13 October 2011

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.



3 comments:

Stacylyn said...

Awesome Story!!

Anonymous said...

Oh my good gravy. I love this.

Little City Farm said...

Great story, but you should go back and have an occasionally cannoli. If not for yourself, perhaps for me. lol