The Monster Under the Bed

The orphan boy and old man shared a stare. The orphan had no one to give him love, "I am alone." This thought held tight his mind. The older man pondered aloud "Like me!" "But I am old, too old to raise a child." The old man looked to God to help him see. A purpose for his life this boy could be. Kindness, this old man showed this orphaned child. To share with him, his home and share a life. He placed the boy a bed in his bedroom. So started life anew -a tie was born. Morning lay the boy asleep on the floor. With puzzled face the old man ask "For why?" He held the little boy in aging arms. "A monster, I fear lives underneath my bed. I was safer, as I slept close to you." "Monsters give us much dread." the old man said. "We must remove this monster right away! We're off to town to find a monster bat. That beast we'll drag from underneath your bed. And beat that monster all about his head" Returning from town the old man had a plan. "I will slide you under your bed and then You grab ahold of monster by trunk or limb. Then I will pull you out monster and all, Then you can beat that monster with a bat." The boy thought about the old man's plan, With nod of head the battle then began. The old man slid the boy under the bed The boy quickly latched on a woolly leg The man pulled monster and boy clear of the bed. Up jumped the boy and took the bat in hand. The bat he swung above his head and then A Teddy Bear was all that lay in sight. The old man's face was all wrinkles and grins. "A lesson did we learn about monsters? Such brave a lad to face-up to his fears." The boy was now in his last year in school. A collage scholarship the boy had won. A man gave thanks to a very old man For sharing home and life and lessons learned. For teaching about life, love, family. By now the old man's time was drawing short. One more lesson he had to teach his boy, The old man looked to God to help him see. Through his tears through his pain, the young man smiled. That death was not to fear but was to face. Last words on earth this old man ever said. "death is just the monster underneath the bed."