Mr. Heaven

Rumor had it in Topeka, Kansas that Charles McHaven was a foul man who was infamous for his boiling temper, angry growls, and rude manners. When Mr. McHaven would walk down the street with his cane fastened at hand, the townspeople would cross the street to walk on the opposing side. Parents would then hush their children and push them to scurry along, quickening their pace home.

No one knew of Mr. McHaven and the death of his wife, 16 years ago. No one knew for no one dared to speak to him.

But everyone knew that every morning at 8:30, Mr. McHaven would walk out of his wooden, discolored home and make his way to the corner of 13th St. and Hebrews Ave. to Arthur's. He would sit in the booth next to the window and ask for two sets of utensils--one for himself and the other for the seat across from him. He would then order toast and eggs, eat to the very last bite, and venture back home. This was something everyone knew, and everyone made sure to keep out of his way.

It was a Tuesday morning when Mr. McHaven wobbled through the doors of Arthur's. He took his usual seat as the waiter, without a word, placed two sets of utensils on either side of the table. It was then when a curious 4-year old boy whose mother was at the cash register, looked over from his seat and stared at Mr. McHaven and the two sets of utensils. The boy waited, and waited, until he finally asked, "Where's your friend?" Mr. McHaven was startled as he turned his head towards the direction from which the voice came from and focused his gaze on a little boy. Overwhelmed, Mr. McHaven remained silent but continued to gaze into the blue eyes of the young boy.

"What's your name, sir?" the little boy asked.

Amused, Mr. McHaven answered in a rusty voice, "Charles McHaven."

Cheerfully, the little boy replied, "My name is Luke! Nice to meet you, Mr. Heaven! Cool name! But, where's your friend?"

A weak chuckle escaped Mr. McHaven's mouth as he answered, "My friend is gone. She has been gone a long time, Luke. She got on a train and left for heaven."

Luke remained silent and his eyebrows gathered as he thought pressingly. Then, with a relieved expression, Luke replied, "Your friend isn't gone, Mr. Heaven! Because if you're Mr. Heaven, that means she lives in you!"

Mr. McHaven stared at the little boy with gentle eyes and struggled to contain his emotions. Luke's mother then returned and took her son by his hand as she turned her shoulder against the foul old man. Luke quickly turned around and shouted, "See ya, Mr. Heaven!" as he was immediately hushed by his mother.

"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it" Hebrews 13:2
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Photo Analysis:
The reason behind choosing this specific photo from the thousands that were available online, was because of the emptiness it screamed through the monitor. The absence of color can symbolize several things and be interpreted in another several ways. Personally, the absence of color signified the absence of life, and intertwined very well with the picture of a plate of breakfast. Breakfast, proven as the most important meal of the day, is symbolized in a variety of creative ways from commercials to billboards. Cereal brands such as General Mills, produce colorful cereal such as Trix, with humorous and friendly characters like the Rabbit. However, the photo represents a breakfast that appears unimportant and can easily be skipped without hesitation. Toast and eggs are extremely bland and tasteless without salt, pepper, jam, and/or butter, which are all absent in the picture. This characterizes the life of the character, Charles McHaven, who eats a plate of toast and eggs mindlessly and daily to silence the pain of his wife's death, ultimately representing her absence.