The old Murphy 

Once upon a time, there was a fierce old man named Murphy,

disappointed with life and embittered, he made it a part

of his life to fight and get upset about everything and everyone.

One sunny day he was sitting on a park bench while Saoirse O'Brian, a village neighbor 

and her barking dog were passing by.

Murphy:   

This yapping dog will never shut up!

Saoirse:   

Good morning Mr. Murphy!

Murphy: 

Hmmh...  the first day of nice weather and the whole village comes in the park 

to disturb my peace.

Suddenly a tiny little bird is twittering from a tree.

Murphy:

Shut up you annoying ugly bird!

Bird: 

You don't like my singing?

Murphy:  

What the hell... a speaking bird!

Bird:

Yes, i can sing and speak and...

Murphy:

And stressing my nerves.

Bird:

I wanna say...

Murphy:

Hogwash! You're a real chatterbox, aren't you?

Suddenly the bird was shining in a thousend colors and transformed into a beautyful fairy.

Fairy:

I wanna say, ..and i'm fulfilling wishes.

Murphy:

What kind of wishes?

Fairy:

I'll fulfill you 3 whishes, when you face a challenge.

Murphy was very curious and started to imagine what whishes  he would like to have fullfilled.

Fairy:

For one month you have to bring every day a smile on someone's face.

Murphy:

Hmm,  if it's nothing more, I agree.

I want a big bag full of money, eternal youth and that all the people who getting always 

on my nerves will disappear and vanish into thin air.

Fairy: 

So be it.

I will be here again in exactly one month.

The fairy became a bird again and flew away.

The next morning Murphy opened  his kitchen's window and saw his neighbor Ms.Bailey working in the garden.

Murphy:

A beautiful good morning Ms. Bailey. 

Your herb bed is growing very well.

Ms. Bailey was very surprised about Murphy's friendly words. 

Normally he never greeted her, just complaining about every little noise she made.

With a little smile on her face she answered "good morning Mr. Murphy“.

Murphy:

Hah hah number.1, that was easy.

The next morning Murphy met again Seoirse O'brian with her dog in the park.

The little Wolfie was sneefing very exited at him and Murphy wanted to give him a kick 

with his foot like he used to, but in the last moment he thought about the fairy 

and his whishes. 

He decided to pet the dog and talk to him gently to made a good impression on Ms.O'Brian.

Murphy:

Yeah Wolfie, you're a charmer, aren't you?

Saoirse (shouting):

Wolfie come away from there!

Murphy:

Damned, this was nothing.

When he couldn't get someone smiling at him 'till the evening, he decided to try it in Kelly's Pub.

It was raining on his way and Murphy was swearing about the weather 

while he was entering the Pub. 

A lot of people were sitting at tables talking, laughing and listening to some live music.

Tom Kelly, the owner of the Pub was once Murphy's best friend.

Kelly:

I can't believe it, the Old Murphy.

You've not been here since a long long time.

What can I bring to you?

Murphy:

A Guiness!

Murphy was looking around to find someone for his list.

There was a nice young girl together with the musicians dancing a traditional jig.

It seemed that she had a lot of fun.

Murphy:

Hey Kelly, who is this little red head there on the stage?

Kelly:

It's Adeen, the daughter of the Old Paddy.

Have you seen, she's dancing realy good.

At the end of the tune, the people have shown their enthusiasm with a loud applause

and Murphy took his chance.

Murphy (shouting):

Hey Adeen bravo, bravo, you are fantastic!

Adeen gave him a nice smile before the band started playing again.

Murphy:

...yeah, that was number.2.

The weeks were passing by and Murphy's strange behavior 

was the topic of conversation in the village.

He was greeting everyone he met and was complimenting the ladies 

on there clothes and hairstyles.

He was seen quiet often in the Pub and also talking friendly to the people.

After he no longer threatened the children because of their noise while playing on the streets

they also didn't run away from fear when they saw him, like they've done before.

Sometimes he was falling back in old bad habbits but mostly he was very friendly with everyone.

The people liked this new Murphy but were also a bit suspicious about his change.

And every day he added a checkmark in a little book.

After one month he was very satisfied and accited because he faced the challenge

and on some days he also made more than one person for a little moment happy.

Murphy:

So, a month has passed. Today I will be rich and young again.

He took his little book to proof his success and went to the place, where  the fairy spoke to him.

He was sitting on the same park bench under the same tree like the last time and waited. 

He was waiting the whole day until it became cool and fresh in the evening.

Nothing happened, just an old man sitting alone on a bench.

Murphy:

Damned, where are you, I've done everything you've asked for?

Was everything a lie? Why aren't you here? Why?

Sad and disappointed he stood up and left this place.

On the way home he was quietly introverted, walking slowly with the head down.

Perhaps there was a reason he didn't understand, why the fairy wasn't there.

But perhaps the bird was just a bird and Murphy needed the imagine of a whish fairy 

to overcome the wall of anger, rage and bitterness, he has created around him in all these years.

He did no checkmarks in his book anymore, but maintained the gestures of kindness.

First from new habit, but little by little as part of his true being, which was covered

so many years and finally set itself free.

.

1000 words