To God be the Glory
Roses
The day was humid that Regina called him. He was so excited! He met Regina at camp and had been wanting to ask her out every since. He dressed and raced through the streets. After one brief stop, he arrived at the coffee shop. Regina was there,- with Bro. Martin. In excitement, she greeted him and explained the reason for her call. She went on and on about the Young People's meeting and how good he was on the drums. Bro. Martin nodded his agreement. Al was shocked. "Regina!, " he said, purposely intterrupting her, "you didn't call me cause you like me?" Bro. Martin looked around the coffee shop. He muttered, " l love how they did those windows..." he excused himself from the table. Regina stared at Al. She narrowed her eyes, then shook her head. "Wait, what? Look, if i ever gave you the impression that I was interested in you like that, I am sorry..." Al listened, more angry than embarrassed. He spent a lot of time being nice to to her, hoping she'd see that he liked her. And she was nice in return! Regina did not leave until he agreed to play for the meeting. Bro. Martin returned to the table. "I'll take care of this.' he said, picking up the check. He looked directly at Al. "Also, do not be affected by Regina. She is very sweet, and you are not the first young man to be bitten by the Gina Bug. She says she is just too busy and too young to be quote messing around with men right now-im too young to be thinking bout marriage ! unquote." Bro. Martin slapped him gently on the back, and caught up with his sister.
Al was upset. He walked home slowly. Once inside of the apartment house, he stood at the mailbox, flustered. He did not understand women. From his place beneath the stairs he could see the landlady, Mrs. Grimes. She stood at the bottom of the rail, ready for her usual staredown. In anger, his grip tightened around the rejected roses. The thorns dug into his skin. "Ow!" He glanced over at Mrs. Grimes. She seemed to be waiting.
Everyday since he began to rent from her, she stared at him. It seemed she purposely waited for him to come home. Everyday, she was there, leaning in anticipation, at the bottom of the stairs. In the beginning he used to speak to her but she was always rude in return. She seemed crabby and fine with it. Al just wasn't in the mood for this today! 'Let her stare' he thought. He would outwait her. He stepped back to lean on the wall. He sorted through his mail. "We don't loiter in the hall!" she quipped. As if she didn't speak, Al sauntered over to the stairs. He sighed and sat on the bottom row. "We don't sit on the stairs!" Mrs. Grimes said quickly.
Al looked over at the older woman. He was trying to remain calm. Why was she so mean? And why did she stare him down every day? Her eyes rested on the roses in his hand. She squeezed the rail as she stared. He stood, looming over her. He looked past her grey white hair, and foggy grey eyes. He should fuss her out; just really let her have it. But he couldn't. Besides,that idea was completely ungodly, this little old woman was no threat to him. He smiled at her. "These are for you." Immediately, both vein streaked hands shot out. She grabbed the roses in expertise, never touching a thorn. She closed her eyes as she smelled them. Almost hugging them, she kept her eyes shut. Al saw tears squeezing out from them. Hastily, she tried to wipe them away. Still, they escaped and flowed heavily down the sides of her little face. She opened her eyes. "Thank you." she said to Al. He was moved. He stepped toward her. In his surprise, she thrust her head into his chest and arm. "It's been a long time since I've seen any part of kindness." she told him.
Tears continued to flow as she raised her head to push him gently toward her door. It was open. Al's heart melted. Inside of the room lingered the faint smell of roses. He stared at the rose induced decor. Mrs. Grimes spoke from beside him. "My husband was a good man. There wasn't a day that he did not bring me at least one rose. I learned how to make rose water, rose tea, rose bookmarks, flattened some, kept some in vases..." Al did not have to ask what happened to her husband. The photographs of the smiling, blushing couple were numerous. His heart went out to this little woman. "So, again, thank you." she said to him. She looked cheerier, Al thought. She walked back toward the door. Al stayed where he was. "Mrs. Grimes," he said, very gently. She turned to look at him. "It is clear that your husband loved you very much." She nodded. Al continued, " But you should thank God for the roses- not me. And he" Al added "Loves you more than your husband ever could." Al watched as the woman's mouth flew open. She covered it with her hand. Once more, tears flowed from her eyes. "Take me with you, Al." she said pleadingly, "The next time that you go to church, will you take me with you? I want to know the wonderful God that Loves me so much!"
Al played air drums as he ascended the stairs. He walked toward his apartment in peace. "Thank You, God. " he said, "Thank you for the roses."
