THE RUDE OLD MAN ( Short Story)

  All the children of that small colony called him, "Uncle Rude!". He lived alone in a big house.People talked about him that he lost his wife and his only son in an accident. The loneliness and the pain of losing the loved ones made him a rude person. His house was park facing, that very big park was the only park in that colony where children of that small township came everyday to play, chat and relax after finishing their homework. The reason of calling the old man, "Uncle Rude!" was that he always forbade the children from playing in the park. Poor children! They had no other place to play, where would they go? All work and no play is not good for children.      

 The children complained about him to their parents. The parents tried many times to convince the old man but he wouldn't listen! He was a very nasty person. As he was too old so the parents did not want to make an issue. They told the children that they should try to play quietly in the park. For some days the kids tried to play without making any noise but how could they? It is but natural that when children are together there would be some noise. Again, the old man started to scare the children and stopped them from playing. 

One day when he was shouting at the kids," You naughty kids go from here and never come here again!". Suddenly from somewhere a big dog came there. The old man who was already in a very bad mood, picked up his stick and tried to hit the dog. The dog bit the old man's hand. The old man's hand was bleeding, he was really in pain. He sat down and started crying like a child. Though he always behaved badly with the children, they went near him to see him. They felt pity for him and wanted to help him. One of them said, " Please don't cry uncle my mother is a doctor, I am going to call her here". The other kids helped him to stand and made him sit on a bench. Meanwhile that kid returned with his mother, who brought a medical box with her. She treated him, the parents of other children also came there because one of the kids informed them about the whole incident. They took the old man into his house.
The old man was overwhelmed by this kind gesture of the small kids and their parents. He became very emotional and began to feel extremely sorry for his bad behavior towards the lovely, helpful kids.He decided that he would live with the kids and the people of that place nicely and would never misbehave with them again.    
And  now Uncle rude has become a dude. He even comes in the park daily to play and chat with the kids, tells them interesting stories. The loneliness of his life has gone. Little angels have made his life beautiful again.
                               - Aunt Mary