Compass Points – Celebrate!
A 4th of July Fable
Compass Points – Celebrate!
A 4th of July Fable
July 4, 2024
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Happy Independence Day!
Compass Points salutes the heroes of 1776 who, against all odds, took on the challenge of forging a new nation and won. We who come after them are blessed beyond measure because of their courage and boldness. Today is a day of reflection and celebration. Tomorrow, we return to the work of preserving, protecting, and improving what has been given to us.
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A 4th of July Fable
Welcome to the All American Café
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It was lunchtime at the All American Café, the best spot in town for a wide selection of delicious American food, including tacos, pizza, burgers, bulgogi, and kabobs.
At all the tables, people from every background, every color, and every composition were talking, eating, laughing and enjoying themselves. As a waiter carefully brought to one table a cupcake with a lighted candle, the people at the table began to sing, “Happy Birthday.” Soon, others joined in. It was the 4th of July.
As usual at lunchtime, the busy, noisy place was just about full. And yet it was not absolutely full. There was one large table in the heart of the restaurant that still had many empty seats. The table was round with a gleaming white tablecloth and special silverware. At the exact center of the table was carefully placed a small, elegant silver framed sign. Even though it was a large table, with room for 8 or even 10 people, just one solitary young man sat there slowly eating a burger and fries.
He was a fit young man with a short haircut. He was dressed plainly in jeans and t-shirt, with athletic shoes. He sat relaxed but had a readiness about him as if he might jump up at any second. While he did not draw attention to himself, he repeatedly scanned the entire restaurant. Then, satisfied for the moment, he would take another bite. From time to time, he would sip his glass of water.
As he scanned the room again, the young man’s eyes were drawn to a commotion. One person, dressed in a showy way, was at the waiter’s stand loudly demanding a table, while filming the interaction on his cell.
“I am the world-famous influencer, Sillie N. Selphish.” Sillie paused and looked at the Head Waiter expectantly. The Head Waiter tried to explain there were no tables currently available and he would have to wait.
“I need a table!” yelled Sillie. Although Sillie looked like he was at least in his late thirties, he acted like a bratty 12-year-old.
Soon, the loud, flamboyant individual caught sight of the large table where the young man sat alone. Sillie began pestering the Head Waiter to be seated there. The Head Waiter shook his head firmly and said, “I’m sorry that table is strictly reserved. I cannot seat you there.” The Head Waiter seemed to point toward the small, elegant, silver framed sign at the center of the table.
But Sillie insisted, “Look at all those seats. It’s perfect.”
The Head Waiter said, “I’m sorry, but that table is reserved. You do not qualify to sit there.”
Sillie laughed, “Oh, I qualify. I am hungry and want to eat right now. I qualify.”
Finally, the Head Waiter looked over at the young man at the table as if to say, “What do I do?”
The young man nodded, “It’s okay.”
Picking up a menu, the Head Waiter said, “follow me” and led Sillie to the large, reserved table.
Instead of sitting down at the table, though, Sillie said to the waiter, “Excuse me just a minute. I like to be seen.”
Sillie began to walk throughout the restaurant in an extravagant and ostentatious way, calling attention to himself and waving at people he did not know. Once he had allowed everyone in the restaurant to glimpse him, he returned to the large table.
Sillie N. Selphish seated himself across from the young man. The Head Waiter handed Sillie a menu, rolled his eyes and left. The young man -- still eating his lunch -- looked across the table at Sillie in an amused way, as if to say, “Who are you and why are you at my table?”
The young man looked across the white tablecloth and studied Sillie. Sillie was dressed strangely in a garish red robe and over-sized costume jewelry. He had wild, unkempt hair.
Sillie reached out and picked up the small, silver framed sign at the center of the reserved table. The elegant, silver framed sign read: “Reserved – Table of Heroes.”
Sillie just shrugged his shoulders, put the sign down, looked at the young man and said, “I am the world famous, Sillie N. Selphish.”
The young man looked at Sillie and nodded. He was just about to introduce himself when a rumble of reporters came over and began asking questions and taking photos of Sillie, who luxuriated in the attention.
The young man was ignored by the press and sat looking amused as he continued with his lunch. Once the press had moved on, Sillie said to the young man, “Sorry for the interruption; they follow me everywhere. You were about to tell me ...”
“There you are!” A loud voice boomed. Sillie found himself at the center of attention again as a contingent of men and women in expensive suits shook his hand, patted him on the back, and showered him with attention. Each of the men and women in expensive suits had a large button on their lapel, “Vote for Me!”
“We want to have you over for more hearings,” said one politician.
“Yes, and we put something for you in appropriations!” said another.
After a time, the suit wearing crowd moved on, and the large table was quiet again.
Sillie said, “They just won’t leave me alone. They use me to get themselves votes”
A waiter came to take his order. "Let me take a few more minutes," said Sillie.
Sillie looked over at the young man and asked, "What is good here? What is the best?"
"There are lots of good things here," the young man began, "we have, Opportunity Fajita’s."
Sillie wrinkled up his nose and said, "that's one of those things you have to put together yourself. Too much work."
"Besides," add Sillie, "it's probably only rough opportunity. I only like super smooth opportunity."
"It may only be rough opportunity," said the young man, "but people come from all over to get it."
"There's Freedom Field Greens," continued the young man.
"Too healthy," said Sillie.
"Or maybe Creativity Casserole?"
"Oh no," said Sillie, "there’s no guarantee it will be good."
"And, of course, we have, Faithful Burgers and Productivity Pizza."
With a shake of the head, Sillie said, "those old dishes are not exciting."
"When it's your turn to cook," said the young man, "you can prepare whatever you want."
"What?" Sillie asked.
"Here at the All American Cafe," explained the young man, "we take turns. Some days you are served, other days you do the serving. Some days others cook for you. Sometimes you cook for others."
"That sounds horrible," said Sillie.
"And for dessert, there's Prosperity Pie."
"That sounds better." said Sillie.
Just about then, the Head Waiter returned to the table and after nodding respectfully to the young man, told Sillie that some people at the restaurant had asked if Sillie would give a short speech. Of course, Sillie agreed.
In short order, a podium and microphone were set up. Sillie stood and faced the crowd.
“Life can be hard,” began Sillie. “There are many challenges in the world, many ways that you can work to help others and make the world better.”
The was not a sound in the entire café. Sillie paused and looked at the entire crowd. Finally, with a smile he spoke, “But,” he said, “What fun would that be!” Everyone laughed.
“Be silly! Be selfish!” Everyone cheered as Sillie raised his arms in the air.
The crowd applauded and everyone was excited.
Many teenagers in the Café were particularly excited by Sillie’s words. Most older people, though, had heard the same silly and selfish words many times.
Back at the large round table, Sillie and the young man sat for a moment on opposite sides of the table, not saying anything. Finally, Sillie ordered his typical meal, not some elegant gourmet banquet, but his actual sustenance, a bleak meal of narcissism, envy, and despair. The noxious gruel was set before him in a small, ugly bowl. The concoction was thin, bitter, and, of course, cold. Sillie seemed to like it. As Sillie spooned his gruel, the young man finished his Faithful Burger.
All at once, everyone in the restaurant froze as a loud explosion was heard outside. Conversation ceased. Waiters stopped moving. Laughter was cut off in mid laugh.
After only a brief delay, everyone went back to their conversations. Still, the noise from outside the restaurant never really went away. Outside the Café, artillery rounds impacted, engines revved, and voices screamed. Slowly, oh so slowly, the noises grew.
Everyone in the All American Café kept one ear on the noise outside while pretending to go on with their lunch. The noise from outside grew even louder and, after some time, could no longer be ignored.
The Head Waiter came over to the big table and said, “Once again, there is trouble outside. We need someone to go out there and take care of it.”
At first, no one spoke.
Then Sillie smiled and said, “I would be happy to help, but I’m wearing by newest robe and I can’t get it dirty.”
The Head Waiter did not smile at Sillie’s comment. Both Sillie and the Head Waiter looked over at the young man.
The young man was gone.
Both of them stared at the place where the young man had been.
“Where did he go?” asked Sillie.
The Head Waiter somberly raised his arm and pointed toward the outside.
After a moment, the noise outside doubled itself. Then, it redoubled again. There was a terrible battle in progress. The young man was out there fighting alone. As relentless, unreasoning evil swarmed just outside, the entire Café relied on their solitary champion. Most people prayed.
Sillie, for once, had nothing to say. He nervously wondered if the young man would have the strength to keep the unseen horror from crashing through the walls? Almost in unison, everyone in the Café, held their breath. The battle sounds were ferocious. After long, hesitating halts, the sounds faded, and everyone breathed again.
Things returned to normal in the Café. Conversations restarted and people noshed on their meals. Once again, it was lunchtime at the All American Café.
Sillie rarely noticed anything except himself, but he had been frightened by the danger and was stunned by the way the young man had so quickly rushed into battle.
Sillie said, “Is he coming back? I want to thank him.”
The Head Waiter said, “No, not today. Once he finishes up out there, he will clean his weapons, and get some rack time.”
The Head Waiter smiled, “Fortunately, he will be back tomorrow.”
Sillie said, “Can I at least buy his lunch? Someone has to pay.”
“True, someone always has to pay,” the Head Waiter agreed, “but that young man has already paid for your lunch.”
“He paid for me?” asked Sillie. “He doesn’t even know me. Why would he pay for me?”
“Yes, he paid for you,” said the Head Waiter.
“In fact,” the Head Waiter continued, “he paid for everyone in the Café.”
As Sillie watched, the Head Waiter reverently picked up the small, silver framed sign, “Reserved – Table of Heroes” carefully polished it, and set it back down, precisely in the center of the table.
“He always pays for everyone.”
Sillie N. Selphish was silent for a moment, almost as if he was thinking.
Finally, Sillie said, “After all he has done for us, what we should do is ...” Sillie paused, “... let’s all take selfies!”
It was lunchtime at the All American Café. As a waiter carefully brought to one table a cupcake with a lighted candle, the people at the table began to sing, “Happy Birthday.” Soon, others joined in. It was the 4th of July.
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© 2024 - JDK
