Post by warrior on May 16, 2013 1:00:22 GMT -5
A visitor comes to stay (a modern parable)
Herb heard that the president was coming to his town and feeling a little cheeky he wrote to the Whitehouse. He offered the president a room to stay in for free and use as his own. To his surprise the president replied himself, accepting the kind offer and sending a personal check for the top hotel rate, paid in full. Herb’s wife, Connie, was very excited and started to plan menus for the week. She noticed that Herb was a little laid back and so gave him a list of things he might like to get done and a list of ingredients to buy the day before the president arrived.
It was true that there was a crack in the window that the wind came through. The damp on the wall by the bed gave the room a chilled atmosphere and that matrass had definitely seen better days. Herb was very proud that there were no bed bugs or roaches in the house. These had been a problem but his cousin, Vinny, from Toledo had an extermination business and after he had stayed one night he got to work on the entire house. Herb was hopeful that they would not return before the visit.
Herb made a list from the list Connie had given him but it was so hard getting started. Anyway, he was sure that the president was understanding and surely would be happy to take him as he found him. He never seemed to have time but he did clear the garbage from the alleyway. He applied a lick of paint to the exterior, flaky paintwork and he had to admit it looked good from the outside. He even got on a ladder and applied a few shingles with a bead of silicon.
Connie got tired of telling Herb what needed to be done and started to become quieter. The day of the president’s arrival came. The most powerful man on earth was shown to his damp, draughty room. He dropped his suitcase on the creaky matrass and went downstairs to be fed with beans and chilli dogs. It wasn’t the welcome he had expected. He dropped a few hints but Herb didn’t really want to do anything about anything. He just offered 101 reasons why things couldn’t and didn’t really need to change and then proceeded to entertain the president with a list of all the things he blamed him for and all of the things he wanted the president to do for him.
Herb heard that the president was coming to his town and feeling a little cheeky he wrote to the Whitehouse. He offered the president a room to stay in for free and use as his own. To his surprise the president replied himself, accepting the kind offer and sending a personal check for the top hotel rate, paid in full. Herb’s wife, Connie, was very excited and started to plan menus for the week. She noticed that Herb was a little laid back and so gave him a list of things he might like to get done and a list of ingredients to buy the day before the president arrived.
It was true that there was a crack in the window that the wind came through. The damp on the wall by the bed gave the room a chilled atmosphere and that matrass had definitely seen better days. Herb was very proud that there were no bed bugs or roaches in the house. These had been a problem but his cousin, Vinny, from Toledo had an extermination business and after he had stayed one night he got to work on the entire house. Herb was hopeful that they would not return before the visit.
Herb made a list from the list Connie had given him but it was so hard getting started. Anyway, he was sure that the president was understanding and surely would be happy to take him as he found him. He never seemed to have time but he did clear the garbage from the alleyway. He applied a lick of paint to the exterior, flaky paintwork and he had to admit it looked good from the outside. He even got on a ladder and applied a few shingles with a bead of silicon.
Connie got tired of telling Herb what needed to be done and started to become quieter. The day of the president’s arrival came. The most powerful man on earth was shown to his damp, draughty room. He dropped his suitcase on the creaky matrass and went downstairs to be fed with beans and chilli dogs. It wasn’t the welcome he had expected. He dropped a few hints but Herb didn’t really want to do anything about anything. He just offered 101 reasons why things couldn’t and didn’t really need to change and then proceeded to entertain the president with a list of all the things he blamed him for and all of the things he wanted the president to do for him.