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Short Stories (Stories for the Youth), book by Father Tadros Yacoub Malaty

369- A Bar of Chocolate: Sweet Yet Soiled

 

St-Takla.org Image: Dust and wind scattering it (disperse, blow away). صورة في موقع الأنبا تكلا: تراب و رياح تذريه.

Jim, a very rich man, was well known as being a miser. On his way back home he bought a piece of chocolate. It accidentally fell on the ground in the dust, which saddened him. A beggar happened to be passing by, so Jim begrudgingly gave it to him with great sorrow.

At night, in a dream, he saw himself as being very hungry. He came across a five-star hotel full of people. The restaurant inside was also packed with people and those serving them. He asked one of the waiters for food and waited but in vain. He asked a second, a third and a fourth times, at last a waiter came carrying that piece of soiled chocolate. In a fit of rage, Jim furiously burst out saying, “Don’t you know who I am? How dare you treat me this way, giving me a piece of filthy chocolate? I’m not begging.”

The waiter reminded Jim, “Probably you came to the wrong place. Though we have an extensive menu of delicious food as you can see for yourself, we don’t offer food in exchange for money.

We only give back what every person sends us in advance while he was living on earth.

This is the Restaurant of Eternity.”

→ English translation of the story here at St-Takla.org: قطعة حلوى مملوءة ترابًا!

O Lord let me be prepared for the day of my departure.

May I offer You what You have given me.

There I shall find a home and abide.

There I shall attain Your Love, You who satisfies the souls.

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