A Blessed Butcher
Recently, my parents put in a new kitchen and stored the old one at my place, in the garage, while it was sold on TradeMe.
When it sold, a man came around with his trailer to collect it. It was a large kitchen, and it took him two trips to collect everything.
Each time, it took him a long time to load the trailer and tie stuff down, and, as he worked, he told me about his life: what his children were like and how he had moved to New Zealand from South Africa and eventually opened a butcher's shop.
The whole time, I was wishing I knew what to say to get him to take a book, and I thought how unfortunate it would be if he left without one.
Eventually, as he finished tying the last rope over the kitchen cupboards, he was talking about different cuts of meat, and all the bacon he would be cooking in the kitchen. He said I would be welcome in his butcher's shop any time I was in Stratford.
In reply, I told him that I am a vegetarian.
“What, like goats and sheep and rabbits?” he said, totally aghast.
“Like gorillas,” I replied.
This made him think a bit.
Seeing an opening, I told him I was vegetarian because I am a Hare Krishna.
Not seeing any signs of recognition in his face, I said, “Wait a second; I have a book about it.”
I gave him a Chant and be Happy and didn't press him for any money, as he'd already paid a lot for the kitchen. Besides, this guy really needed the mercy, and I didn't want him to give back the book.
He appreciated the book and told me more of his life, how he was a Christian, and how he'd raised his family reading from the Bible every evening. I saw that he was actually good, honest, and religious, apart from his trade. He said that God had blessed him, letting him come to New Zealand and providing for him and his family.
Watching the book in his hand, with Srila Prabhupada's image in black and white on the front cover, I agreed that he was blessed.
Your servant,
Gokula-ranjana Dasa
