- A tale of Two Fourths  -
Written by: Rabbite



“Service is the rent we pay for our own room on earth.”
Elder Russell C. Taylor
Of the First Quorum of the Seventy
Ensign, Nov. 1984, 23




Within a small county, in the smallest of the states,
inside the smallest gathering of stores and other traits.
Is a ordinary ice cream shop, with an ordinary staff,
and an ordinary waitress, bored to tears with her path.

With each passing day, she nearly wells herself to tears,
for work at such a tedious pace was greatest of her fears.
When suddenly, upon this shop, a young boy had just set foot,
with worn out clothes and frozen toes, his face covered in soot.

And to the counter, he did go, as quiet as can be,
where there he waited, calm and patient, for the him the girl to see.
She turned and saw this little boy, rather stout and stable,
who barely had the strength or height to see over the table.

With a worried look and a lifted eye she asked with a impatient voice,
"Is there something you'd like to buy or what? Hurry make your choice!"
The boy seemed rather shy at first, for the girl was rather tense,
and reaching into his pocket he withdrew his 50 cents.

"How much" He did ask, with a voice so queer and faint,
"Is the Ice Cream Sunday that you serve with the chocolate paint?" 
The waitress (Who seemed at first suprised the boy could pay)
Responded, "That'll be 50 cents, is that all you'll have today?"

The boy adjusted all his quarters gently in his hand,
Then said with a bigger smile, "My that does sound grand."
But after checking once again, the money he did bring,
It seemed to him that with that treat, he'd forget one important thing.

So again he posed a question, to the waitress with some esteem,
"How much then, would it cost, for just a normal bowl of Ice Cream."
The waitress sighed, and rolled her eyes, as impatiently as can be,
and said to him "Just a single 25, now hurry, this stuff ain't free!"

And again the boy adjusted cents and thought a long long while,
and just before the waitress yelled he said, "One Ice Cream" and smiled.
The waitress shook her head and served, and left the boy alone,
and she found herself rather greatful, when atlast he left for home.

That night she was the last to leave, for it was her turn to clean,
and on the counter, shining bright, A quarter could be seen.
It layed upon the young boy's check, right beside the other,
To serve as a quarter tip, and rest beside it's brother.

And now dear Mom, I have for you, a present if you will,
something not bright or shiney, but indeed may fit the bill.
For something just as precious, as the gift of time,
is to give to you, my parent, a little bit of mine.

I'll offer to you, to the best I can, 25 minutes of each day,
where I'll be in your service, and help to earn my pay.
And I will try, as best I can, to not groan or complain.
for if this promise were to break, I'd have myself to blame.

So now I leave you dearly, with this bit of christmas cheer,
and hope to give you even more for your present the next year.
For after all my dear sweet mom, I have still this to say,
I'd gladly tip you 25, for the 50, you give each day.