The Bouncing Ball | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: The Bouncing Ball | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marilyn Meiners
04/25/09
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“Get out of my yard!” Five-year old Stacy cringed as he watched his ball bounce over the fence into Mr. Crabbys yard. His name was Mr. Crabbley, but the neighborhood kids called him Mr. Crabby. He was the most unfriendly person around. Stacy was certain he got up on the wrong side of the bed every morning.
“Mr. Crabbley, would you please throw my ball back to me?” Stacy dared to ask.
“Not only will I NOT throw your ball back, if your ball comes into my yard again, I’ll have your hide.”
Stacy wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but he wasn’t going to hang around to find out. Good thing he had another ball in the house. He got it and went over to the park to play.
“Mr. Crabbley wasn’t always cold and indifferent,” His mom said. “He had once been a nice man. Remember when he gave you lollipops while you were out playing?”
Stacy smiled as he remembered, the ‘good old days’, as his mom would say.
“Everything changed the day his wife died. He lost his smile. He became hard and unlovable. He even lost his faith.”
Stacy couldn’t imagine not having any faith. But then, he couldn’t imagine what it might be like to lose someone you loved. Would he become crabby too?
A week later, Stacy was bouncing his ball in his backyard. Mr. Crabbley was working in his garden. As Stacy played, he kept his eye on Mr. Crabbley. More important, he kept his eye on his ball. He was not going to let Mr. Crabbley “get his hide.” He still had not figured out what that meant.
Mr. Crabbley walked behind his garage to get a spade when a terrible pain hit his chest. He began to sweat. Oh! The pain was unbearable. Without warning, his knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground. He was in trouble, and he couldn’t call for help.
Bounce. Bounce. Bounce. “Oh, no!” That last bounce sent Stacy’s ball over the fence and into Mr. Crabbley’s yard. He waited for Mr. Crabbley to start yelling. He would have his hide now! Strange? He didn’t seem to be anywhere around. Did he go back into the house? Could Stacy sneak over and get his ball without Mr. Crabbley even seeing him? Was it worth the risk?
Deciding to risk it, quietly Stacy entered his yard, spotted his ball by the garage, and ran over to retrieve it. As he approached the garage he saw something that alarmed him. Mr. Crabbley was lying on the ground. What was he doing? He wasn’t moving.
Stacy ran home to get his mother. Grabbing her cell phone, she followed Stacy to the garage. Sensing Mr. Crabbley was in trouble, Stacy’s mom dialed 9-1-1. The ambulance arrived and transported Mr. Crabbley to the hospital. He was having a heart attack.
The hospital told him that his life had been spared because of the quick thinking of a little five-year old boy. Mr. Crabbley wasn’t sure how to respond to this news. He had always been so unfriendly to Stacy. Why would he help him?
After a week in the hospital, Mr. Crabbley came home. His first visitor was Stacy. “How are you, Mr. Crabbley? I’m sorry my ball bounced into your yard again. When I went to get it, that’s when I found you on the ground. I hope you’re going to be okay.”
“Stacy,” Mr. Crabbley said, “if it had not been for your ball bouncing into my yard, and you being brave enough to come get it, I could have died. You are my hero.”
Hero! Stacy never thought of himself as a hero. “Thank you Mr. Crabbley. I guess that means you’re not going to have my hide.”
Laughing, Mr. Crabbley said, “Absolutely not. I never meant anything by that anyway. I had turned so cold and heartless after my wife died. I started treating others badly. Stacy, can you forgive me? I’d like this cold heart of mine to become warm and friendly again, and Jesus can do that for me.”
“Sure Mr. Crabbley. Jesus wants us to forgive. Does this mean you found your faith again?”
“Yes. Not only have I found my faith again, but you have found a new friend. Stacy I have something for you.”
“What?”
Mr. Crabbley presented Stacy with six brand-new balls. “Play with these in my yard anytime.”
“Wow! Thanks! Will you play ball with me.”
“You bet!”

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