With all the talk about drought in California and flooding in Texas, Marash Girl is reminded of an old joke, a joke that was alive and well while she and her young family were living alongside the Connecticut River, a joke that has become the centerpiece of her philosophy of life. Here goes.
Flood warnings. The river was rising but the man refused to leave his home.
A police car came by; the policeman offered to drive the man to higher ground. "The river will flood; you must leave now," said the policeman.
"I will stay," said the man. "God will save me!"
The waters continued to rise and the man climbed to the second floor of his house, as the waters covered the first floor.
A man in a rowboat came by and shouted to the man: "Come with us. The river continues to rise."
"I will stay," said the man. "God will save me!"
But the waters continued to rise, and the man had to climb onto the roof of his house.
A helicopter hovered over, dropped a rope ladder, and shouted, "Climb the ladder; you must leave! You're house will be covered with water soon, and you will drown!"
"I will stay," said the man. "God will save me!"
The waters continued to rise, covered the house completely, and the man drowned and, yes, he went to heaven.
He arrived at the pearly gates, and when St. Peter answered, the man demanded to see God.
"What's the problem?" asked St. Peter.
"I need to talk to God. He didn't keep his promise to me!"
"Okay," said St Peter. "Come with me."
The man followed St. Peter, and as soon as the man saw God, the man cried out,
"You promised to save me, and look! You didn't keep your promise! I drowned in the floods!"
God answered. "I sent a police car, a rowboat, and a helicopter. What more did you want?"
N.B. Special thanks to Paul Siemering, Marash Girl's helicopter during her first years teaching at English High School!
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