Merry Chirstmas to all, A holiday story by Jack
" ONE ARM MIKE"
Mike was a retired miner about 60 years old. some called him a bum others a drunk. Mike lived about a block from my parents home. Late afternoon Mike would pass our house on the way to the corner bar. By darkness he'd pass again drunk as a sailor. That Fall 1958 of November, we had a 6-8" snow. That evening my Mom asked me to run to the corner store for lunch meat. As I walked up the hill I heard faint moaning. I found Mike sprawled in the snow. It was some 20 degrees and Mike could not get up because of the stump arm. Help me, help me!, please, Mike cried. I was big for my age and on the second heave I got Mike onto his feet. Carefully I walked him to his house & laid him on the Sofa. I pulled some of the wet clothes off & his shoes & found a blanket & covered him. I told my Mom what happened & what I did & she said I should check on him in the morning. Mike was awake when I go there & I asked if he was OK & did he need a Doctor? No, no he pleaded, just stay here for a while. I left him at Suppertime & came back with some hot soup. Come on try this, you have to eat something. I can' move my arms he said, so I found a big spoon in the kitchen & fed him. He finally drifted off & I went home. For the next few weeks I went to his house before school and around supper time to tend to him. Mom, bless her, always gave me a hot meal to take to him. One day as he ate he saw me looking at his Stump arm. Jackie, I'll tell you what happened. I started in the mines at age 9 as a mule driver, then a timber man etc. I became a Fire Boss & was in an accident in the mine. my arm was crushed by falling coal. That's when I became a drunk who could no longer work. My wife & two girls left me 13 yrs ago. I was stunned. One day while straightening up his place I found a stack of unopened letters from his girls. I wrote a letter telling them about the accident & to write him. Days went by & no letter, no phone call. Fast forward to December 22 his daughter Susan called my home & asked if I could pick her u at the Bus Station in Tamaqua that they were coming from Connecticut. Of course, I said. My big brother to the rescue. We picked up Susan, her sister Jenny & her little girl Carol. We drov e them to Mikes house and as Mike was sitting on a rocker, in came his little granddaughter Carol running to him calling out Grandpa, Grandpa & jumped into his lap giving him kisses & hugs. Then his two daughters came in & both hugged Old Mike. Mike was shaking & tears running down his cheeks. 13 Years of lonely nights, now my family is here, along with a grandbaby. The sisters thanked us & said we have food & will take care of him from now on. It certainly made my Christmas. Merry Christmas to all my Coal Brothers, Jack
Mike was a retired miner about 60 years old. some called him a bum others a drunk. Mike lived about a block from my parents home. Late afternoon Mike would pass our house on the way to the corner bar. By darkness he'd pass again drunk as a sailor. That Fall 1958 of November, we had a 6-8" snow. That evening my Mom asked me to run to the corner store for lunch meat. As I walked up the hill I heard faint moaning. I found Mike sprawled in the snow. It was some 20 degrees and Mike could not get up because of the stump arm. Help me, help me!, please, Mike cried. I was big for my age and on the second heave I got Mike onto his feet. Carefully I walked him to his house & laid him on the Sofa. I pulled some of the wet clothes off & his shoes & found a blanket & covered him. I told my Mom what happened & what I did & she said I should check on him in the morning. Mike was awake when I go there & I asked if he was OK & did he need a Doctor? No, no he pleaded, just stay here for a while. I left him at Suppertime & came back with some hot soup. Come on try this, you have to eat something. I can' move my arms he said, so I found a big spoon in the kitchen & fed him. He finally drifted off & I went home. For the next few weeks I went to his house before school and around supper time to tend to him. Mom, bless her, always gave me a hot meal to take to him. One day as he ate he saw me looking at his Stump arm. Jackie, I'll tell you what happened. I started in the mines at age 9 as a mule driver, then a timber man etc. I became a Fire Boss & was in an accident in the mine. my arm was crushed by falling coal. That's when I became a drunk who could no longer work. My wife & two girls left me 13 yrs ago. I was stunned. One day while straightening up his place I found a stack of unopened letters from his girls. I wrote a letter telling them about the accident & to write him. Days went by & no letter, no phone call. Fast forward to December 22 his daughter Susan called my home & asked if I could pick her u at the Bus Station in Tamaqua that they were coming from Connecticut. Of course, I said. My big brother to the rescue. We picked up Susan, her sister Jenny & her little girl Carol. We drov e them to Mikes house and as Mike was sitting on a rocker, in came his little granddaughter Carol running to him calling out Grandpa, Grandpa & jumped into his lap giving him kisses & hugs. Then his two daughters came in & both hugged Old Mike. Mike was shaking & tears running down his cheeks. 13 Years of lonely nights, now my family is here, along with a grandbaby. The sisters thanked us & said we have food & will take care of him from now on. It certainly made my Christmas. Merry Christmas to all my Coal Brothers, Jack
- Hambden Bob
- Member
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Christ,Jack!! The Life You Have Led...
Thank You for Sharing it with Us at Christmas! I am Humbled!
Merry Christmas,Jack!!
Thank You for Sharing it with Us at Christmas! I am Humbled!
Merry Christmas,Jack!!
- StokerDon
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Jack, you never cease to amaze me. Another great, hart warming story for our Christmas Eve.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you,
-Don
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you,
-Don
- CoalJockey
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Awesome Jack!
I’m off to a candlelight service and that story just set the mood for me as I wanted it. We don’t always know the impact we are capable of having on others.
Much obliged and Merry Christmas!
I’m off to a candlelight service and that story just set the mood for me as I wanted it. We don’t always know the impact we are capable of having on others.
Much obliged and Merry Christmas!
- freetown fred
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Outstanding Jack--A very Merry Christmas to you & Mags.
-
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People are good , Thanks Jack
- CoalHeat
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Wonderful story Jack, thank you for sharing it. Hope you are having a good Christmas.
- Keepaeyeonit
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Now thats a very fitting story for this time of the year!! Well done Jack
- buffalo bob
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