09/03/2022
A SMALL TOWN STORY
by Joy Walker Theriault
(some things have been changed
to protect the not so innocent)
Two people found a very old, rusted ferry that they believed could be restored for everyone to enjoy. The owner of the ferry allowed them to rent and restore it for their own use. The two people along with a good friend worked tirelessly for an entire year scraping all of the years of wear and rust from it and under it all found that it was even more beautiful than they imagined. They added their own expensive touches to make it even more beautiful as it was now, in their older years, their livelihood. They worked very hard and offered their services taking the towns people and many others to experience many different things that they hadn’t been offered in that area before. They had huge gatherings at the ferry like the town had rarely seen.
A stranger, let’s call him Jack, who knew the ferry business saw the value of all of their hard work. Jack marveled at all of the people lined up to enjoy the ferry ride and all of the new adventures that were offered. He decided he wanted it as his own.
The owner of the ferry, let’s call her Kate, told them that she was going to sell the ferry that they’d worked so hard to rebuild but no worries, they’d be allowed to use it as before. They reminded Kate that she’d agreed to legally lease them the ferry and Kate assured them that the necessary documents were still being processed, that they would meet “soon”, but not to worry in the meantime. She assured them that “nothing will change”
Once the ferry was sold however, without even the respect of an introduction or conversation from Jack, the police arrived and told the people that they needed to stop using the ferry and lose not only their only source of income but all of the hard work they’d done in restoring it without any compensation.
The previous owner of the ferry, Kate, took all of the profit from the work put into it and tucked it away as her own. Jack, who now owned the ferry, very quickly and easily put a new polish on it and presented it all as his own.
Everyone marveled at what a beautiful job he’d done! They all lined up for a ride in this new and improved ferry.
(WE) “The two people” who worked so hard to restore it seemed to have been left with nothing…But they were left with the Pride of what was achieved. They were left with the Memories of all they’d accomplished. They were left with many new found Friendships. They were left with their Faith that although they’d been mistreated and lied to and taken from, that God would lead them to where they needed to be. They were left with Dignity.
