Tuesday, March 27, 2007

[story] Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries

Story I made up today, to go with the song Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries:

My grandfather worked in a coal mine. And like everyone who worked in a coal mine, he dreamed of becoming filthy rich. But of course, no one was rich. Everyone was just, well, filthy. But since my grandfather had nothing to lose, he lived a simple, carefree life.

One day he was working in a corner of the mine by himself, pulling overtime to make a few extra bucks. Suddenly, something sparkled in the dark. He leaned to look closer, and there it was -- a big handful of perfect pieces of diamonds!

His hearts was pounding and his palms were sweating. But as calmly as he could, he picked up the diamonds, and put them in his pockets.

For the next day and next night, my grandfather couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't talk to his friends, and couldn't even have a beer with them anymore. So he left. For the next few months, he lived in the mountains. Now he was not only filthy, he was also lonely and scared -- paranoid that people would discover his diamonds and take them away.

One afternoon he was taking a nap by the river, clutching tightly to his little sack of treasure as usual. Suddenly he heard a woman scream, "Help! I can't swim! Help!"

He jumped up, and without thinking, dove into the water. In the most heroic fashion, he saved the lady.

As they were making their way back to the shore, a beautiful eagle appeared out of nowhere. They looked up to admire the bird. And suddenly, it swooped down, picked up the sack of diamonds, and just as quickly as it came, it was gone.

My grandfather's jaw just dropped straight through the floor. And the lady was concerned, "Is everything okay? I hope you didn't lose something important?"

Now you would think that at this point, my grandfather would be desperate, angry, bitter ... He just saved a life! And he's rewarded by losing the biggest jackpot of his life? But strangely, he wasn't desperate, angry, or bitter. Instead, he felt a great sense of relief, as if a huge burden just disappeared.

He turned to the lady, and with the most gorgeous smile he said, "Oh, it was just some rocks. I am glad you are okay."

The lady was so grateful, "Thank you so much for saving me. My father owns the coal mine up the river. Would you like to take me back? I am sure he would want to thank you in person."

That lady, ended up as my grandmother.

Life has a funny way of working itself out, doesn't it?
Life is just a bowl of cherries
Don't take it serious,
Life's too mysterious
You work, you save, you worry so
But you can't take your dough
When you go, go, go

So keep repeating "It's the berries."
The strongest oak must fall
The sweet things in life
To you were just loaned
So how can you lose
What you've never owned

Life is just a bowl of cherries
So live and laugh at it all!