It was a dark and stormy night with the driving drizzling rain beating in their faces as the temperature  hovered in the bone chilling high fifty’s.  Karl and Rob stood guard, as any good stall worth Sons of Confederate veterans should , over the Salvation Army kettle. Every time someone dared to approach the exit of the Winn-Dixie they both rang  their bells  thus sounding the alarm to relieve anyone who would be willing to donate to the cause that they so much believed in. Now Karl, you have to know ,is a towering example of a man. His big frame stands 6 foot three and weights about 250 pounds, all man, and a voice that could come from down inside of a cold water well on the farm. This was a man to be admired as he was doing all this and not complaining one bit for himself or his condition which was his blindness. Yes , he was a 40 year veteran of the Alabama state troopers ,but on a  call one night, unexpectedly he was shot in the face with a shotgun blast through a closed window and it blinded him instantly. Thankfully he lived. He told me he doesn’t like being blind ,it wasn’t his choice ,but he’d rather be alive and blind then to be dead, so he saw it as a good thing and a blessing of God to be alive. After being on watch for five hours straight with only a thermos of hot chocolate to keep him warm ,Karl was happy to hear Rob as he said to him “I believe that’s the Salvation Army van coming to pick up our kettle that holds the money we have collected.” The van pulled up very close with the four-way flashers lighting up the area.Then a very trim young black lady with unkept hair stepped out with a big smile on her face thanking the two men profusely for their service . Then she exploded into laughter as she grab the kettle and unlocked the chain that secured the bright red kettle to the stand. She then exclaimed “Oh my goodness it’s heavy , y’all must’ve done real good” , I’m just sorry we don’t have more people like you, we don’t have enough volunteers this year as the older people are afraid of Covid and the younger people don’t want to step up and  volunteer to help. We have plenty of places we could put our kettles out but we don’t have anyone to man them. But thank God , as for some reason ,even with less pots out we are even right now with last year’s donations ,but they need is so great. We’ve had to close a couple of centers but we’re doing the best we can. You don’t know how much this means to others and again I thank you. The men felt a warm glow inside them  and smiled and thanked her for what she was doing herself.  Then we started gathering our things as she drove off into the night to gather more kettles , then Rob grabbed the bright red tripod and big sign and took it inside the Winn-Dixie for the night and just as he was putting it behind the glass doors a young man with his son of about six years came up to him and asked  him “sir is it too late? Have y’all stopped for the night or can my son still donate?” The young man spoke “I want to put my dollars in the kettle too “. Quickly Rob went out the door but alas the van was too far through the parking lot already into the dark night  to call back. Heartbroken he had to step back in the store and tell the young man who wanted so much to donate his money he would have to wait till another night and that he was so sorry. There was nothing left to do but retire for the night, then as Karl grabbed Rob‘s elbow so he could lead him to his car , Karl said we done a good thing, we done real good tonight I know we did. Then Karl expertly told Rob they way to get to his home and as Rob bid him ado at his door the two parted ways knowing they had done a good thing to help some people that they would never meet. And all was right with their world.