The Damned Evening News

Hell is a remote-control away, you can see it any time you want. Which is probably why folks think there's more hate out there than love.

New Orleans, Louisiana—I saw a homeless man playing guitar. His Labrador sat nearby. His singing voice sounded like a tin bucket scraping against concrete.

The man’s cardboard tip-box was overflowing. Folks took turns throwing handfuls of money in, then they stroked the dog.

The man said he’d found the dog underneath a bridge, years earlier. When he found her, she was even skinnier than he was. He gave her all the food he had, and went to bed hungry.

“This is my girl,” the man said, patting the Labrador’s ribcage. “I thank God for her every day. And she’s my biggest money-maker. Without her, we wouldn’t eat. People just love her.”

But not as much as he does.

Mobile, Alabama—inside Target, a woman’s purse fell from her cart, she didn’t know it. Without skipping a beat, a scruffy boy in a hoodie came behind her. He gathered the contents, then chased after her.

“Ma’am!” he said. “Your purse!”

You should’ve seen the look on her face.

And mine.

Pensacola, Florida—a parade downtown. I watched an old man struggle to keep up with his family. He moved slow with his walking stick, then fell knees-first on the sidewalk. The noise of the crowd drowned out his shouts.

Two college girls stopped to help him up. They escorted him along the sidewalk, one girl for each arm. The man tried to pay them. They refused. Instead, they spent the next few hours beside him, watching the floats go by, arm in arm.

Montgomery, Alabama—Bo hunts deer. He processes the meat himself, making it into ground venison, sausages, and steaks. Then, he takes it to the nursing home where his mother lives. He stocks the cafeteria freezer.

“I ain’t had deer in years,” said Bo. “Mama and all her boyfriends eat it all up.”

Thursday night is chili-night. Bo plays guitar for his mama and the aforementioned boyfriends. He plays songs like: “Little Brown Church In The Vale,” and, “Old Rugged Cross.”

“I do it ’cause they can’t get out for Sunday services anymore,” he said. “Shoot, I love singing them songs.”

I’ll bet they do, too.

Listen, I watched the news last night, and I’m sorry I did. The broadcast showed our world crumbling, complete with video footage. Violent crimes, shootings, and blood-curdling pharmaceutical commercials. Terrorists killing people, people killing terrorists, politicians killing both.

Hell is a remote-control away, you can see it any time you want. Which is probably why folks think there’s more hate out there than love. Well, who knows, maybe they’re right.

But.

I know a Labrador who believes otherwise.

11 comments

  1. Susan Irene Fox - June 27, 2016 3:00 pm

    Tears.
    Yes, there is good. His name is God. We only need to open our eyes. He is right there in front of us, every day.
    Thanks for this Sean.

    Reply
  2. Lynn - June 27, 2016 5:40 pm

    Thank you, I need that….the world needs to read and see that, God bless your words.

    Reply
  3. Margie - July 12, 2016 12:34 am

    Like a cool drink of water on a hot day, we need to hear these stories desperately. It can be so depressing to hear the happenings we are bombarded with each evening on the nightly news. Thank God to know that there are good people out there among us, we just have to open our eyes & hearts to them.

    Reply
  4. Sharon Goodwin - September 23, 2016 2:12 pm

    On a recent motorcycle trip, due to bd weather we had to leave a campground and find different shelter. Small town, no rooms available, dark, rainy, getting darker, raining harder. 17 miles up the road, stopped at a convenience store to get a suggestion. I interrupted two ladies chatting at the counter, told them my predicament, which also included no cell service. Customer lady said, ” no problem, I’m sure I can find you something. My phone’s out in the truck, follow me.” The lady behind the counter gave her a souvenir map with a few dozen phone #’s , we stood under the gas pump overhang and she began to dial. After 6 tries, and a constant shaking of her head to indicate ‘no luck’, I said, “mam’, I have wasted enough of your time tonight, we’ll just go on up the road, we’ll find something….” I turned and walked back to my husband and our friend waiting on the other side of the gas pumps. “HEY! LADY!”, she called out, “Do you want to come stay in my condo?”… “My boyfriend and I just moved in together and we’re gonna sell the condo but no one is staying in it tonight.” A total stranger just offered 3 total strangers a safe, dry place to sleep. We followed her to the condo, she let us in and after we dried off I said, ” can I introduce myself to you now? ” and I laughed at the insanity of the situation. We shared names and hugs… she said, “I sure wouldn’t want my momma out in a night like this, just lock the door tomorrow when you leave.” Some of my family was basically horrified that we slept at a stranger’s home, ( you coulda been killed!) but my children (about the same age as the stranger) said, ” I sure glad my momma wasn’t out in a night like that….)

    Reply
    • LindaD - April 14, 2017 1:29 pm

      I love that story. There are good people everywhere, and they usually turn up when you need them most.

      Reply
  5. Melissa Sanders - September 24, 2016 4:40 am

    You always help me remember the good in this world. Thank you.

    Reply
  6. Deanna - April 14, 2017 11:10 am

    Thanks, this is a great reminder of Gods Blessings!

    Reply
  7. Katie Maiorano - April 14, 2017 12:15 pm

    Wonderful, uplifting words with powerful messages. Than you for reminding me of my blessings!!

    Reply
  8. Karen - April 14, 2017 2:49 pm

    Wonderful reminder that we have the power to alter our perspective of the world, if we just look in the right places.

    Reply
  9. Janice Smith - April 14, 2017 4:20 pm

    Keep the Good News coming!
    Because He Lives!!

    Reply
  10. Catherine Weed - April 14, 2017 9:06 pm

    Amen!

    Reply

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