Bread and Salami

by Esther L. Truesdale

“Two slices of bread and a slice of salami, please.”

At the corner of Greene and Church streets in the Northwest Quadrant of Beaufort, South Carolina, one can step back in time.  

James W. Pruitt’s store is representative of stores in many communities in the early-to-mid 20th century. Step inside his door and you will see half-filled shelves containing canned and paper goods.

Notice a half-century-old General Electric Frigidaire cooler (circa 1955) with a glass front. Two-penny candy may be purchased piece-by-piece from the candy case. A metal deli slicer is used for trimming luncheon meat—often sold by the slice.

This 77-year-old Christian man opens his store Monday through Saturday 2:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. For nine decades, he and his family have owned and operated the store. Racial segregation has never existed there. A neighbor says Mr. Pruitt was a “savior to the black community” who live and lived surrounding the store.

A person may walk into Mr. Pruitt’s store and ask for any available item. It may be two slices of bread and a slice of luncheon meat. If they have no money, Mr. Pruitt will let them buy on credit (not a credit card). Simply, he writes down the amount owed.  Over the years he has lost very little money. He trusts others. Others trust him.

Mr. Pruitt faithfully and quietly worships at a nearby church. He is not demonstrative. He is not physically impressive. Nor does he does impose on others his testimony to what God has done for him, or through him. But those who know him have no doubt about his servanthood. Through the years his life has borne witness to Jesus’ direction in Luke 10: 27b: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (NIV).

Quiet Mr. Pruitt models Jesus’ instruction not to broadcast one’s good works to others. And he reveals the heavenly and earthly value of even a “cup of cold water” given in Jesus name. Might Jesus say today, “Two slices of bread and a slice of salami, please?”

Esther Truesdale is a retired school teacher. She resides in Seabrook, South Carolina.

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