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THE TAIL OF BOOMERANG ROO

Saturday, April 29, 2017

THE TAIL OF BOOMERANG ROO

            Cracked creek bed mud turned to dust neath rancher man's boot.  In that hell of drought, death lay all about.  Dehydrated skin stretched thin hid the dust of the dead within.  "In the outback, thirst knows no difference between cattle nor animal kin," said rancher man Slim.  And he wondered when 'the big dry' would ever end.  He was just about to pray again, when the corner of his eye caught movement.  Where had that movement been among the dead?  And there he saw it again.  The twitch of a tail.  From the pouch of a dead momma roo, the bent tail of a joey stirred life.  Without thought Slim pulled out that little bent tailed roo.  In his arms Slim saw the cause of it all; the bent tail told the tale; bore the canine marks of a dingo chew.  Slim said, "Bent like a boomerang, you poor little roo."  And as helpless as Slim was in the drought and all, he helped the helpless. Carried little bent tail roo back to the truck.  Put him in the seat.  And from his canteen, water little roo did sip.  

            And months came.  And months passed by in the one room home of Slim and roo.  Most nights Little Roo, as Slim called him, slept curled up in his bent tail on Slim's lap. Rocking away in that old homemade chair, Slim minded hardly at all.  For company in the outback, he had next to none at all.  Solitary life and no wife, such was Slim's life a boat in the desert, but his oars never gave up straining against the burning sand.  And as the 'the big dry' stirred dust, the heart of Slim stirred only closer to God above.  Many a night Little Roo listened to soft spoken Slim reading the Bible.  And Little Roo, although he understood not a word, still knew blessing, as he drifted off to hoppy land. 

            In the early morn and near sunset, Slim took care of barnyard chores.  There was Naomi to tend, the goat from who knows where, who had just shown up the week before Little Roo.  So as if part of God's plan, Slim had goats milk to milk.  Milk for Little Roo to be fed from the finger of a glove tied to the end of a bottle.  And there was Little Roo's rehabilitation.  Rehab mainly consisting of hopping away from Slim in a lopsided arc, due to the off balance of that bent tail, then hopping back in a curve.  And one such sunset evening Slim said, "The name Little Roo just will not do.  For you are a special bent tail roo, and though you hop away, you always return, not straight away, but in an arc like the boomerang do.  So do I dub thee, Boomerang Roo.  But just Roo for short will most times do."  And the newly dubbed Boomerang Roo stood  looking up to his adopted dad; tilted head from side to side; and by his new name he did abide.

            And late one night, Boomerang Roo in lap, the rocker slowed rocking. The voice of Slim in prayer grew tired.  The Bible slipped from his hands.  And Roo and Slim slept quiet... so quiet... they felt not the cool air roll slowly through their one room home.  Heard not the solitary ping on the tin roof above, followed in a moment by another, then another, till the rain fell spanking that tin to cry new born baby life.  Roo woke first.   In fear Roo leaped from lap bounding off furniture and round the walls.  Till Slim caught him or Roo caught Slim.  Round Slim's right leg Roo wrapped arms and legs and boomerang tail too.  Slim laughed and with Roo clinging on, shuffled up to and opened the porch door.  There the nose of Boomerang Roo krinkled, breathed in for the very first time... the smell of rain.  And standing in that porch door, Slim thanked the Lord, as the mist of living water washed over them.

            The sun rose.  With milk bucket in hand Slim made aim for the barn to visit Naomi the goat.  But something was missing, the shadow of Roo.  Slim just figured Roo didn't want mud on his paws.  For where had been dust now was mud galore.

             What possessed Roo to go out that morn on his own?  In a long arc Boomerang Roo hopped and he hopped and he hopped... over a hill.  And where Roo stopped, was where he stood.  Maybe it twas the gunning of the truck motor Roo heard, or maybe the spinning of mud slick tires; but for sure twas the will of One with higher power:  that Roo arrived at the very stuck truck of Ruth.  Ruth saw Roo, gave up the futile slinging of mud, and exited the truck.  And up to Ruth, Roo hopped.  Ruth stammered, "Wha-what a-a-a  cu-cu-cute little ra-ra-roo!"  To Ruth's surprise Roo tilted his head and, looking up at her, took her hand in paw.  Without thinking, Ruth was lead to the hill top, where down below she saw the house of Slim and the barn.  "Da-a-a-down hill fra-from here," to her new friend Ruth talked.

            And near the barn door, still holding Roo's paw, Ruth met Slim, carrying a pail of Naomi's milk.  "M-m-m-my na-na-name is Ruth!  I-I-I been la-la-lookin' fa-fa-for my ga-ga-ga-goa-goa-Naomi!!!" She said.

            And Slim with smile sighed, "What few be about call me Slim, but my given name be Boaz."  He lifted up the pail of milk and added, "I might just know the whereabouts of that old goat."  And together Slim and Ruth and Roo walked hand in hand in paw; and entered the one room house called home...  Ruth never stuttered again...  And yes, the cows did come home, more than there were before...  And from hearts of dust a garden grew from rain anew...  And Slim praised the LORD!!!

  

            Isaiah 58:10-11 KJ, "And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day:  And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."

            Please share "The Tail of Boomerang Roo," with all who need a tail straitening.  For a infinitely more awesome and true story, please read in the Bible the book of Ruth.  Only cause we love you.        

         

                            

           

          

         

         



















                

Friday, April 28, 2017

SORROW FALLS

            "How often ones road ends at Sorrow Falls," Josh mused, tossed yet another rock into that not so swift water.  "Ends where it began.  Cathy carted off the kids a year ago today.  Today the divorce is final.  And this very rock I'm sitting on is where I proposed to her.  Talk about drowning in a sea of love."  Josh picked up a bit too large rock, stood and tossed.  The weight of that last rock was exactly what he needed, needed to pull Josh off balance into Sorrow Falls.

            What were the odds his skull would meet up with that same rock in the cold shallow water?  Not odd at all, even probable, Josh would have probably thought, if he were conscious.  But conscious he was not, as he floated down Sorrow Falls, more a long and winding down hill stream... full of rocks...

            ...In campfire shadows the nose of Josh twitched; breathed bacon cooking air; savored caramelizing brown sugar in cast iron pot of baked beans.  He felt almost toasty... "Where?" His brain fought the fog. "How," escaped his lips.  A gentle hand lifted between his shoulders; semi sat Josh up, while other hand pushed backpack under head and shoulders.

            "Names, Joy!" she huffed.

            Even in the dim fire light Josh focused on no angel.  His eyes traced each scar.  That split lip must have really hurt a while back.  So must that gash above left eye bled more than a bit.  And that straight line across right cheek surely must have required stitches.  Yet his warm yet fuzzy mind commanded his lips to repeat her name, "Joy, Joy, Joy..."

            "Yeah, Joy," she said, added, "stop ogling me before you fall in love."  She did not laugh.

            "Sorry," was all Josh had.

            In silence Joy spooned up a bowl of beans, poked a fork in it, and poked the bowl at him.  Josh just stared.  His head wobbled a bit.  Joy shuffled closer, forked up a bite to feed him.  The eyes of Josh followed that fork to the lips of Joy; and as she blew on the beans to cool them, Josh breathed in her sweet breath.  Josh touched her face...

            "You are a rose," floated from his lips.

            Joy looked into his eyes for more than a spell.  Spoke, "Yes, men desire me; and the scars, well the scars lead them to believe I'm attainable.  But the look on your face is something else."

            "You saved me," Josh almost cried.

            "Maybe, after all I did drag your soggy hide out of the water." Joy smiled. "You don't know who I am, do you?  I've sang and strummed the guitar in just about every dance hall, rodeo, county fair, saloon and shindig from Tulsa to Austin.  My last name is Rydell and you Mr. Joshua Keeler, Mr. real estate tycoon, floated down Sorrow Falls right onto my ranch.

            "How do you know me?" Josh wondered.

            "Your wallet and contents are drying out on that log by the fire.  Now eat these beans!" Joy explained, commanded.  Josh's mouth flew open.  Joy piled the beans in.  His mouth flooded with baked bean and bacon heaven.

            "After we get through playing momma and baby bird," Joy forked up another bite, cooled it with that sweet, sweet breath, fed it to Josh, "After we eat, I might just play you a tune."  Joy smiled, forked up a heap of beans to her own lips, forgetting to cool them off first.  Fast and furious she chewed while blowing to cool them too hot beans.

            Josh giggled at her mild dismay.  Joy punched him in the shoulder.  Still chewing and blowing, Joy barked, "Save your skinny butt, and now you laugh at me!" Joy giggled.  Momma and baby bird were getting along just fine.

            After a time of some serious munching, punctuated with giggles, both were full of beans. With the back of her shirt sleeve, Joy wiped stray baked bean juice from her chin, reached over and retrieved guitar. "You might a wondered why I'm out here campfire and all.  This place is my nest by the falls, where momma bird hatches most of her songs.  And, where in the last year or so, I have come to feel closest to the LORD above."

            Josh watched Joy tune up that beat up old guitar for a little more than a while, before ribbing, "Has the bird lost her song?"

            "Did I hear a discouraging peep, baby bird?  Save you from drowning, fill you full a beans, about to sing you a song... but yeah, am I stalling... or just employing pregnant pause?" Joy tuned a tad more, confessed, "The song is not finished and I'm supposed to sing it in the morning at Cowboy Church.  Here goes:
                     
                        Sorrow falls away
                        No matter how reckless I've been
                        Your wings gather me in
                        And sorrow falls away
                        Healing my scars of growing
                        Because You love me
                        Because You love me
                        Like the rose buds above the thorn
                        Like grass glistens in sunshine after rain
                        Risen above the storm
                        The light of the world
                        LORD, He is Your Son...
                        Thank You for the shower has come
                        Thank you for the living rain from above
                        LORD, He is your Son
                        Jesus loves me
                        Jesus loves me
                        Thank you Lord God Almighty
                        For Jesus' love
                        Thank you Lord God above
                        For Jesus' love
                        Holy, holy, holy
                        Lord God Father of Love
                       Sorrow falls away
                       No matter how reckless I've been
                       Your wings gather me in
                       And sorrow falls away

            ...And as Joy continued to sing, Josh thought, "How often ones road begins at Sorrow Falls...       

Psalm 16:11; Isaiah 35:1; 2nd Samuel 23:4; Ezekiel 34:26; John 3:16; Psalm 17:8

         



     

                                            
                                               
                       
  

        

          

Thursday, April 20, 2017

LICK CHICKEN

                Lick Chickeners would a named their little flock Finger Lickin' Good, but state law forbade three word towns; so Lick Chicken it was.  And in small town Lick Chicken, Fat Pats was the place to be.  "Just about the only place to be," locals liked to say bout what most Lick Chickeners considered second home.

                "Like coffee with that cream?" Fat Pat giggled at Slim Jeno still a 4 am a dream with cream server a stuck a tilt. "Your cup runneth over, Hun." She giggled again at her dark haired Hungarian.

                "What?" Coffee ran off diner counter top onto his apron. "Well, that's one way to get caffeine." Slim Jeno mumbled.  As wife built napkin dam, he sat server down. Without stirring he bent over, mouth to coffee mug, slurped away coffee and cream surplus.

                "My aren't we a little piggy this morn?" Pat snickered, elbow nudged struggling to awake hubby.

                "Oink," Jeno punctuated with semi-giggle of his own.

                From the kitchen they heard clank of pans. "The faithful staff arrives." Fat Pat sighed.

                "Ah, faith, the substance of things hoped for; the evidence of that not seen," Slim Jeno quote, almost awoke.

                "Ah, and Biblical too this beautiful morning.  Was that Hebrews 11:1, King James no less?  Who is this husband of mine?" Pat smiled, drew strength, for the a hungered hordes, they were a coming.

                Jeno turned attention from morning brew.  Took time to drink in the beauty before him, "Freckles of auburn, matching eyes and curls of a girl with svelte curves, how I love you." Slim Jeno gave wife lips to lips peck, rose from seat, stretched eyes wide, sighed, "Time to roll out the old szilvas gomboc," and headed for kitchen door.

                As she did every morning, Fat Pat turned it over in her mind, and spilled out mouth one more time, "Szilvas gomboc, Hungarian plum dumplings, who knew?" She spoke of once struggling slapjack diner turned country wide sensation.  For even 20 miles away the szilvas gumboc a hungered big city folks due north were deterred not even by predawn dark. "Lord, thank you for my husband," Fat Pat a tad misty eyed sat, and added, "and thank You too for the good folks of Lick Chicken."

                Slim, not portly, local patrons had mis-dubbed Patricia Ann Foszakacs, Fat Pat.  Portly, not slim, Jeno Foszakas had received similar mis-nomer, Slim Jeno.  Perhaps the nicknames said more about the coiners than the recipients there of.  For you see the folks of Lick Chicken were a nest full of affable good good eggs near always on the verge of hatching local peep of small town adage; all be it a bit scrambled.

                "After all," so ran the oft misquoted Lick Chicken motto, "a licked chicken tastes better cooked." While the official town motto really twas, "A licked chicken tastes better tallow fried." Yet, even the for real town motto reflected name of Lick Chicken to be somewhat askew; seeing as how the areas main industry to be cattle and a tallow rendering plant. "Seems oft we ought trace the seams... of what seems to be..." Lick Chickeners were apt to often say.

                But we digress, for while the non-fat Fat Pat tended cash register setup and the hundred other details of dining area; in the kitchen, as morning tradition, the staff huddled round one round Slim Jeno.  Together they repeated morning prayer, "Dear Lord, in Jesus name we pray, the food we prepare this day, be blessed nourishment unto the least of these our bretheren." And with a big, "Amen," their hearts and hands sprang into action.

                In little more than an hour, thru kitchen door wafted doughy cinnamon and brown sugary sweet szilvas gomboc.  And no coincidence was it that in that same little more than an hour the first wave of a hungered hordes, well in they invaded. Some half asleep a mug of coffee needing to drain, some slapping old pal backs, more than a few greeted by crowd by name.  And the newbees, well the door barely hit them in the behind afore the no chicken lips Lick Chickeners gave shout out, "Newbee Welcome!" Sometimes they sang this welcome tradition in unison, sometimes they sang it in echo ripple, but everytime every person got good greeting.  For at Fat Pats, Lick Chickeners liked to say and do, "In Lick Chicken nobody... remains a nobody long..."

                And those special somebodies began their mornings at Fat Pats with healthy homemade food, not a usual cuisine for an establishment that had started as slapjack greasy spoon.  The menu and plates served abounded with fresh fruit and vegetables from garden green bean scrambled eggs to slapjacks fresh peach inlaid, and of course the number one requested Hungarian plum dumplings. The a hungered hordes ate that szilvas gomboc 'for here' and ordered 'for there' an extra dozen or two 'to go' for co-workers and family.  More than a few called ahead to place special orders over two dozen.

                 But the peculiar people of the peculiar Fat Pats, Lick Chickeners and newbee honorary Lick Chickeners alike, had one more peculiar tradition... At exactly 7 am each morning Monday thru Saturday, Slim Jeno and faithful staff emerged from kitchen... And all listened to what Slim Jeno had to say, "In Matthew 25: 35 KJ, our precious Jesus said, 'For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in..."


The meaning of this little story may be found in Matthew chapter 25 verses 31 thru 46, a parable by Jesus in the recipe of Life, the sweeter than honey Holy Bible.  Key words are, "...an hungered... and ...the least of these, my bretheren..."

And I wonder, just wonder, bout the symbolic significance of them small town Lick Chickeners and even that szilvas gomboc... I just wonder... Could it possibly, not so much by chance, have a little something to do with the heart of every dumpling being plum filled with fruit... (fruit: verses 5 & 8 of John 15:1 thru 12)


                                           ...Food not only for lips of flesh...