The Parable of the Cannoli

Something happened to me right before

 I got into my first real car accident.

I live in Greenwich, CT 

right now. I have a really fun 

job and I love the area.

Two weeks after moving here,

I had been familiar with

the grocery stores,

the libraries and

the roads.

One night I was at the grocery store,

walking past the bakery..

And there it was starring me 

back in the face.

It wanted me to

take it home.

It was a cannoli

There was no one else around.

No cashier, no sales clerk.

SO MAYBE I DIDNT NEED ONE.

I wanted one so bad, I tracked someone down.

She had never worked in the bakery.

and didn't know the prices anyways,

how was I supposed to purchase it?

SO MAYBE I DIDNT NEED ONE.

She decided to give me a deal, but then she whispered and 

looked around alot, like this deal was a secret deal,

She said 2.50 and piled four into a carton.

And set one aside for herself.

I wondered the real price of these.

I wondered this for days, and soon,

I did not feel good about my cannoli indulgence..

hmm..symbolic.

So I headed back to that bakery to pay the difference.

No one sells a cannoli for 2.50

let alone 2.50 for 4.

As I approached the bakery counter the Bakery Manager came out with two of his employees and

listened to my story

as I explained that I needed to pay the difference.

When I asked him the price of one cannoli,

he said: 3.99

I was obviously in debt to them.

"how much do I owe you?"

"You came back to the bakery to

tell me you owe me?  Your honesty is your payment."

"are you sure? I questioned him.

Yes, he slipped into the back and his employee

asked where I was from.

Utah.

"oh, are you a mormon?"

"yes"

"Was it your mormon honesty

that brought you back

to the bakery today?"

"yes"

He gave me a free cannoli

and I left

repeating the experience in my mind.

Mormon honesty

Your honesty is your payment.

I did not want a cannoli as

payment 

I did not seek praises of man.

I seek honesty with myself,

with the Lord and with those around.

I'm grateful for the ushering of the still small voice.

For he reminded me, small things make a difference.

I have new friends at the bakery, that know

they can count of me for honesty.

This has heightened my sense of honesty.

and I don't buy any more cannoli(s)....

No because of the experience,

but because I don't need them..

This little parable,

this little stuffed shell,

holds a memory in my 

heart for

your honesty is your payment.