THE other day a friend of mine made a strange statement, “Bob,” he said, “I’m everybody’s friend! I agree with everybody!” “What if you have to make a choice in an argument?” “I won’t,” he said, “I’ll be neutral!” “Which,” I said, “Is letting down the friend who is right!”
After they had died, a man and his dog were walking along a road. After a while, they came to a high, white stonewall along one side of the road broken by a tall arch. When he was standing before it, he saw a magnificent gate in the arch and the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a man at a desk to one side. When he was close enough, he called out, “Excuse me, where are we?”
“This is Heaven, sir,” the man answered. “Wow! Would you happen to have some water?” the man asked. “Of course, sir. Come right in, and I will have some ice water brought right up. “The man gestured, and the gate began to open. “Can my friend come in too?” the traveller asked. “I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t accept pets.”
The man thought a moment and then turned back toward the road and continued the way he had been going. After another long walk, he came to a dirt road which led through farm gate that looked as if it had never been closed. There was no fence. As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside, leaning against a tree and reading a book. “Excuse me!” he called to the reader. “Do you have any water?”
“Yeah, sure, there’s a pump over there. Come on in.” “How about my friend here?” the traveller gestured to the dog. “There should be a bowl by the pump.” They went through the gate, and sure enough, there was an old fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside it. The traveller filled the bowl and took a long drink himself, then he gave some to the dog. When they were full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was standing by the tree waiting for them.
“What do you call this place?” “This is Heaven,” was the answer. “Well, that’s confusing, the man down the road said that was Heaven too.” “Oh, you mean the place with the white wall and golden gates? Nope. That’s Hell.” “Doesn’t it make you mad for them to use your name like that?” “No, we’re happy they screen out the folks who’ll leave their best friends behind!” I hope this story goes to this friend of mine; how easy it is, isn’t it to leave our friends out when we see something that will be beneficial only to us?
—Email: bobsbanter@gmail.com
