It was Saturday. Reuben, Robin, Ernie and a few other kids were playing kick-the-can. Reuben was "it".

"... Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, one hundred. Here I come, ready or not!" Reuben inched slowly away from the can. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw someone move behind the giant myrtlewood tree on the edge of Mr. McSwain's yard. Moving closer to the tree, he spied Ernie hiding behind it. Ernie lumbered awkwardly toward the can. Reuben spun around with the ease of a cow pony, raced past Ernie, jumped over the can and yelled, "Ernie's out!"

Turning around, he saw Ernie sprawled across Mr. McSwain's lawn like a beached sea cow. He had tripped and fallen over the salmon-colored azalea bush that was growing in the center of the yard. Ernie was unhurt, but the azalea bush was broken off about six inches above the ground.

As Ernie rose to his feet, Mr. McSwain threw open his front door. "Get outa my yard!" he bellowed with a deep foghorn voice, "Go tear up you own yard."

The kids backed cautiously across the street to Ernie's yard. Mr. McSwain, who looked like an angry Santa Claus, picked up the pieces of his broken azalea and stomped towards his backyard.

"Don't pay any attention to McSwine; he's just a grouch," Ernie said with an obnoxious, high-pitched laugh. He thought it was funny to call Mr. McSwain, "McSwine."

Reuben wasn't laughing. "I think we'd better replace his bush," he said.

"I ain't replacing anything for McSwine!" Ernie answered defiantly.

"We broke it, and we're going to replace it," said Reuben. He spoke with the confident authority of a school principal and it was rare that anyone argued with him.

Fortunately, it was spring. Azalea bushes could be purchased at any grocery store. The four of them, Reuben, Robin, Bill and a reluctantly Ernie marched to the Safeway store, just two blocks away. The store had scores of azalea bushes in one-gallon cans. There were no salmon colored bushes but Robin picked out a hardy scarlet-colored plant. Everyone chipped in fifty cents toward the two-dollar cost.

They carried the scarlet azalea to Mr. McSwain's porch. Although the door was open, the room was dark and nothing but shadows could be seen through the closed screen. Bill rang the doorbell.

"Whatda ya want now?" Mr. McSwain growled from beyond the darkness.

"We brought you a new azalea." Reuben said, "We're sorry we ..."

"You think that crummy shrub can replace the one you broke? Get off my property!"

Unsure how to respond, the kids left the plant on the porch and backed away in unbelief. Reaching the security of his own yard Ernie crowed triumphantly, "I told you it was a dumb idea."

The next day at Sunday School Reuben and his twin sister Robin sat together in Mr. Taylor's class. Standing as tall a as professional basketball player, Mr. Taylor was only twenty-five years old, but his class credited him with the wisdom of a sage. Robin related the previous day's encounter and asked, "Should we just ignore him, or is there something we can do to appease Mr. McSwain."

"I'm sure Jesus would tell you to find some way to make peace with him," Mr. Taylor said. "He's probably just lonely. I'm going to begin praying that you'd find a way to become his friend."

After church, Reuben headed towards Ernie's house. Robin tagged along. Sitting on the curb, Robin glanced across the street. All the curtains were drawn and it was obvious Mr. McSwain wasn't home. 

"Mr. McSwain planted the new bush." Robin observed.

"He spent most of the morning digging the hole and grumbling about it to everyone who passed by," said Ernie.

"Did you offer to help him?" asked Reuben.

"Fat chance ... he's lucky I didn't go over and pull it up again," Ernie bragged.

"Why are you always so mean to him?" asked Robin.

"Me! He's the one who's always grumbling about everything."

"Well, its time for a truce, said Reuben, "Robin and I are going to find a way to make peace with him. I hope you're with us."

"We tried that yesterday," Ernie said with a shrug, "He's not worth any more effort. Besides," he said with a sarcastic laugh, "The Bible says not to cast our pearls before McSwine."

"I'm beginning to understand why he doesn't like you," said Robin.

"He started it," said Ernie. "He's never liked me. He doesn't like anybody."

"He doesn't matter who started it," said Reuben, obviously tired of Ernie's attitude. "We're going to end it."

"Okay, Reverend Righteous, what do you expect us to do?" 

Reuben ignored Ernie's jab and starred across the street. Suddenly, he jumped to his feet. "His lawn needs mowed," he said while heading toward Ernie's garage to get the lawn mower. He pushed the lawnmower across the street. Robin followed after Reuben, but Ernie stood his ground on the curb, refusing to help.

"I didn't say you could use my lawnmower," he yelled. After watching Reuben start the mower, Ernie skulked into his own backyard. "I don't know what makes him think he's God?" Ernie mumbled softly to himself.

The twins were just finishing the job when Mr. McSwain pulled into the driveway. "What are you hoodlums doing in my yard?" He growled rudely.

We mowed your lawn for you," Reuben answered with a wide grin.

"Well I didn't ask you to!" He growled. "Get off my property and leave me alone." Without the slightest glance in their direction, he slammed the car door and stomped into his house like an angry rhinoceros.

The twins returned the lawnmower to Ernie's garage and walked home. Without saying a word, each knew they had done a good thing. They were determined to win Mr. McSwain over and make him their friend.

For the next two weeks, when they prayed together before breakfast, each asked God to show them how to reach out to Mr. McSwain. They went out of their way to walk past Mr. McSwain's house several times a day. Each time they saw Mr. McSwain, they greeted him with a cherry, "Hello, Mr. McSwain."

Mr. McSwain however, remained just as grumpy. He rarely looked up and never responded to their greetings.

Finally, on the third Saturday afternoon, the twins saw Mr. McSwain weeding in his flowerbed. "Hello, Mr. McSwain," they greeted in unison.

Mr. McSwain didn't look up, but in a soft, gruff voice he clearly grumbled, "Hello."

The twin said nothing until they reached the corner, then Robin grabbed Reuben and gave him a bid hug. Reuben and Robin both laughed. "I knew he'd come around," said Reuben. "Just wait, another couple of weeks and he'll be treating us like grandchildren."

On Sunday morning, Mr. Taylor met the twins at the church door. "How's it going with Mr. McSwain," he asked.

"Great," said Reuben, "Wait till you hear what happened."

Reuben and Robin related the events surrounding the greeting.

"Grand!" said Mr. Taylor, " Now listen to what I found out." He sat down on one of the benches in the massive church foyer so he and Reuben would be at eye level. Robin sat beside him. "My secret sources tell me that Mr. McSwain will be seventy-four years old next Saturday."

"Alright!" yelled Robin. Embarrassed at yelling in the church foyer, she turned as pink as a carnation and began to giggle uncontrollably. Both twins were overcome with excitement. They knew instantly that they had to make Mr. McSwain a cake.

On Saturday morning, they made a chocolate marble cake with fluffy, white icing. At noon, they put it into a box and walked over to Mr. McSwain's house. Ernie was sitting on the curb across the street. "Come on, Ernie," Robin shouted, walking across the street toward him, "Come join us. We've made a birthday cake for Mr. McSwain."

"So now you're good buddies." Ernie snarled.

"We might be, if he likes the cake we made." Robin answered.

"Come on," said Reuben. "We need you to make it a real party."

"I don't think so," Ernie mumbled, his eyes focused on the street between his hands.

"Oh, come on, do it for me," said Robin, running her fingers through his golden grain colored hair. She had touched Ernie's attitude button and he sheepishly stood up to join them.

They walked across the street, up onto the porch, opened the screen and Robin rang the doorbell. When he opened the door, Reuben handed Mr. McSwain the cake and they cheerfully sang out, "Happy Birthday! Mr. McSwain."

Mr. McSwain took the cake, didn't say a word, stepped back into the house and closed the door. The three looked at each other with stunned, blank stares. Somehow, they hadn't stopped to consider how Mr. McSwain would react, but that at least thought he'd offer a simple, "Thank you."

"Oh well," said Ernie philosophically, "At least he didn't yell at us."

Reuben turned and walked slowly toward the street. Ernie and Robin followed.

"Wait," came the soft, gruff voice from behind them. They turned around and saw Mr. McSwain standing in the open doorway. "Would you kids eat a piece of this cake with me?"

The End