The Gift
By
R. W. Thompson
1. "Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Danny. One day he found a magic lamp that would give him anything he wanted.
2 As Steven Jacobs begins his story, the swings in the park come quickly to a stop. The merry-go-rounds stop twirling and the see-saws creak to a halt. The play area of the park becomes very quiet, for the children have come to sit under the giant maple tree and as the shadows grow, hear their daily stories from the blind storyteller of the park.
3. The old man leans on his cane, his face lifted to the warmth of the late spring sun. He silently remembers how the faces of the children look as they listen eagerly to every word. 4. As he talks, there is no other sound. When the …show more content…
“I can’t anymore dear, I can’t see the books,” he replied in a quiet voice as they walked up the path. Then, Steven heard his grandson, Daniel. “You don’t have to read them to us grandpa, just tell them to us. The stories you make up are the best ones anyway,” he said.
13. Steven considered this for a moment, he supposed he could do that. He thought about a few that he knew he could remember and they would like.
14. “You’re right children. Take me over to a chair by the fireplace and I’ll tell you some. They brought him over to a comfortable old chair by the fire, where they could sit in front and listen to their grandfather.
15. As he sat down, he began in a quiet voice the story of a beautiful magic unicorn that could fly its small owner anywhere in the world. Before, when he told them stories, he could judge the effect by the look on their faces, but now he had to hear their reaction. It was quiet, too quiet.
16. “Well, how did you like it,” he asked? There was no answer, the children were gone. Just as Steven was about to call for them, he heard his grandson’s voice.
17. “We brought some of our friends’ grandpa. Can you tell us another story,” Danny …show more content…
When he was finished this time, the children clapped loudly and the warmth Steven felt did not come from the fireplace.
20. Steven continued to entertain the children for the rest of the holidays. It became a habit, every Saturday afternoon at four o’clock, the children would gather in his daughter’s family room in front of the fireplace. There, for one hour, he would tell tales he remembered from his years as a teacher and others that he made up.
21. The old year changed into the new, and Steven Jacobs found a new happiness and a renewed feeling for life. Giving the children the gift of his stories brought him out of his dark world and made him feel needed again. His daughter and her husband had again asked him to stay with them. The only condition was that in the spring, the stories would be moved from their family room onto their large covered porch. Steven agreed!
22. The children continued to come to listen to the stories. Soon, there were so many they became difficult to control when the stories were finished.
23. The neighbors complained about the noise and the children running across their lawns. They said the stories should
By
R. W. Thompson
1. "Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Danny. One day he found a magic lamp that would give him anything he wanted.
2 As Steven Jacobs begins his story, the swings in the park come quickly to a stop. The merry-go-rounds stop twirling and the see-saws creak to a halt. The play area of the park becomes very quiet, for the children have come to sit under the giant maple tree and as the shadows grow, hear their daily stories from the blind storyteller of the park.
3. The old man leans on his cane, his face lifted to the warmth of the late spring sun. He silently remembers how the faces of the children look as they listen eagerly to every word. 4. As he talks, there is no other sound. When the …show more content…
“I can’t anymore dear, I can’t see the books,” he replied in a quiet voice as they walked up the path. Then, Steven heard his grandson, Daniel. “You don’t have to read them to us grandpa, just tell them to us. The stories you make up are the best ones anyway,” he said.
13. Steven considered this for a moment, he supposed he could do that. He thought about a few that he knew he could remember and they would like.
14. “You’re right children. Take me over to a chair by the fireplace and I’ll tell you some. They brought him over to a comfortable old chair by the fire, where they could sit in front and listen to their grandfather.
15. As he sat down, he began in a quiet voice the story of a beautiful magic unicorn that could fly its small owner anywhere in the world. Before, when he told them stories, he could judge the effect by the look on their faces, but now he had to hear their reaction. It was quiet, too quiet.
16. “Well, how did you like it,” he asked? There was no answer, the children were gone. Just as Steven was about to call for them, he heard his grandson’s voice.
17. “We brought some of our friends’ grandpa. Can you tell us another story,” Danny …show more content…
When he was finished this time, the children clapped loudly and the warmth Steven felt did not come from the fireplace.
20. Steven continued to entertain the children for the rest of the holidays. It became a habit, every Saturday afternoon at four o’clock, the children would gather in his daughter’s family room in front of the fireplace. There, for one hour, he would tell tales he remembered from his years as a teacher and others that he made up.
21. The old year changed into the new, and Steven Jacobs found a new happiness and a renewed feeling for life. Giving the children the gift of his stories brought him out of his dark world and made him feel needed again. His daughter and her husband had again asked him to stay with them. The only condition was that in the spring, the stories would be moved from their family room onto their large covered porch. Steven agreed!
22. The children continued to come to listen to the stories. Soon, there were so many they became difficult to control when the stories were finished.
23. The neighbors complained about the noise and the children running across their lawns. They said the stories should