WALL NUT WILLIES
On the outskirts of a small town grew a big pecan tree
just inside the cemetery fence. One day two boys filled
a bucket with nuts and sat down to share their spoils in
the time-honoured manner: 'One for you, one for me,'
repeated one lad. Several nuts were dropped in the process
and rolled down towards the fence.
Just then another boy came riding along on his bicycle
and stopped to investigate the barely audible mutterings.
He stood by the fence and clearly heard the incantation:
'One for you, one for me.'
'Come quick,' he urged an old man who happened to be
passing by. 'You won't believe what I've just heard. It was
Satan and The Lord dividing up souls.'
The old man shrugged off his understandable scepticism and
reluctantly agreed to approach the fence. Sure enough he
too heard the mantra: 'One for you, one for me.'
Now shaking with fear they both peered through the fence
but were unable to see anything. Yet once more they heard:
'One for you, one for me; now let's get those nuts by the
fence and we'll be done.'
It is said that the old man held the lead for half-a-mile before
the kid on the bike passed him.
