The Chocolate Bar and the Soldier

He stood there with grease up and down his woolen uniform Tears drenched his solemn pale face From beneath the bunker he crawled belly first Corpses of soldiers scattered like red leaves in a Mideast autumn day But here no wind was blowing No noise but the tears and sniffling of the young Dutch boy He came out from where he was hiding Beneath a German tiger tank They stood there engaging eyes upon each other Neither knowing what to expect of the other The soldier reached deep in his knapsack for a treasure that would bring a momentary smile Broken in several pieces he sensed, but not melted A sigh of relief as he attempted to reach out to the little man Not more than ten years old but forced to deal with the pain of a never ending war Forced to mature overnight as the bodies of his parents were already carried away On the backs of wagons With dirt and grime wedged beneath his war torn hands he reached out He reached out to touch the little boy’s hand From behind him he presented a gift as though it was Christmas morn A single Hershey’s chocolate bar to soften his heart The boy reached out and took the bar excitedly Never expecting to find chocolate amongst the ruins of his once beautiful town Never expecting to even find a friendly face that would be interested in how he felt either He stood there eating the chocolate bar slowly Savoring each morsel of kindness The soldier disappeared into the darkness The boy stood there contemplating the moment he met this angelic soldier They would be forever friends in his heart The little man with his chocolate bar and the soldier Gwendolen Rix 10-28-14