UNCLE  ED

In the "good ole days" there were always store philosophers who spent their days discussing the business of the world and determining ways things in life could be made just a little bit better. Growing up I was always amazed at how the same people could always be found around the old potbelly stoves located in these country merchandise establishments day after day and still manage to make a living. It seemed to me that they would sooner or later have to go home and go to work on the farm. However, no matter when you visited the store they would be there waxing beautifully on days gone by.

     An elderly gentlemen that everyone called "Uncle Ed" ran one such store and it had its share of store setters. 

      "Uncle Ed" was a very religious man and after every sale he  would come up with a Bible verse that in some way pertained to what was sold or who bought it. For example, one day a small boy came in and bought a sack of flour and some dye for his mama. 

 Before "Uncle Ed" rang up the sale he said, "Suffer the little children and come unto me."

        Another time a young man came by the store and bought his father and mother an anniversary present.

"Uncle Ed" said as he punched the sale button on the old cash register,  "Honor your father and mother."  

He was very creative in his daily store devotionals and all the store setters were always interested in what "Uncle Ed" would quote.

        One day, a stranger stopped by and was needing the
assistance of "Uncle Ed" due to an accident he had with a cup of
coffee. He was a business man from the "big city". 

It seems the city business man stopped a little too quick at the crossroads and had spilled his coffee all over his fancy dress shirt. He was on his way to a very important meeting in Nashville and was needing a new shirt to replace the one he spilled coffee all over.

        "Uncle Ed" told him he did have dress shirts in stock and he would go in the back room  and get his size.  He brought the white shirt out to the counter and asked $5 for the purchase.

The business man seemed to be insulted that the shirt cost so little. So, "Uncle Ed" returned to the back room and brought out another shirt, this time asking $20 for the business man's purchase.

        The business man was still insulted. He told "Uncle Ed", "I am a very important man. I am heading to Nashville to close a multi-million dollar deal and there is no way I will show up for that meeting in a $20 shirt. Don't you have anything better?"

        Of course all the store setters knew "Uncle Ed" only had one
kind of dress shirt. They were white and usually cost $5, but "Uncle Ed" had been going into the back room and bringing out the same shirt and changing the price just to please the business man.

        Once again, "Uncle Ed" made his trip to the back room and brings out the same shirt, but asking this time $50 for the white shirt. 

This pleased the business man and he paid "Uncle Ed" and headed on his way to his important meeting in Nashville.

        The time had now come for "Uncle Ed" to press the sale button and record the sale of the white shirt. Before pressing the button he looked toward the back of the store and saw all of the store setters waiting for the Bible verse he would place on this unusual business transaction. 

You could have heard a pin drop as the old store owner cleared his throat and slowly pushed the button.

        As the cash register rang "Uncle Ed" said in a loud clear voice, "He was a stranger and I TOOK HIM IN!"

~author unknown~

Background music: Wayfaring Stranger

Thanks for visiting the old country store; have you ever been "taken in"?