Mr. Jackson was a traditional fellow, practicing things his mother taught, like the Golden Rule and respect the elderly. He also went to schools that studied master poets and writers. He loved old poets, Tennyson, Wordsworth, and Emerson.
Mom gave him plenty of reason to practice Emerson’s advice about “always leave a place better than when you found it.”
Problem was that he was not very aware of today’s world. Therefore, when Buck asked if his class could use his building for their party, Mr. Jackson said, “Yes, but leave the place better than when you found it.”
Buck promised.
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Written for Rochelle’s 100-word Friday Fictioneer’s Challenge. https://rochellewisoff.com/
http://PHOTO PROMPT © Carole Erdman-Grant
The concept of leaving the world a better place can be traced back to a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson: “To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know that even one life has breathed easier because you have lived — that is to have succeeded.” https://medium.com/builddie/leaving-the-world-a-better-place-than-how-we-found-it-7b375b8475e9
Sweet aroma 
This mantra was pounded into my three siblings and me weekly or more by our dear Mother! A good lesson every parent and grandparent should teach their young’ens. 😉
Good lesson to contribute to a contented life.
That’s going to be a tough ask
Neil, do you think Buck will clean it up or does he think he has done a good thing by “updating” Mr. Jackson’s building?
Ha, enjoyed this one! I suppose ‘better’ is a subjective term! Well done 🙂
I’m sure we have often been reminded that “beauty is in the mind of the beholder.” 😀
Better is in the eye of the beholder. I haven’t seen a photo of this building before the grafitti took over, but I suspect it could be considered better this way. At least it’s colourful!
I just used that quote “beauty is…” in a comment to Neil. I’m guessing the young folks were not trying to make something beautiful. I’d go more for a prank. Mr. Jackson was a simple traditional person. I doubt that anyone thought he would like it better this way. But either ending is alright with me. 😀
Nicely done. A photo prompt painted with an Emerson quote.
Thank you, Bill. That gives me the oomph to try again.
Good. 🙂
Gosh that quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson so so beautiful. Thank you for writing this piece and including that here
How sweet you are! I’m glad to be the one who points the way to Emerson for you. He had a great attitude toward life. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Thank you!!!
Oh, poor Mr Jackson – he’ll be a target for Buck and his friends. I hope some of his goodness and trust rubs off on his students in time.
Sometimes it happens = good stuff wears off mentors. But many times peer pressure weighs heavier than mentor pressure. So I don’t know the outcome.
Let’s just substitute different for better! Well done.
The generations might not agree with each other on what is better but they would agree that it is different.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I guess the same could be said of better.
Right.
I guess it all depends on one’s definition of better. Personally I think it looks better than the abandoned hull it was.
I’m guessing you are less traditional than Mr. Jackson. Or me, either. I do not like graffiti. I believe it is left to be destructive far more often than to make things look pleasurable. I do, however, like wall murals, especially, those that are clever. Thanks for your vote. I have heard from others who also like the graffiti look.
Another thing, msjadeli, is that I do not see all that well. Perhaps there is more significance to this painting than I am picking up.
You’re welcome, Oneta.