> The Leather Jacket > > The leather jacket, once the proud work of a skillful artisan, now lay > on a heap in a secondhand store. Once stiff and full of gloss, it lays > now limp and tattered. Once able to wrap itself around the handsomest of > men and provide great glory, its life is now at an end. Depressed and > alone, it could only reminisce about the life it had. > > It was first purchased by a rich man for quite a hefty sum. Then passed > down to a chauffeur, where it graced the most wonderful cars imaginable. > Then, while it lay lazily across the seat at night in an unlocked car, > right in the middle of its life, it was stolen. Now keeping company with > a thief, it was not as happy, as a matter of fact, it was ashamed. > > It was horrified at the gun and stolen cash that had been shoved in its > ample pockets. That's when it began to lose its shine. It did not get > the proper care and handling as before. It was the beginning of the end. > The jacket was thrown in corners and walked on, almost never hung up. It > grew bitter and hard. Now with its pockets torn it still held weapons > and stolen property. > > The leather jacket, never thinking much about its people before now, for > some unknown reason, began to like its owner. It happened one night when > its companion was very cold. The owner grasped the jacket and pulled it > close around his body, as he sat alone in the park. > > The jacket realized no one loved the owner and the jacket was all he > had. For all his crimes he never kept anything, it was all quickly gone. > All that stayed was the jacket, because in its condition, it was not > valuable to anyone else. The hardness and the bitterness melted away. It > now felt sorrow for the person who clung to it so desperately. > > One day, as weather permitted, it was taken off and left behind. It was > found by a woman and child and placed in a paper bag, with other used > items, for the needy. > > Now here it lay. > > Finally hands picked it up, assessed its value and hung it up, along > with other garments. There were cloth jackets, wool jackets, and > corduroy but none were leather like him. All were in better condition > and all with tales to tell. Some had been all over the world. > Some had graced the shoulders of famous people, but none had stories > quite as exquisite or experiences quite as nasty as Leather. He listened > quietly, never revealing very much, so his companions had begun to > believe he'd had quite an unsavory life. > > Some associated his color with bad, though it was not possible for a > color to influence abilities. He didn't care what they thought and > didn't care when they considered themselves better. Leather could not > help where he had been and he could not help what he had done. > > Many people came by and touched the jackets, taking them out one by one, > looking them over and placing them back on the rack. Leather was quite > startled when one such person flung him across his arm. He recognized > this person. > He had been in the park offering food to his previous owner. He was a > minister. > > "Oh no, God don't let this person take me. I am sure I would not be > suitable for whatever he has in mind. I have been in the worst of places > and done the most despicable things. I am not worthy, let the man see my > tears and tatters and place me back." > > Now God looked down at the little jacket and moved the man to lift > Leather up and examine it again. As the man's eyes fell on the rips and > imperfections, like magic, they were restored. Now the jacket hung on > the hanger like new. All the other jackets were amazed and were placed > back on the rack. > > Leather spoke to God again. "What are you doing? > I am so unworthy." > > "But," God explained, "you are exactly what I am looking for. You will > be used for the people you loved the most, the people with the most > need. > When you have been bad yourself, you can forgive evil. Because you have > been down in the gutter, you can you understand the people there. > You will know where the chill is most severe, where the frost bites the > hardest." > > "You were not stolen by accident. You were being prepared. And now, you > are just what I need." > > "One time I came down, to understand the people and someone stole > something that belonged to me, something I wrapped in leather. It was > shamed and taken to places it didn't want to go. He ripped and bruised > it, thinking he had surely destroyed its purpose. Now I'm sure, he must > realize, he only filled my worst need." > > «:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«^i^MISSI ^i^«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§« Richiele Marie [email protected] (Missi) I disbelieved in reincarnation in my last life, too. »§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«:*´`³¤³´`*:»§«