Hometown Prophets Don't Get No Respect
Stories
56 Stories For Preaching
Caroline grew up in Phillipsville and spent all her life there
before going to college to study health and nutrition. Folks
remembered her as a Girl Scout. Others knew her from church and
school. After six years at college and graduate school, she was
back.
At first folks humored Caroline. Some, of course, listened
seriously to her advice about diets, lifestyles and exercise
regimes. A few followed Caroline's personal example and became
vegetarians, though that wasn't something Caroline advocated
openly or for everyone. But she did explain vegetarianism to
folks who asked for more information. When word got out that a
handful of townfolk had become vegetarians -- despite their
insistence that Caroline hadn't coerced them and they simply
believed it would add a few years to their lives -- many of the
local farmers, who raised beef cattle and hogs for a living, took
offense. They didn't get angry at those who became vegetarians;
they got angry at Caroline.
"Who's that whippersnapper think she is?" Farmer Jones
complained at the barbershop to Farmer Smith. Mr. Thomas, the
delicatessen owner, said, "She'll ruin my deli business."
"Who'll ruin your deli business?" asked Jim Newcomer.
"That woman, Caroline Thretnuss," chimed in Mr. Lerner, the
postmaster. "It's hard to believe she grew up here, isn't it?"
"She grew up here?" asked Jim Newcomer, an ex-Californian.
"Sure," said Farley the barber. "She's Sam and Molly
Thretnuss' kid, ain't she, Jonesy?"
"Yep," answered Farmer Jones. "I'm surprised they didn't teach
her better. She seems set on ruining this town and all
it stands for. Imagine, telling folks to boycott eating meat.
Telling 'em they'll live longer. The nerve of her."
"She oughta go back where she came from," said the barber.
"But you said she's from here," questioned Jim Newcomer.
"So what? She ought to either shut up with this nonsense or go
back and live in that college town," Farley said sharply.
"I guess a prophet isn't heard in her own town," said Newcomer
now, a bit of snippiness edged on his voice.
"Profits, you say?" said Farmer Brown. "What about our
profits, our livelihood? Farley's right. She oughta shut up and
forget this heart-smart nonsense or find another place to live."
"Darn tootin'," Farley the barber added on. "I remember buying
Girl Scout cookies from her. She didn't have a problem then. Now
I suppose Scout cookies and helping the local girls is off our
diets, according to little miss medical expert, right?"
Caroline Thretnuss did leave her hometown six months later. A
handful of people gave her a party and said she'd changed their
lives and lifestyles forever. They also attested to feeling
better overall. Most folks stayed the same. It remains to be seen
if folks from the changed or the unchanged group live longer
because Caroline Thretnuss came back home for a while.
before going to college to study health and nutrition. Folks
remembered her as a Girl Scout. Others knew her from church and
school. After six years at college and graduate school, she was
back.
At first folks humored Caroline. Some, of course, listened
seriously to her advice about diets, lifestyles and exercise
regimes. A few followed Caroline's personal example and became
vegetarians, though that wasn't something Caroline advocated
openly or for everyone. But she did explain vegetarianism to
folks who asked for more information. When word got out that a
handful of townfolk had become vegetarians -- despite their
insistence that Caroline hadn't coerced them and they simply
believed it would add a few years to their lives -- many of the
local farmers, who raised beef cattle and hogs for a living, took
offense. They didn't get angry at those who became vegetarians;
they got angry at Caroline.
"Who's that whippersnapper think she is?" Farmer Jones
complained at the barbershop to Farmer Smith. Mr. Thomas, the
delicatessen owner, said, "She'll ruin my deli business."
"Who'll ruin your deli business?" asked Jim Newcomer.
"That woman, Caroline Thretnuss," chimed in Mr. Lerner, the
postmaster. "It's hard to believe she grew up here, isn't it?"
"She grew up here?" asked Jim Newcomer, an ex-Californian.
"Sure," said Farley the barber. "She's Sam and Molly
Thretnuss' kid, ain't she, Jonesy?"
"Yep," answered Farmer Jones. "I'm surprised they didn't teach
her better. She seems set on ruining this town and all
it stands for. Imagine, telling folks to boycott eating meat.
Telling 'em they'll live longer. The nerve of her."
"She oughta go back where she came from," said the barber.
"But you said she's from here," questioned Jim Newcomer.
"So what? She ought to either shut up with this nonsense or go
back and live in that college town," Farley said sharply.
"I guess a prophet isn't heard in her own town," said Newcomer
now, a bit of snippiness edged on his voice.
"Profits, you say?" said Farmer Brown. "What about our
profits, our livelihood? Farley's right. She oughta shut up and
forget this heart-smart nonsense or find another place to live."
"Darn tootin'," Farley the barber added on. "I remember buying
Girl Scout cookies from her. She didn't have a problem then. Now
I suppose Scout cookies and helping the local girls is off our
diets, according to little miss medical expert, right?"
Caroline Thretnuss did leave her hometown six months later. A
handful of people gave her a party and said she'd changed their
lives and lifestyles forever. They also attested to feeling
better overall. Most folks stayed the same. It remains to be seen
if folks from the changed or the unchanged group live longer
because Caroline Thretnuss came back home for a while.
