Everyone slammed the door in the old man’s face except one woman who saw him for who he was and listened.
Jackson Merle was tired. Jackson Merle was exhausted. He had been knocking at every door in the area, trying to find work, but no one would listen to his story. Nobody wanted to speak to an elderly man.
He stood in front of the largest house on the block. This was his last chance to make a good impression. Jackson just hoped his owner was politer than his or their neighbors.
Jackson was a nuisance to the neighbors. Jackson rang the doorbell. Within minutes, a young woman appeared at the door.
“Goodmorning,” She laughed and smiled. “What can I do for you?”
Jackson was touched by her friendly smile and cheerful attitude. “Goodmorning, miss,” He said: “I’m a handyman, and I’m here to offer you and your family my services.”
This is the moment when most people said: “Go away, “Oder “Get lost, old man, “Oder “Go sell snake oil elsewhere.”Jackson had been abused by one man. However, Jackson looked at Jackson as a young woman.
Jackson almost gave up on hope when he knocked at that door.
“What kind of work do you do?” She was curious.
“I do anything you might need, miss,” Jackson stated, “I do some woodwork, painting, cabinet making, I fix small appliances, some gardening, anything you need — and my rates are very reasonable.”
Jackson’s neighbors refused to give Ruth a chance to tell them what they wanted. They saw a man that they thought was too old to work.
“Come on in, “The woman smiled. “I have a table with a wobbly leg that needs fixing, and maybe you can paint my guest room?”Jackson couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He entered the house of the woman with a toolbox in hand.
He set up the table and then the woman, who identified herself as Ruth, watched him do the work and chatted with him. He then looked into the guest room. Ruth gave him money for the paint to fix the room the next day.
He was also twice the price she had asked for the table. “But, miss, Jackson protested, “You’ve given me too much money!”
“Jackson? No.” Ruth told him firmly, “My daddy taught me to always pay a fair amount for a job done well. That’s exactly what I’m doing.”
Over the next few weeks, Ruth’s neighbors were surprised to see the elderly man coming in and out of her house with his toolbox in hand. Somehow Ruth always found something that had Jackson coming back.
One afternoon, one of her neighbors, Jolene, saw Jackson leave and decided to find out what was going on. She knocked on Ruth’s door. “Jolene, it’s your turn!” said Ruth cheerfully, “Have a cup of tea with me, and come in.
Jolene walked into Ruth’s lovely home and looked around. “I don’t see why you need a handyman five days a week, Ruth,” she said, “Everything looks perfect.”
“I don’t,” Ruth said, pouring out the coffee, “But Jackson needs the work.”
“You’re giving him work just because he needs it?” asked Jolene, “Just like that? But why?”
“What better reason to give someone work other than that they need it, Jolene?” asked Ruth quietly, “This man is not asking for a handout, he is asking for good honest work.”
“He’s what — seventy? Close to eighty, I’d say! He should be retired!” Jolene said.
“Yes, he should be, but unfortunately his wife is very ill, and their insurance won’t cover all her hospital costs. Jackson barely has enough to live on after paying the medical bills, which is why he needs to work.”
“Well, why don’t you just give him the money?” asked Jolene, “If you want to help so much, spare him all that hard work! You can afford it.”
Ruth shook her head. “I can’t do that, Jolene, that would be giving him a handout. I’d rather give him work so he can earn the money and keep his dignity and his self-respect.”
Jolene was moved by Ruth’s kindness and thoughtfulness, and the next day she popped in and asked Jackson if he had time to spare to fix up her rickety old gazebo in time for the weekend after he finished his work for Ruth.
Jackson fixed the gazebo and did such a good job that soon the entire neighborhood had him on speed dial. Jackson became the local handyman and earned enough to make ends meet.
Even after his wife recovered from her illness and was released from the hospital, Jackson carried on working for Ruth and his other customers. Thanks to Ruth’s kindness, Jackson got the opportunity to earn his money with dignity, and to provide for his family.
What can we learn from this story?
- Giving a man work allows him his dignity and builds his self-esteem. Ruth could have just given Jackson the money, but she realized that he needed to feel useful and respected too,
- Everyone deserves an opportunity to prove what they can do. Ruth’s neighbors wouldn’t even give Jackson a chance to explain what he wanted — all they saw was a man they considered ‘too old to work. Ruth gave him the opportunity to show what he could do.
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