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Jack's Rough Day

I took a small break from my normal dark and sexual content and wrote something different. Not really a poem per se but maybe you'll like it.

It had been a rough start for Jack’s morning. The newborn baby boy cried most of the night until he finally managed to go to sleep for a few hours. Then rushing out the door to work he spilled coffee on his new shirt and quickly changed into an old one his wife had hurriedly ironed for him.

Still, the morning didn’t go so quite well. The old clunker wouldn’t start, battery dead again. This time though he had some jumper cables and his neighbor and best friend came over and jumped the car off. Luckily, he was on his way to work and would make it on time.

Murphy’s law would strike again at work. It seemed the plant was going to either cut pay or eliminate jobs, financial times were tough for them and had been for a while. The union meeting was filled with anger, people shouting and in an uproar, cursing and yelling was abundant. Jack sat back and listened, his own anger started to swell and now he wondered how bad can things get.

The owners of the plant finally walked in the room and up to the podium to speak. It was certainly difficult to be in this financial situation; the plant had been operating for decades and took pride in their community of employing so many people. Technology though was catching up, the cost of continuing business without upgrading to quicker and more efficient means would in just a few short years, cause them to close if they didn’t upgrade. They couldn’t afford the equipment without cutting more cost than they already had. Their choices were few but had to be made.

They announced their plans on the two options, pay cuts or layoffs. Neither was good but layoffs were worse. All employees would take a 20% pay cut for 2 years, after 2 years, profit would be evaluated and if obtainable, the 20% cut would be eliminated and employee wages would return to the present pay.

Wow, Jack thought, 20% is a lot and we just had a baby. I may have to take a second job, or my wife and I both may have to. He remembered a job posting for a part-time employee, he would check on it when he got home.

His day seemed to get worse, despair sunk in and he found himself in a deluge of sorrows as he finished the workday. Still, his bad luck wasn’t over. The old clunker had finally given its last roar, the engine died and this time it was fatal.

As he heard the rumbling and rattling of its last breath he managed to drift it into the overgrown grassy parking lot of the old church.

The old church had been closed for a while for some reason, no one seemed to know why. He had seen it every day and almost never paid any attention to it. You could see the discolored paint where a cross once hung, even the boarded-up windows gave it an eerie feeling to him as he sat on the cracking and crumbling steps.

He looked around, feeling his sorrows and laid his head down his crossed hands. Tears began to seep from his eyes as he thought about his day, horrible he thought and this pay cut would mean a lot less money for things and now his old clunker was no more.
It had been a rough one, the summer sweltering heat began to beat down on the back of his neck as his tears became more than just a few. His thoughts were rampant and wondering how he would tell his wife.

His state of mind drowned in tears and sorrows when suddenly and seemingly from nowhere, a cool and lasting breeze overtook him. The heat replaced by a crisp clean coolness that was unusual for the time of year.

He started to raise his head but for some reason he couldn’t, it was if someone was holding it down and wouldn’t let go. He felt no pain, his head seemed light as a feather and nothing wrong physically but he couldn’t lift his head up. He then felt what seemed like an arm go across his shoulders, he could literally feel the squeezing of the hands on his weary shoulders and as startling as it was, it was even more soothing.

His heavy breaths dissipated and a serene calmness took over. He felt as if he would actually go into asleep when he heard an echoed voice in his ears. The voice was deep but calm, powerful yet tranquil and Jack began to wonder if he was dreaming as the voice began to speak.

“Don’t worry my son, things will be ok. You see, you think you have nothing, all that has happened today is but a piece of life. Listen to me and you will see, hear me and you will understand. You are more fortunate than you think.”

Jack tried again to raise his head again but to no avail, he tried to speak but words would not come out, he could move around, move his legs and even his arms but nothing else. It was as if he was stuck there on those old crumpled steps and his body just wouldn’t work; and after a moment or so, the voice began to speak again.

“Rough day Jack but let’s take a real close look at it. Your new baby kept you up, that’s a joy, Jack, not a problem. The gift of life is the most precious thing in all the world. Be proud of that new baby boy and cherish every single moment with him.

Then you spilled coffee on a new shirt, now think about it, do you know how many people would love to have a new shirt like yours, Jack? Then, your wife was gracious enough to iron another shirt for you, and she did it because she wanted to. Do you know some people have no one else to lean on, don’t take her for granted, her love for you is deeper than you may think.  Not everyone has a love like that Jack, let that sink in for a while.

Then your car wouldn’t start and your best friend came over to jump it off for you. Best friends are hard to find Jack, not everyone has one. Be thankful for that.

You do still have your job, it’s not the same pay but you do have a job. Do you know how many people would love to have your job and even the current pay, Jack, a lot of people would. Your company cares enough about you that no one was laid off. That’s a blessing Jack, think of it that way.

That old clunker was on its way out anyway but here is the good part, all that exhaust coming in could have had severe consequences, sometimes things really do happen for a reason. You also live in a city where buses run every day, it’s only 13 blocks into town and to the job you still have, plus the bus stop is but a mere block away from your house. Did you know there are people in the world who walk everywhere they go, no buses, trains or other means other than their own blistered feet to get from one place to another?

You think you’ve had a rough day Jack but you are more fortunate than a lot of people. As a matter of fact, I think you are fortunate enough to maybe even help others in some small way. It doesn’t take much to make someone’s day, a small smile, a good morning, helping a neighbor or a best friend.

Now you think about all this Jack and if you still feel all the sorrows and despair then you just sit here on my steps, in front of my house and cry all you want. Your welcome to stay for as long as you want, or as short as you need to. It’s all up to you Jack but remember, life is as much about the little things as the big ones. Don’t let them get overshadowed with each other and forget what real happiness is all about.

Lastly, Jack, come back anytime. I’ll be around.”

As if on cue, with this man’s last word he felt his head start to move, as he raised it up he saw the evening sky had turned to dusk and wondered just how long he had been there. Perhaps he fell asleep and everything he heard and felt was but a dream.

When he pulled himself from the steps his eyes were looking at the old cemetery across from the church, it too was overgrown with weeds and unkept. What caught his attention was the shadowy figure in the distance at the far edge, not so strange he thought except for a small dim glow that followed the figure into the faded darkness.

Jack shook his head and rubbed his face to wake himself up. Nothing to do now but walk home, for some reason it didn’t seem so far away. Only 13 blocks, he could walk that fairly quickly.

Just before walking in the door he felt the same rush of coolness across his face as he had felt at the church. Stopping to turn around, looking at the trees and brushes but seeing nothing moving, no wind blowing and nothing to explain the cool breeze he turned the knob and walked inside, his wife sleeping on the sofa, the baby cradled in her arms and it looked as if there was a small smile on both their faces.

Jack sat down in the chair and watched them sleep, the day’s events rumbling inside his head and those words that were either spoken or dreamed suddenly hit him and he realized, he was fortunate, more than he thought. More fortunate than others as well, he had everything he needed right there on that sofa. Sure, there are more things he wanted but they didn’t seem to be so important any longer.

Jack got up from his chair, walked over and kissed his wife’s cheek, covered their baby up slightly and then grabbed a pen and paper.

On it was only three simple words, “Thank You, Lord”. He then folded the note and put it in his shirt pocket, he would tape that note to the old church door tomorrow on his walk to work.
Written by Darkstreets
Published
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