From The Roundhole

Good morning!

I must apologize, the phone rang last night and I thought I would get right back here and finish my thoughts about a little dog, but I did not quite make it. The call was from my new friend Bob. If you remember, we had been talking about building him a little row boat of his own that he could get some exercise with, plus have something that would be double duty for when his grandson came to visit that could be used to teach him how to fish. He had been pretty excited about it untill he spoke to his sister about his plans. It seems sis is a bit of an Eeyore...you do remember Eeyore right? That sad little character in A.A. Milnes Winnie the Pooh books? Anyway, His sister seemed to be quite the critic. Like Eeyore, she seemed intent upon sucking the fun out of anything she came in contact with. She reminded him that he was no longer young, and what would happen if he rowed out in the lake and had a heart attack or worse, drowned. I'm sure she missed the memo about how rowing is great exercise, and can really help with the old ticker. But Bob had been sucked in. He said he thought maybe something "more his age" was better. I remembered a story of course, and I shared the following with him.

While traveling through the countryside late one afternoon, a Hindu, a Rabbi and a Critic were all caught in the same area by a terrific thunderstorm. They sought shelter at a nearby farmhouse. "That storm will be raging all night" The Farmer told them. "You'd better stay here for the night. The problem is, there's only enough room for two of you, one of you will have to sleep in the barn."

"I'll be the one" the Hindu said, "hardship is nothing new to me" and he went out to the barn.

A few moments later there was a knock at the door. It was the Hindu. "I'm sorry" he told the others, "but there is a cow in the barn. According to my religion, cows are sacred, and one must not intrude upon their space."

"Don't worry" said the Rabbi, "make yourself comfortable here, I'll go sleep in the barn." And he left.

A few moments later, there was again a knock at the door, it was the Rabbi. "I hate to be a bother" he said. "but there is a Pig in the barn. In my religion, pigs are considered unclean and I am just not comfortable sharing my sleeping quarters with a pig."

"OH ALL RIGHT" said the critic. "I'LL go sleep in the barn." And off he stomped towards the Barn.

A few minutes later there was another knock at the door. It was the cow and the Pig. :-)

Bob will be here by noon to pick out his rowbat.

Sam