Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: birthday (05/23/05)
-
TITLE: The Sweeper | Previous Challenge Entry
By mark elkins
05/26/05 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
The old broom leaned calmly against the back wall of the janitor’s closet, nesting in its cozy corner under the cob-webbed shelving and saddled against the yellow mop bucket. It hadn’t been used for a while, made somewhat obsolete by all the fancy new pick-up gadgetry.
As the door creaked open and a warm light peered into her abode, the person who opened the door said, ‘Well my lady, it’s sweeping time once again’. Only in appliance language could she be understood to breathe a sigh of relief, ‘At last my master has come’.
As he gently gathered her up and lightly shook off the cobwebs, he pursued the dust pan and searched for the trash bin finding it lined with a crisp new bag. ‘Let’s get to work’, he said closing the closet door.
As he made his way into the special room, the day’s activities became obvious, even to the untrained eye-it had been Valentine’s Day. As he turned on the light, he knew that he had his work cut out for him. Strewn all over were the many sparkles, shards of construction paper and tiny paper valentines with writing upon them, not to mention those little heart candies with the trite sayings-yet, they had a certain meaning. He could feel them at the core of his being giving them expression in his own heart.
As he went about his business, sweeping and dumping in what seemed an endless steadiness, he picked up a particular valentine and closed his eyes and thought to himself, ‘This person desperately wants something that they do not yet have. I hope they get their heart’s desire’. A little while later he grabbed another out of the swept pile and said aloud, ‘Such heaviness of heart on such a cheerful day. I pray that their burdens will lift’. As he said this, the broom sighed too in a silent echo that reverberated even down to the smallest of gadgets, thinking to her self how wonderful her master was.
There were only a few scraps left to be picked up, so their time together would soon disappear like morning mists. Another valentine was half-hiding under a small bookcase and as he reached to pick it up he felt a strong chill travel down his spine and said, ‘This one is so cold to the touch, even though it is in such a warm room. I hope they will allow the sun to warm them so that they will know that they are loved.’ The broom had realized that she was so blessed to be in his hands wondering why he would even dream about using the other appliances as she fit so comfortably in his hand. At this, she fell momentarily out of his grip, pointing herself to the opposite corner of the room. As he bent down to pick her back up, his eyes ran down her length from her heel to her tip. When he stood up his gaze fell upon one last valentine, which she seemed to be pointing to in the distant corner.
At a relaxed gait he walked over to the last valentine huddled alone in the corner. As he approached, it became apparent that the little valentine was ripped in two. He bent over; carefully picked it up and said, ‘Now, this one I can use’; he pressed into his bosom and held it there for what seemed like an eternity. Feeling its brokenness, in anguish he began to weep profusely, angst racing down his cheeks. ‘I can still use this heart’ he cried out and pulled the heart away to look at it- tears dripping upon it. Miraculously, it began to mend and as it did, a small, brief smile flashed across his face. Without hesitating he flung the heart upwards towards the ceiling with all the strength he could marshal; the heart didn’t return back down but mysteriously disappeared into the ceiling.
Walking back, he said, ‘We are done for now’. As he re-opened the closet door, the soft light from the hallway dispersed the shadows in the little closet. He put the trash bin back, removing the bag saying, ‘These will come with me’. The broom, now safe in her corner he said, ‘Until next time dear friend-you have done an admirable job’. She sighed and went back to her rest knowing that at any time her master would return to hold her in his hands once again.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.