A store owner was tacking a sign above
his door that read
"Puppies For Sale." Signs like that
have a way of attracting
small children and sure enough, a little
boy appeared under the
store owner's sign.
"How much are you going to sell the puppies for?" he asked.
The store owner replied, "Anywhere from $30 to $50."
The little boy reached in his pocket
and pulled out some
change. "I have $2.37," he said. "Can
I please look at them?"
The store smiled and whistled and out
of the kennel came Lady,
who ran down the aisle of his store
followed by five teeny, tiny
balls of fur. One puppy was lagging
considerably behind.
Immediately the little boy singled out
the lagging, limping puppy
and said, "What's wrong with that little
dog?"
The store owner explained that the veterinarian
had examined
the little puppy and had discovered
it didn't have a hip socket. It
would always limp. It would always be
lame.
The little boy became excited. "That
is the little puppy that I want
to buy."
The store owner said, "No, you don't
want to buy that little dog.
If you really want him, I'll just give
him to you."
The little boy got quite upset. He looked
straight into the store
owner's eyes, pointing his finger, and
said, "I don't want you to
give him to me. That little dog is worth
every bit as much as all
the other dogs and I'll pay full price.
In fact, I'll give you $2.37
now, and 50 cents a month until I have
him paid for."
The store owner countered, "You really
don't want to buy this
little dog. He is never going to be
able to run and jump and play
with you like the other puppies."
To this, the little boy reached down
and rolled up his pant leg to
reveal a badly twisted, crippled left
leg supported by a big metal
brace. He looked up at the store owner
and softly replied, "Well,
I don't run so well myself, and the
little puppy will need someone
who understands!"
Dan Clark
Weathering the Storm