Just Say No

Just Say No (Fiction) It seemed that this old man appeared out of nowhere, because no one seemed to have known or ever seen him before. But in the town square, he started to gather all the young men that he could, and invited them to listen to him for just a little while. He could not stand for any length of time; so he sat down on the bench and started to speak. The old man said, “Gentlemen, I learned my lesson, but not before I ruined my life on wine and women. I have since been changed, but I am still ashamed and not proud". "I am ashamed and not proud of the pain that I have caused to myself, my family, and so many others. I once was young, but by God’s grace I am now old. I know that my time is short, but I have one last mission to complete before I die. That mission is to tell and teach other men, especially the young ones like you, that they must learn how to say “No”. It was very clear to all, that he needed to say no more. So without another word, the old man stood up and slowly walked away. And also without a word, except for one young man, all the other young men slowly walked away. But there was one who could not simply walk away without a little meditation and a prayer. He could not erase the sight of the old man from his mind. He knew that the old man made eye contact with him, and he felt as if he was in a 'one on one' conversation with the old man. His name was Gab, and he began to pray. “Lord, you said to me and to all the rest, give your wife your very best. turn from enticements, and build your own nest". After a pause, Gab continued, “Lord, there is a jungle out there, and many fail the test. Many succumb to temptations, unable to endure the stress. They fail to discipline themselves, I guess. They fail to realize that they settle for less. They don’t understand that they stand to lose all that they invest; and that it takes effort to avoid all the mess; And finally, Gab said: “Lord, thank you for bringing the old man into my life. I must simply learn to say no: not yes. I must choose for the days of my life to remain happy and bright. O Lord, someone must choose to do it right. Lord, it might as well be me. O Lord, give me more grace. Lord, why can it not be me? O Lord, let it be me”. Amen. 031708 contest, What Would You Say, 1st Place(11/07/15) 06192016 PS contest entry, First Place Only 11, Laura Loo