A
farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the
pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was
driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked
down into the Eyes of a little boy. Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of
your puppies.”
“Well,”
said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, “these
puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money.” The boy dropped
his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a
handful of change and held it up to the farmer. “I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is
that enough to take a look?” “Sure,” said the farmer.
And
with that he let out a whistle, “Here, Dolly!” he called.
Out
from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of
fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes
danced with delight.
As
the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else
stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared; this One
noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner
the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up….
“I want that one,” the little boy said, pointing to the runt.
The
farmer knelt down at the boy’s side and said, “Son, you don’t want that puppy.
He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.”
With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began
rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace
running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe.
Looking back up at the farmer, he said, “You see sir, I don’t run too well myself,
and he will need someone who understands.”
The
world is full of people who need someone who understands.
