A Flower Seller Wife
He was tall and strong, that giant of a man standing in the shadow of the great clock tower in the busy market square of a pretty country village. His homely face displayed the true character of a gentleman of considerable charm and fortitude.
This fellow’s face was bronzed from exposure to the elements, yet there was warmth in his smile that told of a kindness resident beneath the ragged clothes he was wearing.
The stranger glanced round the crowd as though searching for someone, when high above him the clock struck midday. He listened absentmindedly to the tolling bells, and then continued to stand there.
As this handsome young fellow stared patiently across the crowded market place, suddenly without warning, something happened that was to change the whole course of his life.
Every market day this man had been coming here ever hopeful that this day would be the one. But he never gave up… he always had hope.
You will ask why he kept returning to this market place. Well, let me tell you… some time ago, whether months or years I do not know, the tall stranger had a dream. It was in this very market place he had met his wife-to-be. And so he had held his lone vigil here ever since.
But today he was to be rewarded for his patience. The long wearisome hours spent watching, waiting and hoping, were to be finally paid off. Joy and happiness was to be his.
Our hero stood as though fastened to the pavement. He noticed a group of gaily dressed Flower Seller women approaching. As they passed beneath the clock tower they were chattering and laughing to each other. The stranger stared at each one with a glint in his sharp eyes. There were half a dozen young women among them, all most beautifully dressed.
The tall stranger scanned the group with piercing eyes. No, they all had a look of discontentment on their faces. One had misery… another had pride… and yet another had vainness displayed. Each one, although pretty as a picture, did not have the look our friend was seeking. In his dream he had seen the woman the Good Lord had promised him, and he was waiting for that one to go past. That one alone and no other would he accept!
As the group got closer he was still watching, although his interest had waned somewhat.
As they come up to where this giant of a man was standing, something usual happened. From far across the market square a loud commotion could be heard. A group of youths were fighting; throwing sticks and stones at each other. They raced through the square with their fellows close behind. With wild abandon and careless disregard for the simple villagers with their stalls, they charged through the place like a herd of stampeding bulls.
The bad boys ran heedless of the calls and cries of the townspeople. They raced straight past the tall stranger and the group of Flower Sellers, throwing their sticks and stones and they ran. The young women picked up their skirts and scurried away out of sight…that is all but one.
As the youths ran past and the young girls hid themselves from the sticks and stones, one pretty little maiden was hit. She fell to the ground senseless to the sights and sounds around her. Her lovely dress was creased, her brow covered with mud and her arm twisted strangely.
With an angry bellow our hero went into action. With righteous anger he can vent about the selfishness of the young people of that village. He swooped like a night fighter and plucked the girl up into his arms. With a grace unbelievable to his great stature he handled that lassie with the care of a mother.
An elderly woman approached and said, “Sir, bring the wee dearie to my home. It’s not much of a place, but I will look after her.”
Yes my lady, I would be happy to do that,” he replied.
He carried the shapeless bundle across the road and following the old lady into her house, stooping low to enter the doorway. He careful laid the girl on the bed and tried to straighten her hair as the woman bustled about preparing some hot water for washing.
The lassie was not very beautiful in a physical way... she was only a slip of a thing… pale and thin, with no outstanding countenance. Her eyes were closed as she still had not regained consciousness.
But the giant stranger continued to straighten the girl’s features. He put a wad of cloth soaked in ice cold water onto the young maiden’s forehead. And he calmly took the dish of warm water from the old woman and proceeded to wash the blood away from the lassies face.
The man and the old woman barely spoke… they were so occupied with the matters at hand, that debate seemed pointless.
The man had finally washed all the blood away and put a bandage on the cut on her cheek, when suddenly, without warning the young woman’s eyes flickered slightly, and then opened completely. The tall man was so surprised to look into those eyes… and see the joy and happiness within.
“Thank you Sir,” whispered the maid. “Thank you for being so kind. No-one has ever treated me like this before. I am not pretty to look at, and nobody loves me… not even my family. I only have one friend…”
“May I be so bold as to ask who that friend might be,” enquired the tall fellow.
“Certainly Sir, his name is Jesus… Jesus Christ,” was the prompt reply.
“Goodness me,” replied the man. “And how long have you known him?”
“Since I was at 16,” the lassie said. “I asked him into my life because I saw I couldn’t do things my own way. I wanted him live for him and do his will.”
The lassie looked up from the bed, and stared fixedly at the tall man, her face suddenly all aglow.
“Sir, you won’t think me discourteous if I may say something?”
“No my lady, speak in peace for I am eager to hear.”
“Well Sir, some time ago I had a dream. I was being chased by wolves and just before the biggest one caught me a man rode out of the forest and picked me up and took me away with him.”
The tall man’s throat tightened somewhat as he struggled to find words.
“Well my dear, that is an interesting story to be sure, but why do you tell me?”
The young maiden sat up in bed with a bright flush spreading over her brow. Her eyes danced with fun.
“Dear Sir, I only tell you because you are the man who saved me from the wolves in my dream!”
The old lady suddenly decided it was time to leave the room, for she guessed what was coming next.
As the door closed behind the elderly woman, the tall giant of a man knelt at the bedside and took the wee maids hand in his great grasp. “Little one,” said he in a voice as kind as could be, I also had a dream some time ago. I saw a pretty girl fall into my arms right in that very market square. Yes my child, now I know... you are that young woman.”
The man unashamedly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes. The little lady sunk back among the pillows and beamed at the gentleman.
“God is so good,” she murmured with tenderness in her voice, “He is no fool. He knows what he is doing. We just need to trust him with all our hearts and he will make our paths straight.”
The man’s voice was hoarse with emotion as he replied, “My darling, you are so right. His ways are not our ways. I want you for my beloved wife as a gift from Heaven. Will you accept?”
The young woman’s eyes lit up with joy as she murmured, “Oh yes Sir, I do! I really, really do! I just can’t thank the Lord enough for bringing us together.”
The man straightened up and moved to the door. With his hand on the door handle he turned and looked serious. “Well, we have a hard long road ahead of us, but nothing is impossible for the Lord. Nevertheless we shall be companions on the great highway to heaven. I will hold you and you shall hold me… and we’ll be a standard to the world of true Christian love and obedience.
Swinging the door wide open, he shouted. “Lady, just as soon as this little maid is well we need to find a place to square the deal!”
And a bellow of laughter mixed with a tinkle of joy from the bed floated down the passage to the old woman’s ears… and she smiled happily.
(16th January 2011)
By Adam R. B. Reeve
This fellow’s face was bronzed from exposure to the elements, yet there was warmth in his smile that told of a kindness resident beneath the ragged clothes he was wearing.
The stranger glanced round the crowd as though searching for someone, when high above him the clock struck midday. He listened absentmindedly to the tolling bells, and then continued to stand there.
As this handsome young fellow stared patiently across the crowded market place, suddenly without warning, something happened that was to change the whole course of his life.
Every market day this man had been coming here ever hopeful that this day would be the one. But he never gave up… he always had hope.
You will ask why he kept returning to this market place. Well, let me tell you… some time ago, whether months or years I do not know, the tall stranger had a dream. It was in this very market place he had met his wife-to-be. And so he had held his lone vigil here ever since.
But today he was to be rewarded for his patience. The long wearisome hours spent watching, waiting and hoping, were to be finally paid off. Joy and happiness was to be his.
Our hero stood as though fastened to the pavement. He noticed a group of gaily dressed Flower Seller women approaching. As they passed beneath the clock tower they were chattering and laughing to each other. The stranger stared at each one with a glint in his sharp eyes. There were half a dozen young women among them, all most beautifully dressed.
The tall stranger scanned the group with piercing eyes. No, they all had a look of discontentment on their faces. One had misery… another had pride… and yet another had vainness displayed. Each one, although pretty as a picture, did not have the look our friend was seeking. In his dream he had seen the woman the Good Lord had promised him, and he was waiting for that one to go past. That one alone and no other would he accept!
As the group got closer he was still watching, although his interest had waned somewhat.
As they come up to where this giant of a man was standing, something usual happened. From far across the market square a loud commotion could be heard. A group of youths were fighting; throwing sticks and stones at each other. They raced through the square with their fellows close behind. With wild abandon and careless disregard for the simple villagers with their stalls, they charged through the place like a herd of stampeding bulls.
The bad boys ran heedless of the calls and cries of the townspeople. They raced straight past the tall stranger and the group of Flower Sellers, throwing their sticks and stones and they ran. The young women picked up their skirts and scurried away out of sight…that is all but one.
As the youths ran past and the young girls hid themselves from the sticks and stones, one pretty little maiden was hit. She fell to the ground senseless to the sights and sounds around her. Her lovely dress was creased, her brow covered with mud and her arm twisted strangely.
With an angry bellow our hero went into action. With righteous anger he can vent about the selfishness of the young people of that village. He swooped like a night fighter and plucked the girl up into his arms. With a grace unbelievable to his great stature he handled that lassie with the care of a mother.
An elderly woman approached and said, “Sir, bring the wee dearie to my home. It’s not much of a place, but I will look after her.”
Yes my lady, I would be happy to do that,” he replied.
He carried the shapeless bundle across the road and following the old lady into her house, stooping low to enter the doorway. He careful laid the girl on the bed and tried to straighten her hair as the woman bustled about preparing some hot water for washing.
The lassie was not very beautiful in a physical way... she was only a slip of a thing… pale and thin, with no outstanding countenance. Her eyes were closed as she still had not regained consciousness.
But the giant stranger continued to straighten the girl’s features. He put a wad of cloth soaked in ice cold water onto the young maiden’s forehead. And he calmly took the dish of warm water from the old woman and proceeded to wash the blood away from the lassies face.
The man and the old woman barely spoke… they were so occupied with the matters at hand, that debate seemed pointless.
The man had finally washed all the blood away and put a bandage on the cut on her cheek, when suddenly, without warning the young woman’s eyes flickered slightly, and then opened completely. The tall man was so surprised to look into those eyes… and see the joy and happiness within.
“Thank you Sir,” whispered the maid. “Thank you for being so kind. No-one has ever treated me like this before. I am not pretty to look at, and nobody loves me… not even my family. I only have one friend…”
“May I be so bold as to ask who that friend might be,” enquired the tall fellow.
“Certainly Sir, his name is Jesus… Jesus Christ,” was the prompt reply.
“Goodness me,” replied the man. “And how long have you known him?”
“Since I was at 16,” the lassie said. “I asked him into my life because I saw I couldn’t do things my own way. I wanted him live for him and do his will.”
The lassie looked up from the bed, and stared fixedly at the tall man, her face suddenly all aglow.
“Sir, you won’t think me discourteous if I may say something?”
“No my lady, speak in peace for I am eager to hear.”
“Well Sir, some time ago I had a dream. I was being chased by wolves and just before the biggest one caught me a man rode out of the forest and picked me up and took me away with him.”
The tall man’s throat tightened somewhat as he struggled to find words.
“Well my dear, that is an interesting story to be sure, but why do you tell me?”
The young maiden sat up in bed with a bright flush spreading over her brow. Her eyes danced with fun.
“Dear Sir, I only tell you because you are the man who saved me from the wolves in my dream!”
The old lady suddenly decided it was time to leave the room, for she guessed what was coming next.
As the door closed behind the elderly woman, the tall giant of a man knelt at the bedside and took the wee maids hand in his great grasp. “Little one,” said he in a voice as kind as could be, I also had a dream some time ago. I saw a pretty girl fall into my arms right in that very market square. Yes my child, now I know... you are that young woman.”
The man unashamedly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped his eyes. The little lady sunk back among the pillows and beamed at the gentleman.
“God is so good,” she murmured with tenderness in her voice, “He is no fool. He knows what he is doing. We just need to trust him with all our hearts and he will make our paths straight.”
The man’s voice was hoarse with emotion as he replied, “My darling, you are so right. His ways are not our ways. I want you for my beloved wife as a gift from Heaven. Will you accept?”
The young woman’s eyes lit up with joy as she murmured, “Oh yes Sir, I do! I really, really do! I just can’t thank the Lord enough for bringing us together.”
The man straightened up and moved to the door. With his hand on the door handle he turned and looked serious. “Well, we have a hard long road ahead of us, but nothing is impossible for the Lord. Nevertheless we shall be companions on the great highway to heaven. I will hold you and you shall hold me… and we’ll be a standard to the world of true Christian love and obedience.
Swinging the door wide open, he shouted. “Lady, just as soon as this little maid is well we need to find a place to square the deal!”
And a bellow of laughter mixed with a tinkle of joy from the bed floated down the passage to the old woman’s ears… and she smiled happily.
(16th January 2011)
By Adam R. B. Reeve