Dirt Man
Literotica Guru
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2002
- Posts
- 800
The Filling Station
> ====================
>
> The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve.
> He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away.
> He had no decorations, no tree, no lights._ It was just another
> day to him._ He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a
> reason to celebrate._ There were no children in his life.
> His wife had gone.
>
> He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling
> for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the
> door opened and a homeless man stepped through._ Instead of
> throwing the man out, George, Old George as he was known by
> his customers, told the man to come and sit by the space
> heater and warmup.
>
> "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger.
> "I see you're busy._ I'll just go"
>
> "Not without something hot in your belly," George turned and
> opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger.
> "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty._ Stew._ Made it myself.
> When you're done there's coffee and it's fresh."
>
> Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell.
> "Excuse me, be right back," George said.
>
> There in the driveway was an old 53 Chevy._ Steam was rolling
> out of the front._ The driver was panicked.
>
> "Mister can you help me!" said the driver with a deep Spanish
> accent._ "My wife is with child and my car is broken."
>
> George opened the hood._ It was bad._ The block looked cracked
> from the cold; the car was dead._ "You ain't going in this
> thing," George said as he turned away.
>
> "But mister._ Please help...."The door of the office closed
> behind George as he went in._ George went to the office wall
> and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside.
> He walked around the building and opened the garage, started the
> truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting.
>
> "Here, you can borrow my truck," he said._ "She ain't the best
> thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."
>
> George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it
> sped off into the night._ George turned and walked back inside
> the office.
>
> "Glad I loaned em the truck._ Their tires were shot too._
> That 'ol truck has brand new tires........" George thought he
> was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone._ The thermos
> was on the desk, empty with a used coffee cup beside it.
>
> "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.
> George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start.
> It cranked slowly, but it started._ He pulled it into the garage
> where the truck had been._ He thought he would tinker with it
> for something to do._ Christmas Eve meant no customers._
> He discovered the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom
> hose on the radiator.
>
> "Well, I can fix this," he said to himself._ So he put a new one
> on._ "Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter
> either."_ He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln.
> They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car.
>
> As he was working he heard a shot being fired._ He ran outside
> and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground.
> Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Help me."
> George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training
> he had received in the Army as a medic._ He knew the wound
> needed attention.
>
> "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought._ The laundry
> company had been there that morning and had left clean shop
> towels._ He used those and duct tape to bind the wound.
>
> "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to
> make the policeman feel at ease._ "Something for pain," George
> thought._ All he had was the pills he used for his back._ "These
> ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the
> policeman the pills.
>
> "You hang in there._ I'm going to get you an ambulance." George
> said, but the phone was dead._ "Maybe I can get one of your
> buddies on that there talk box out in your police car."
>
> He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the
> dashboard destroying the two way radio._ He went back in to find
> the policeman sitting up.
>
> "Thanks," said the officer._ "You could have left me there.
> The guy that shot me is still in the area."
>
> George sat down beside him._ "I would never leave an injured man
> in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the
> bandage to check for bleeding._ "Looks worse than what it is.
> Bullet passed right through 'ya._ Good thing it missed the
> important stuff though._ I think with time your gonna be right
> as rain."
>
> George got up and poured a cup of coffee._ "How do you take it?"
> he asked.
>
> "None for me," said the officer.
>
> "Oh, yer gonna drink this._ Best in the city." Then George
> added: "Too bad I ain't got no donuts."
>
> The officer laughed and winced at the same time._ The front door
> of the office flew open._ In burst a young man with a gun.
>
> "Give me all your cash!_ Do it now!" the young man yelled.
> His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never
> done anything like this before.
>
> "That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.
>
> "Son, why are you doing this?" asked George._ "You need to put
> the cannon away._ Somebody else might get hurt."
>
> The young man was confused._ "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot
> you, too._ Now give me the cash!"_
> The cop was reaching for his gun.
>
> "Put that thing away," George said to the cop._ "We got one too
> many in here now."
>
> He turned his attention to the young man._ "Son, it's Christmas
> Eve._ If you need the money, well then, here._ It ain't much but
> it's all I got._ Now put that pee shooter away."
>
> George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young
> man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time._ The
> young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and
> began to cry.
>
> "I'm not very good at this am I?_ All I wanted was to buy
> something for my wife and son," he went on._ "I've lost my job.
> My rent is due._ My car got repossessed last week..."
>
> George handed the gun to the cop._ "Son, we all get in a bit of
> squeeze now and then._ The road gets hard sometimes, but we
> make it through the best we can."
>
> He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair
> across from the cop._ "Sometimes we do stupid things." George
> handed the young man a cup of coffee._ "Being stupid is one of
> the things that makes us human._ Comin' in here with a gun ain't
> the answer._ Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this
> thing out."
>
> The young man had stopped crying._ He looked over to the cop.
> "Sorry I shot you._ It just went off._ I'm sorry officer."
>
> "Shut up and drink your coffee." the cop said.
>
> George could hear the sounds of sirens outside._ A police car
> and an ambulance skidded to a halt._ Two cops came through the
> door, guns drawn.
>
> "Chuck!_ You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.
>
> "Not bad for a guy who took a bullet._ How did you find me?"
>
> "GPS locator in the car._ Best thing since sliced bread._ Who
> did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.
>
> Chuck answered him, "I don't know._ The guy ran off into the
> dark._ Just dropped his gun and ran."
>
> George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.
> "That guy works here," the wounded cop continued.
>
> "Yep," George said._ "Just hired him this morning._ Boy lost his
> job."
>
> The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher.
> The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered,
> "Why?"
>
> Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas, boy._ And you too, George,
> and thanks for everything."
>
> "Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there._ That
> ought to solve some of your problems." George went into the
> back room and came out with a box._ He pulled out a ring box.
>
> "Here you go._ Something for the little woman._ I don't think
> Martha would mind._ She said it would come in handy some day."
>
> The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he
> ever saw._ "I can't take this," said the young man.
> "It means something to you."
>
> "And now it means something to you," replied George.
> "I got my memories._ That's all I need."
>
> George reached into the box again._ A toy airplane, a racing
> car and a little metal truck appeared next._ They were toys
> that the oil company had left for him to sell._ "Here's
> something for that little man of yours."
>
> The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150
> that the old man had handed him earlier._ "And what are you
> supposed to buy Christmas dinner with?_ You keep that, too.
> Count it as part of your first week's pay." George said.
> "Now git home to your family."
>
> The young man turned with tears streaming down his face.
> "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is
> still good."
>
> "Nope._ I'm closed Christmas day," George said._ "See ya the
> day after."
>
> George turned around to find that the stranger had returned.
> "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"
>
> "I have been here._ I have always been here," said the stranger.
> "You say you don't celebrate Christmas._ Why?"
>
> "Well, after my wife passed away I just couldn't see what all
> the bother was._ Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a
> good pine tree._ Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just
> wasn't the same by myself and besides I was getting a little
> chubby."
>
> The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder._ "But you do
> celebrate the holiday, George._ You gave me food and drink and
> warmed me when I was cold and hungry._ The woman with child
> will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.
>
> The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being
> killed by terrorists._ The young man who tried to rob you will
> become a rich man and share his wealth with many people.
>
> That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any
> man."
>
> George was taken aback by all this stranger had said._ "And how
> do you know all this?" asked the old man.
>
> "Trust me, George._ I have the inside track on this sort of
> thing._ And when your days are done you will be with Martha
> again."_ The stranger moved toward the door.
>
> "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now._ I have to
> go home where there is a big celebration planned."
>
> George watched as the man's old leather jacket and his torn
> pants turned into a white robe._ A golden light began to fill
> the room.
>
> "You see, George, it's My birthday._ Merry Christmas."
>
> Author Unknown
> ====================
>
> The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve.
> He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away.
> He had no decorations, no tree, no lights._ It was just another
> day to him._ He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a
> reason to celebrate._ There were no children in his life.
> His wife had gone.
>
> He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling
> for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the
> door opened and a homeless man stepped through._ Instead of
> throwing the man out, George, Old George as he was known by
> his customers, told the man to come and sit by the space
> heater and warmup.
>
> "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger.
> "I see you're busy._ I'll just go"
>
> "Not without something hot in your belly," George turned and
> opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger.
> "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty._ Stew._ Made it myself.
> When you're done there's coffee and it's fresh."
>
> Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell.
> "Excuse me, be right back," George said.
>
> There in the driveway was an old 53 Chevy._ Steam was rolling
> out of the front._ The driver was panicked.
>
> "Mister can you help me!" said the driver with a deep Spanish
> accent._ "My wife is with child and my car is broken."
>
> George opened the hood._ It was bad._ The block looked cracked
> from the cold; the car was dead._ "You ain't going in this
> thing," George said as he turned away.
>
> "But mister._ Please help...."The door of the office closed
> behind George as he went in._ George went to the office wall
> and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside.
> He walked around the building and opened the garage, started the
> truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting.
>
> "Here, you can borrow my truck," he said._ "She ain't the best
> thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."
>
> George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it
> sped off into the night._ George turned and walked back inside
> the office.
>
> "Glad I loaned em the truck._ Their tires were shot too._
> That 'ol truck has brand new tires........" George thought he
> was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone._ The thermos
> was on the desk, empty with a used coffee cup beside it.
>
> "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.
> George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start.
> It cranked slowly, but it started._ He pulled it into the garage
> where the truck had been._ He thought he would tinker with it
> for something to do._ Christmas Eve meant no customers._
> He discovered the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom
> hose on the radiator.
>
> "Well, I can fix this," he said to himself._ So he put a new one
> on._ "Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter
> either."_ He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln.
> They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car.
>
> As he was working he heard a shot being fired._ He ran outside
> and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground.
> Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Help me."
> George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training
> he had received in the Army as a medic._ He knew the wound
> needed attention.
>
> "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought._ The laundry
> company had been there that morning and had left clean shop
> towels._ He used those and duct tape to bind the wound.
>
> "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to
> make the policeman feel at ease._ "Something for pain," George
> thought._ All he had was the pills he used for his back._ "These
> ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the
> policeman the pills.
>
> "You hang in there._ I'm going to get you an ambulance." George
> said, but the phone was dead._ "Maybe I can get one of your
> buddies on that there talk box out in your police car."
>
> He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the
> dashboard destroying the two way radio._ He went back in to find
> the policeman sitting up.
>
> "Thanks," said the officer._ "You could have left me there.
> The guy that shot me is still in the area."
>
> George sat down beside him._ "I would never leave an injured man
> in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the
> bandage to check for bleeding._ "Looks worse than what it is.
> Bullet passed right through 'ya._ Good thing it missed the
> important stuff though._ I think with time your gonna be right
> as rain."
>
> George got up and poured a cup of coffee._ "How do you take it?"
> he asked.
>
> "None for me," said the officer.
>
> "Oh, yer gonna drink this._ Best in the city." Then George
> added: "Too bad I ain't got no donuts."
>
> The officer laughed and winced at the same time._ The front door
> of the office flew open._ In burst a young man with a gun.
>
> "Give me all your cash!_ Do it now!" the young man yelled.
> His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never
> done anything like this before.
>
> "That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.
>
> "Son, why are you doing this?" asked George._ "You need to put
> the cannon away._ Somebody else might get hurt."
>
> The young man was confused._ "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot
> you, too._ Now give me the cash!"_
> The cop was reaching for his gun.
>
> "Put that thing away," George said to the cop._ "We got one too
> many in here now."
>
> He turned his attention to the young man._ "Son, it's Christmas
> Eve._ If you need the money, well then, here._ It ain't much but
> it's all I got._ Now put that pee shooter away."
>
> George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young
> man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time._ The
> young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and
> began to cry.
>
> "I'm not very good at this am I?_ All I wanted was to buy
> something for my wife and son," he went on._ "I've lost my job.
> My rent is due._ My car got repossessed last week..."
>
> George handed the gun to the cop._ "Son, we all get in a bit of
> squeeze now and then._ The road gets hard sometimes, but we
> make it through the best we can."
>
> He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair
> across from the cop._ "Sometimes we do stupid things." George
> handed the young man a cup of coffee._ "Being stupid is one of
> the things that makes us human._ Comin' in here with a gun ain't
> the answer._ Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this
> thing out."
>
> The young man had stopped crying._ He looked over to the cop.
> "Sorry I shot you._ It just went off._ I'm sorry officer."
>
> "Shut up and drink your coffee." the cop said.
>
> George could hear the sounds of sirens outside._ A police car
> and an ambulance skidded to a halt._ Two cops came through the
> door, guns drawn.
>
> "Chuck!_ You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.
>
> "Not bad for a guy who took a bullet._ How did you find me?"
>
> "GPS locator in the car._ Best thing since sliced bread._ Who
> did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.
>
> Chuck answered him, "I don't know._ The guy ran off into the
> dark._ Just dropped his gun and ran."
>
> George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.
> "That guy works here," the wounded cop continued.
>
> "Yep," George said._ "Just hired him this morning._ Boy lost his
> job."
>
> The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher.
> The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered,
> "Why?"
>
> Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas, boy._ And you too, George,
> and thanks for everything."
>
> "Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there._ That
> ought to solve some of your problems." George went into the
> back room and came out with a box._ He pulled out a ring box.
>
> "Here you go._ Something for the little woman._ I don't think
> Martha would mind._ She said it would come in handy some day."
>
> The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he
> ever saw._ "I can't take this," said the young man.
> "It means something to you."
>
> "And now it means something to you," replied George.
> "I got my memories._ That's all I need."
>
> George reached into the box again._ A toy airplane, a racing
> car and a little metal truck appeared next._ They were toys
> that the oil company had left for him to sell._ "Here's
> something for that little man of yours."
>
> The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150
> that the old man had handed him earlier._ "And what are you
> supposed to buy Christmas dinner with?_ You keep that, too.
> Count it as part of your first week's pay." George said.
> "Now git home to your family."
>
> The young man turned with tears streaming down his face.
> "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is
> still good."
>
> "Nope._ I'm closed Christmas day," George said._ "See ya the
> day after."
>
> George turned around to find that the stranger had returned.
> "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"
>
> "I have been here._ I have always been here," said the stranger.
> "You say you don't celebrate Christmas._ Why?"
>
> "Well, after my wife passed away I just couldn't see what all
> the bother was._ Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a
> good pine tree._ Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just
> wasn't the same by myself and besides I was getting a little
> chubby."
>
> The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder._ "But you do
> celebrate the holiday, George._ You gave me food and drink and
> warmed me when I was cold and hungry._ The woman with child
> will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.
>
> The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being
> killed by terrorists._ The young man who tried to rob you will
> become a rich man and share his wealth with many people.
>
> That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any
> man."
>
> George was taken aback by all this stranger had said._ "And how
> do you know all this?" asked the old man.
>
> "Trust me, George._ I have the inside track on this sort of
> thing._ And when your days are done you will be with Martha
> again."_ The stranger moved toward the door.
>
> "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now._ I have to
> go home where there is a big celebration planned."
>
> George watched as the man's old leather jacket and his torn
> pants turned into a white robe._ A golden light began to fill
> the room.
>
> "You see, George, it's My birthday._ Merry Christmas."
>
> Author Unknown
