Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

Then we had an awful winter with a massive snowfall. We wereout of coal, but the snow was so bad, even if we had all themoney in the world, I doubt we could have lured the coal mandown to our house. We had friends in the area who would havegiven us some coal, but we were cut off because of the snow.Desperately, I began to break up some old tables and chairs tokeep the fire going.This neighbor across the road was our only contact with the outsideworld. He came over and inquired, “Are you all right, Mr.Burt? Do you have plenty of coal?”There was no use telling a lie. “No,” I admitted, “we have noneleft.”“You know,” Ron said, “I don’t want you to be without a fire.”He was a miner who got a ton of coal allotted to him each monthand his coal storage house was always stacked up with coal. “Ifyou need any, let me know.”“I could do with some,” I admitted.Smiling and beaming, Ron pulled the coal over on a sledge. “Youknow, we are good neighbors, Mr. Burt. Good neighbors. Youcouldn’t lend me five shillings until Friday, could you?” So westarted the lending again. I had to admit that God had indeedlocked me up to that man.Ron’s little girl, Diane, used to run up to me when I would leaveto go out on my rounds and would ask, “Mr. Burt, will you giveme a ride?”Sometimes I would give her a ride to the bottom of the road, butthis one day, I was in a hurry. “I’m sorry, I can’t give you a ridetoday.”“Oh please, Mr. Burt,” she begged, “just a little ride.”“All right,” I replied. “I will take you down only as far as twolamp posts. I’m in a hurry today and can’t take you any farther.”So I picked her up in my arms and put her in the van. I drovedown to the second lamp, and leaving her there, I continueddown the road.103