner. Well, I guess I've been a
> >> >> little ashamed, because I don't always have anything
> >> >> between my sandwich. Or like today-maybe there's
> >> >> only a raw turnip in my pail. But I want you to know
> >> >> that this meat really means a lot to me. Maybe more
> >> >> than to anybody here because tonight my kids....'.
> >> >> He wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of
> >> >> his hand, '...tonight my
> >> >> kids will have a really...' He tugged at the string.
> >> >>
> >> >> "We'd been watching Jake so intently we hadn't paid
> >> >> much notice to Mike and Pete. But we all noticed
> >> >> them now, because they both dove at once to try to
> >> >> grab the package. But they were too late. Jake had
> >> >> broken the wrapper and was already surveying his
> >> >> present. He examined each hoof, each ear, and then
> >> >> he held up the tail. It wiggled limply. It should
> >> >> have been so funny, but nobody laughed-nobody at
> >> >> all. But the hardest part was when Jake looked up
> >> >> and said thank you while trying to smile.
> >> >>
> >> >> "Silently, one by one, each man moved forward
> >> >> carrying his package and quietly placed it in front
> >> >> of Jake for they had suddenly realized how
> >> >> little their own gift had really meant to them...
> >> >> until now...."
> >> >>
> >> >> This was where the foreman left the story and the
> >> >> men. He didn't need to say anymore; but it was
> >> >> gratifying to notice that as each man ate his lunch
> >> >> that day, they shared part with Bill Andrews and one
> >> >> fellow even took off his shirt and gave it to him.
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