I met her when I was a boy. It was a double-dog dare. I drew the short straw—I have a history of drawing the short straw.
She was standing outside the supermarket, ringing a bell, wearing a Santa hat. I’d heard my mother say she was a little “off.” My father called her plumb nuts.
“Merry Christmas,” she said. She handed me a dollar bill, smacked my hindparts, then shook her bell.
I ran back to the gang. They hollered, “Did she give you a dollar? Did she smack your hiney? Is she REALLY crazy?”
Yes. Yes. Not sure.
We inspected the George Washington. On it were hearts, drawn in red marker. And red words: “For prayer, call this number…”
She must’ve handed out mountains of those bills to folks coming and going. People all looked at her with confused looks.
When I hit college, I had to write a semester paper on misunderstood people who were “different.” Miss Martha was the first who came to mind.
I found the old woman through a friend of a friend. The woman’s daughter answered the phone and said, “Mama’s been gone for years now, but I can tell you about her.”
It went like this:
She worked as a custodian. And one December, she volunteered to be a bell-ringer.
Her first day, she ran into a young man who said he was depressed. She took the man aside and prayed with him for an hour. Before they parted ways, she wrote her number on a piece of paper and said, “Call me, anytime.”
The man never called. He took his own life days later.
It changed her. She started cashing paychecks into one-dollar bills, scribbling her number on them.
“Mama,” her daughter asked. “Why not write your number on plain paper?”
“Folks throw away paper,” she said. “Nobody throws away a dollar.”
She was right. Phone calls trickled in for nearly a decade. All kinds. All hours. People with problems. Men whose wives left. Children who were grieving parents. Heartbroken teenagers.
Sometimes at night, her daughter recalls her mother shuffling into the kitchen, half asleep, answering a phone, then praying until sunup.
“How’d you get my dollar?” the old woman would ask.
Answers were always different.
The farthest phone call came from Wyoming. A woman who’d been diagnosed with cancer. She prayed long and hard.
She prayed for anyone who dialed the number. The desperate, depressed, degenerates, and snot-nosed kids calling from curiosity.
Like me.
Anyway, she quit doing it decades ago. Age caught up with her. Age catches everyone.
She died of pneumonia, in her own bed. And I understand a varied lot attended her funeral. Some from church, others from support groups.
“She’d wait in parking lots after A.A. meetings just to pray for folks. They’d stand in line to let her lay hands on’em.”
There were so many dollars in her casket, you couldn’t see her dress.
“Mama was a different woman,” said her daughter. “I can accept that now. She wasn’t perfect, but she taught me how to care.”
Sometimes, I wish I’d never spent that dollar she gave me. But then, I hope it found its way into the hands of someone who needed it.
I got a C on my college paper.
Miss Martha got an A plus when she met the one who listens to all prayers.
13 comments
Vicky Dethloff - December 20, 2017 1:45 pm
That stiry is priceless!
paula jones - December 20, 2017 2:33 pm
Your’s is a Martha. Mine is a Luby (rhymes with a female anatomy part). I wonder how she’s diong now.
Jan - December 20, 2017 3:10 pm
We need more people who are “different” like Miss Martha and we need you to tell their story!
Thank you, Sean!
Carlin Brooks - December 20, 2017 3:45 pm
God, please make me “different” like Martha … and Sean. Merry Christmas.
Pat - December 20, 2017 4:26 pm
Perfection!
Jack Darnell - December 20, 2017 7:14 pm
Yes, there are some sweet ‘different’ folk in this world. I have met one I will NEVER forget.
Wendy - December 20, 2017 8:01 pm
Just who determines who’s different? The fact that Miss Martha genuinely cared for others is much more important!
Thank you, Sean, for telling us about this kind, unselfish soul.
Linda Akers - December 20, 2017 9:29 pm
Oh my, you never fail to touch my heart.
Joann Sparling - December 20, 2017 9:35 pm
Your stories are always an inspiration to me. If I don’t read anything else I will always read yours. Thank you for every one you write!
Roger Woods - December 21, 2017 2:22 am
Amen!
Janet Mary Lee - December 21, 2017 5:06 am
This one kind of took my breathe away for a minute while my eyes welled up. My gosh…
A special prayer for her, and all those like her..
Sharon Allemang - December 22, 2017 5:54 pm
Another beautiful read!! I saved up 3 columns & read them today, back to back!! Each was unique & elicited 3 different emotions from me!! All were needed & appreciated.. Thanx Sean you & your writings are a blessing in my life.. I shared your writings with 2 of my best friends.. Hope they were as blessed as I am!
Kathy - January 20, 2018 10:35 pm
Shared this with family and friends. It really touched me and made me realize how little I do to benefit others. But it’s not just about how you’re currently running the race….but how you finish it.