Herman (standard:other, 2797 words) [1/4] show all parts
Author: Jim Spence	Updated: Sep 09 2003	Views/Reads: 3355/2550	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
All Herman ever wanted to do was make a difference ...

Herman 

Herman lived in a one bedroom, third floor walk up on the lower east
side.  Herman had lived there all of his life ... he hadn't really, but 
he'd always felt that way.  After all, his life had turned out to be 
nowhere near what he had hoped for.  It just seemed that he'd been 
stuck in this ordinary apartment, in his ordinary job, in this ordinary 
life, forever. 

Herman had never been very happy growing up.  He wasn't very popular. 
He knew few people that he could actually call ‘friend'.  He was always 
picked on in school.  It seems like life was always passing Herman by, 
in an ordinary kind of way. 

Herman worked in an ordinary office up town, in an ordinary building,
doing ordinary chores.  He ate dinner every night in an ordinary diner, 
listening to the ordinary chit chat, and thinking about how ordinary 
his life was. 

You see, Herman was a dreamer; Herman's problem was that he just wasn't
a ‘doer'.  Herman dreamed of being somebody, of making a difference, of 
people saying “that Herman – what a guy!”  But Herman could just never 
seem to do anything about it. 

And so he lived, in his ordinary world, doing the same ordinary things
every day, and never feeling like he was making a difference. 

****************** 

It was an ordinary morning, on an ordinary day, just like every other
ordinary day.  Herman knew that today he would make no difference, 
either.  He arose, took his shower, put on his one suit, and tied the 
tie that he had spent so much time picking out the night before; and, 
when you realize that Herman only had three ties, you understand why he 
spent so much time the night before choosing this particular tie. 

Herman tied his shoes, turned off the television, pulled his door shut,
and locked it, just as he did every morning.  He walked the three 
floors down, thinking nothing but ordinary thoughts of his day to be. 

It was nice out.  The city didn't seem to be so dirty today, and there
was actually a bird chirping.  “Huh” thought Herman, “you don't see 
that every day.” 

He walked to the bus stop and was surprised to find he was the only one
there.  This stop is ordinarily full of morning commuters, off to their 
ordinary jobs.  So, he sat on the bench, listening to the chirping of 
that solitary bird, for a brief moment forgetting how ordinary life 
was. 

He didn't even hear the old lady approach.  As she sat down, he turned
and caught her eye.  They nodded at each other, and Herman made a 
comment about what a nice day it was.  She agreed, and they both sat in 
silence, save for the sounds of the city and that lone bird. 

Finally, the bus came.  The Number 10 looked full; so full, in fact
that, as the driver opened the door, he announced that he had room for 
just one more passenger, and the Number 12 would be by in 20 minutes to 
pick up whoever was left. 

Herman turned toward the old lady and offered her the bus.  “No, young
man” she said with an ordinary smile “you go right ahead.  I'll just 
wait for the Number 12 ... it's such a nice day, I can sit right here.” 


But, Herman would have none of that.  He wanted desperately to be
un-ordinary, and to make a difference, so he insisted that she take the 
bus, and he would just walk to the subway ... after all, it was a nice 
day, and the bird could keep him company. 

The old lady accepted his offer, thanked him, and entered the bus.  As
it pulled away, Herman thought to himself “I didn't really make a 
difference ... I just offered her a seat.” 

And so, off he went. 


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