The Leather Jacket

The leather jacket, once the proud work of a skillful artisan, now layon a heap in a second-hand store. Once stiff and full of gloss, it lays nowlimp and tattered.Once able to wrap itself around the handsomest ofmen and provide great glory, its life is now at an end. Depressed and alone, itcould only reminisce about the life it had.

It was first purchased by a rich man for quite a heftysum. Then passed down to a chauffeur, where it graced the most wonderful carsimaginable. Then , while it lay lazily across the seat at night in anunlocked car, right in the middle of its life, it was stolen. Now keepingcompany with a thief, it was not as happy, as a matter of fact, it wasashamed.

It was horrified at the gun and stolen cash that had been shoved in itsample pockets. That's when it began to lose its shine. It didnot get the proper care and handling as before. It was the beginning of theend. The jacket was thrown in corners and walked on, almost never hung up. Itgrew bitter and hard. Now with its pockets torn it still held weapons andstolen property.

The leather jacket, never thinking much about its people before now,for some unknown reason, began to like its owner. Ithappened one night when its companion was very cold. The owner grasped thejacket and pulled it close around his body, as he sat alone in the park.

The jacket realized no one loved the owner and the jacket was all hehad. For all his crimes he never kept anything, it was all quickly gone. Allthat stayed was the jacket, because in its condition, it was not valuable toanyone else. The hardness and the bitterness melted away. It now felt sorrowfor the person who clung to it so desperately.

One day, as weather permitted, it was taken off and left behind. It wasfound by a woman and child and placed in a paper bag, with other used items,for the needy.

Now here it lay.

Finally hands picked it up, assessed its value and hung it up, alongwith other garments. There were cloth jackets, wool jackets, and corduroybut none were leather like him. All were in better condition and all withtales to tell. Some had been all over the world. Some had gracedthe shoulders of famous people, but none had stories quite as exquisiteor experiences quite as nasty as Leather. He listened quietly, neverrevealing very much, so his companions had begun to believe he'd hadquite an unsavory life.

Some associated his color with bad, though it was not possible for acolor to influence abilities. He didn't care what they thought and didn'tcare when they considered themselves better. Leather could not help wherehe had been and he could not help what he had done.

Many people came by and touched the jackets, taking them out one byone, looking them over and placing them back on the rack. Leather was quitestartled when one such person flung him across his arm. He recognized thisperson. He had been in the park offering food to his previous owner. He was aminister.

"Oh no, God don't let this person take me. I am sure I would not besuitable for whatever he has in mind. I have been in the worst of places anddone the most despicable things. I am not worthy, let the man see my tearsand tatters and place me back."

Now God looked down at the little jacket and moved the man to liftLeather up and examine it again. As the man's eyes fell on the rips andimperfections, like magic, they were restored. Now the jacket hung on thehanger like new. All the other jackets were amazed andwere placed back on the rack.

Leather spoke to God again. "What are you doing? I am so unworthy."

"But," God explained, "you are exactly what I am looking for. You willbe used for the people you loved the most, the people with the most need.When you have been bad yourself, you can forgive evil. Because you havebeen down in the gutter, you can you understand the people there. You will knowwhere the chill is most severe, where the frost bites the hardest."

"You were not stolen by accident. You were being prepared. And now, youare just what I need."

"One time I came down, to understand the people and someone stolesomething that belonged to me, something I wrapped in leather. It was shamedand taken to places it didn't want to go. He ripped and bruised it, thinkinghe had surely destroyed its purpose. Now I'm sure, he must realize, he onlyfilled my worst need."

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Contributed by Marjeana Martin
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