First Posted: 4/5/2013
Despite the winter-like mornings the past several days, the sunny, warmer weather Friday afternoon got me to thinking about a couple of encounters with two young boys in the spring of 2007 that prompted me to pen a poem for my weekly column.
I called it “A jolly hello” and if you don’t mind, I’d like to repeat it today.
It goes like this:
I stepped from my porch
and what did I see?
A handsome young boy
just staring at me.
He leaned on my fence
‘bout 50 feet away,
a right pleasant sight
on this lovely spring day.
Except for one thing
which struck me as sad:
there was sorrow and gloom
on the face of this lad.
To school he was bound
while to work was I,
but I couldn’t yet leave
for I sensed this guy
needed something from me
before we’d both go
and I knew what it was:
a jolly “Hello!”
So “Hi ya!” I shouted
on instinct, I guess,
while our eyes made contact
a good minute, no less.
But he just kept on staring
almost out into space,
not a bit of expression
on his handsome, young face.
So I shouted again
in a most friendly way:
“Good morning, young man!”
And what did he say?
Not a word, once again,
and I started to wonder
what sort of spell
this kid might be under.
Perhaps he’s quite shy
and he just doesn’t know
that yes, he’s the object
of my jolly “Hello!”
That’s what I reasoned
feeling rather perplexed
at what heavy burden
had this child so vexed.
If I stopped to ask him
I’d be late for work.
Still, I wanted to explain
I’m not really a jerk.
“I’m just friendly, that’s me,
I was raised this way,
to be pleasant and happy,”
I wanted to say.
Then I burst into laughter
not even sure why
at the awkward moment
between me and this guy.
No one taught him to speak
when he’s spoken to.
And I wondered what the world
was now coming to.
Which got me feeling down,
brought my own spirits low.
Was this really the result
of one jolly “Hello”?
As he waited for the bus
to cart him to school,
I pondered what he thought
of this loud, old fool.
Will he tell all his friends
to watch out for that clown
who’ll try to reverse
your off-to-school frown?
Several days went by
and what did I see?
Yet another young lad.
Was he looking at me?
Yes, he was, I was sure
but I kept my mouth shut.
Don’t want this kid thinkin’
I’m some kinda nut.
But this one was different,
this boy on his bike.
He called out to me!
It was something like:
“Hi, mister, isn’t this
a really great day?
Can’t you just tell
that spring’s on the way?”
I smiled. Then I laughed
at what’d just taken place,
what this little kid did
with that smile on his face.
He made everything right
and he didn’t even know
how badly I needed
his jolly “Hello!”