NOURISHING THE SOUL

Just outside of a small rural community there was a big, old Walnut
tree growing inside of the town cemetery, close to the wrought-iron
fence. One autumn day, when the nuts had ripened two boys went there
and gathered a bucketful of walnuts. Sitting upon the soft grass
beneath the tree, and out of sight from the nearby cemetery entrance,
the boys began shelling dividing up their tasty bounty from the womb
of the Earth.
“One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me,” said one boy. But
as he was counting, several of the nuts dropped and rolled down toward
the fence. While this was taking place, another boy came riding along
the road on his bicycle. And as this third lad rode past the cemetery
entrance, he thought he heard voices coming from inside the cemetery
gates. So he slowed down, and stopped to listen. Sure enough, he
heard; “One for you, one for me. One for you, one for me.”
OH! He just knew just what it was too! And frightened he jumped back
on his bike and hurriedly rode off. Just as he was rounding the curve
in the road, he met up with an old man hobbling along on his cane.
Excitedly the boy hailed the old man saying; “Come here quick Mr.
Jenkins! You won't believe what I just heard! Satan and the Lord are
down at the cemetery dividing up the souls!”
Mr. Jenkins looked at the youngster in disbelief and replied, “Shame
on you Johnny Smith for trying to pull a joke on an old man that can
barely walk!” But when the boy insisted, and seeing the fright in the
boy's eyes, Mr. Jenkins's curiosity was aroused and thinking the boy
must have seen something, he hobbled to the cemetery entrance, as the
Johnny cautiously walked beside him pushing his bike.
Standing by the cemetery entrance, they heard; “One for you, one for
me. One for you, one for me…”
The old man whispered, “Boy, you've been tellin' the truth! Let's see
if we can see the Lord.” Shaking with fear, they peered through the
fence, yet they were still unable to see anything. The old man and the
boy gripped the wrought iron bars of the fence tighter and tighter as
they peered inside trying to get a glimpse of the Lord.
At last they heard, “One for you, one for me. That's all. Now let's go
get those nuts by the fence and we'll be done.”
They say the old man made it back to town a full 5 minutes ahead of
the boy on the bike.