Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of "A Man is Known by the Company He Keeps" (without using the actual phrase). (01/31/08)
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TITLE: The Least of These | Previous Challenge Entry
By Michelle Nash
02/07/08 -
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The day after Christmas I was chasing our new boxer puppy around the back yard when I noticed my elderly neighbor lady outside, among freshly blown snowdrifts, filling her birdfeeders.
“That’s sweet of you,” I yelled across the fence.
Mrs. Tucker pulled the red wool scarf away from her mouth. “It’s fun,” she mouthed. I gave her a thumbs-up and resumed my not-so-fun romp after the pup.
About a week later a phone call from a church member informed me that Mrs. Tucker had fallen in her kitchen and was having trouble getting around. As soon as I could, I hurried over to visit. In one hand I carried homemade chocolate chip cookies, in the other a fresh loaf of banana bread. After all, such a wonderful neighbor deserved the best.
“Oh, I’m sorry you’ve sprained your ankle. Can I do anything to help?” I said, setting the treats down on the kitchen counter and taking a seat by my friend.
“All I’m really concerned about is that I can’t feed my birds. They depend on me, you know.”
“I can do that,” I responded. Her face glowed.
After daily trips to her backyard over the next week, Mrs. Tucker’s seed supply was starting to dwindle. So one morning I poked my head through her back door. “I’d be glad to pick up some bird food at Walgreens today.”
“Walgreens? Oh my goodness. I buy my bird food at Wild Bird Habitat.” I recognized that name as the specialty bird store in a strip mall not far away. “Hand me my pocketbook. I’ll give you some money.”
Needless to say I was more than surprised to be handed a twenty dollar bill. Sensing Mrs. Tucker was on a fixed income, I assured her I’d bring back the change.
“Oh, there won’t be any change. Pick up two bags. And get the gourmet specialty mix.” Mrs. Tucker’s wide eyes and firm chin indicated that she meant it!
After filling the feeders the next day, I invited myself in to sit a spell with my bird-lady friend at her sunroom feeder-watching window. I could hardly wait to see Minnesota’s best winter birds: brilliant cardinals, red-breasted nuthatches, purple finches, downy woodpeckers, and black-capped chickadees.
But not a single beautiful bird showed up.
In fact, over the next hour all I saw were sparrows--dozens of tiny dirty-colored, pushy brown sparrows. While Mrs. Tucker seemed pleased with the feathered visitors, my disappointment was hard to conceal.
Finally, I spoke up. “Mrs. Tucker, all this expensive gourmet bird food. Do you only feed sparrows?”
“Yes,” she said, straightening her apron, rather indignantly. “What’s wrong with sparrows? Honey, I call it my sparrow ministry.”
Then she paused for a minute or so. “Even in my hard times God has watched over me. He has never let me go hungry.”
Mrs. Tucker’s frail hand reached over to tap my knee gently. “Long ago I read in my Bible that God cares if even one sparrow falls to the ground. So I promised Him that He would never find a hungry sparrow around my house.”
Walking back home I couldn’t help but notice the dozens of beautiful winter birds in and around my own trees and bushes. Sparrows, of course.
Maybe I should pick up some birdseed, I thought. The best--for the best.
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