hollydolly
SF VIP
- Location
- London England
It’s Italy in the sixteenth century, and Father Giuseppe has a problem. His last bell ringer just quit, and he’s in desperate need of a replacement. He sends the word out quickly, inviting everyone and anyone to come to the cathedral to apply for the position. One day, as he’s nervously pacing around his study, he hears a knock on the door. He opens it to find a man, looking sheepishly at the ground.
“May I help you?” asks Father Giuseppe.
“Yes,” the man says. “I’m here to be your new bell ringer.”
“My son,” says Father Giuseppe. “I’m so glad you’ve come, but I can’t give you the job.”
“Why not?”
“Because, my son… You don’t have any arms. You can’t ring the bell without arms.”
“Oh yes, I can!” the man assures him. “Here, take me up to the bell tower, and I’ll show you!”
They climb the stairs to the bell tower, and without a moment’s notice, the man bends at the waist and runs at the bell, hitting it with his head. The bell rings out, clear and strong, and the man stumbles back. “See?” he said. “I told you I can do it!”
“Oh, my son!” says Father Giuseppe, deeply concerned. “I can’t let you do this. You must be in terrible pain!”
“No, it’s fine!” he says. “Here, I’ll do it again!” He bends at the waist and again runs at the bell. The sound is even clearer than before, and he stumbles back.
“Please, my son!” says Father Giuseppe. “I must ask you to stop! If you want a job at the cathedral, I’m sure I can find something for you, but not this!”
“You don’t understand, Father. All my life, I’ve wanted to be a bell ringer. Here, I’ll do it again!” And again, he bends at the waist and runs at the bell. The sound is more beautiful than ever, and he stumbles back.
“Please, I beg you!” says Father Giuseppe. “Please stop this!”
The man looks sadly at the priest. “Then, if you won’t hire me, my life has no purpose.” He breaks into a run again, but this time, he jumps out a window.
Father Giuseppe rushes down the stairs and joins the crowd that has gathered around the man’s body. He is looking around, wondering what to do, when a police officer approaches. The policeman looks at the body, then up toward the tower, then back to the priest. “Father Giuseppe, do you know this man’s name?”
“No,” says Father Giuseppe. “I don’t know his name. But his face rings a bell.”
“May I help you?” asks Father Giuseppe.
“Yes,” the man says. “I’m here to be your new bell ringer.”
“My son,” says Father Giuseppe. “I’m so glad you’ve come, but I can’t give you the job.”
“Why not?”
“Because, my son… You don’t have any arms. You can’t ring the bell without arms.”
“Oh yes, I can!” the man assures him. “Here, take me up to the bell tower, and I’ll show you!”
They climb the stairs to the bell tower, and without a moment’s notice, the man bends at the waist and runs at the bell, hitting it with his head. The bell rings out, clear and strong, and the man stumbles back. “See?” he said. “I told you I can do it!”
“Oh, my son!” says Father Giuseppe, deeply concerned. “I can’t let you do this. You must be in terrible pain!”
“No, it’s fine!” he says. “Here, I’ll do it again!” He bends at the waist and again runs at the bell. The sound is even clearer than before, and he stumbles back.
“Please, my son!” says Father Giuseppe. “I must ask you to stop! If you want a job at the cathedral, I’m sure I can find something for you, but not this!”
“You don’t understand, Father. All my life, I’ve wanted to be a bell ringer. Here, I’ll do it again!” And again, he bends at the waist and runs at the bell. The sound is more beautiful than ever, and he stumbles back.
“Please, I beg you!” says Father Giuseppe. “Please stop this!”
The man looks sadly at the priest. “Then, if you won’t hire me, my life has no purpose.” He breaks into a run again, but this time, he jumps out a window.
Father Giuseppe rushes down the stairs and joins the crowd that has gathered around the man’s body. He is looking around, wondering what to do, when a police officer approaches. The policeman looks at the body, then up toward the tower, then back to the priest. “Father Giuseppe, do you know this man’s name?”
“No,” says Father Giuseppe. “I don’t know his name. But his face rings a bell.”
