Leaping Larry Jojo
04-21-2006, 01:06 AM
This is a variation of an old folk tale that's been told in various cultures--most of you will recognize this story. Someone told me his version of it once, and now I will tell my version.
-------------------------------------------------------------
There once was a man named Tom. He was smart, handsome and athletic. One day, while walking around town, he came across a homeless old woman sitting near a street lamp.
"Old crone, I have not seen you here before. Why are you here?" demanded Tom.
"You should address your elders with more respect, boy." said the old woman.
"Bah, you are an ugly blot on this town. Actually, you are the ugliest person I have ever seen." sneered Tom.
And the old woman replied, "You should watch your words. I was once beautiful. And you will not be handsome forever."
Tom laughed. "You? Beautiful? That is hard to believe. I may be old and ugly one day, but that day is very far off. I will enjoy what I have at the moment and laugh at those who do not. Goodbye, old crone. Hopefully you will not be here again tommorrow."
And then Tom left and went home.
The next day, Tom came back to town to see if the old woman would still be there. But she was not, and Tom did not think more of that matter.
On the day after that, Tom noticed a wart on his face. But it was just one, and he thought it would eventually go away soon. On the day after that, Tom noticed two additional warts on his face, and now he began to worry. And on the day after that, Tom noticed four more warts on his face, and this made him stay in his house for the rest of that day. By the end of the week, he had 100 warts on his face and Tom was horrified. He decided to stay in his house for another week, but the warts did not go away. He did not dare risk going out, and he vowed to never leave the house until all 100 of his warts disappeared. Weeks eventually turned into months, and months turned into years and years turned into decades.
Tom was eventually forgotten by his friends and family. Some thought he had died, and some thought he had moved far away.
100 years after the appearance of his first wart, Tom finally left his house again, for all his warts had finally disappeared from his face. But Tom was an old man now, so even though all 100 of his warts were gone, they had been replaced with 100 deep wrinkles.
But Tom did not care anymore, for he was tired of staying inside his house. So he went for a walk around town.
Eventually he was tired of walking and sat down near a street lamp. A young and handsome man saw Tom and demanded, "Old coot, I have not seen you here before. Why are you here?"
And then Tom closed his eyes and smiled sadly.
THE END
-------------------------------------------------------------
There once was a man named Tom. He was smart, handsome and athletic. One day, while walking around town, he came across a homeless old woman sitting near a street lamp.
"Old crone, I have not seen you here before. Why are you here?" demanded Tom.
"You should address your elders with more respect, boy." said the old woman.
"Bah, you are an ugly blot on this town. Actually, you are the ugliest person I have ever seen." sneered Tom.
And the old woman replied, "You should watch your words. I was once beautiful. And you will not be handsome forever."
Tom laughed. "You? Beautiful? That is hard to believe. I may be old and ugly one day, but that day is very far off. I will enjoy what I have at the moment and laugh at those who do not. Goodbye, old crone. Hopefully you will not be here again tommorrow."
And then Tom left and went home.
The next day, Tom came back to town to see if the old woman would still be there. But she was not, and Tom did not think more of that matter.
On the day after that, Tom noticed a wart on his face. But it was just one, and he thought it would eventually go away soon. On the day after that, Tom noticed two additional warts on his face, and now he began to worry. And on the day after that, Tom noticed four more warts on his face, and this made him stay in his house for the rest of that day. By the end of the week, he had 100 warts on his face and Tom was horrified. He decided to stay in his house for another week, but the warts did not go away. He did not dare risk going out, and he vowed to never leave the house until all 100 of his warts disappeared. Weeks eventually turned into months, and months turned into years and years turned into decades.
Tom was eventually forgotten by his friends and family. Some thought he had died, and some thought he had moved far away.
100 years after the appearance of his first wart, Tom finally left his house again, for all his warts had finally disappeared from his face. But Tom was an old man now, so even though all 100 of his warts were gone, they had been replaced with 100 deep wrinkles.
But Tom did not care anymore, for he was tired of staying inside his house. So he went for a walk around town.
Eventually he was tired of walking and sat down near a street lamp. A young and handsome man saw Tom and demanded, "Old coot, I have not seen you here before. Why are you here?"
And then Tom closed his eyes and smiled sadly.
THE END