My favorite quotes and sayings

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticeda small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrilyapprising a basket of freshly picked green peas. I paid for my potatoesbut was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushoverfor creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't helpoverhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) andthe ragged boy next to me. "Hello Barry, how are you today?""H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas. They surelook good.""They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?""Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.""Good. Anything I can help you with?""No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.""Would you like to take some home?" asked Mr. Miller."No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.""Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?""All I got's my prize marble here.""Is that right? Let me see it" said Miller."Here 'tis.. She's a dandy.""I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort ofgo for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?" the store ownerasked."Not zackley but almost.""Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip thisway let me look at that red marble". Mr. Miller told the boy."Sure will.. Thanks Mr. Miller."Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With asmile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community,all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargainwith them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come backwith their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't likered after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a greenmarble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to thestore."I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A shorttime later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of thisman, the boys, and their bartering for marbles. Several years went by,each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion tovisit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was therelearned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation thatevening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompanythem. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet therelatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort wecould. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an armyuniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and whiteshirts....all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller,standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of theyoung men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with herand moved on to the casket.Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young manstopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand inthe casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and remindedher of the story from those many years ago and what she had told meabout her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening,she took my hand and led me to the casket."Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about.They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim "traded" them.Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color orsize....they came to pay their debt.""We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world," sheconfided, "but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man inIdaho."With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceasedhusband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.The Moral : We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kinddeeds.