Perfidy...what a place!

My friend Scott posted this story on his blog. It's a revealing story about us.

FIRE

In the village of Perfidy the villagers lived much like we do today. Hurrying from place to place, working hard and trying to balance life’s priorities. The Perfidians were polite, stopping to help a neighbor was expected and back yard barbeque's always drew a crowd. It was a nice place to live and raise a family.

Walter was a man well known by both young and old alike. His tall frame, slicked back gray hair and tattered briefcase were a pleasant sight to those in the village. He never held back an interesting story or a cute joke. A cup of coffee or a tall glass of iced tea would often accompany such a visit. Walter was a salesman for a fire extinguisher company. His territory was the entire village and everyone was a potential client. Walter had a way of making anyone feel at ease. He would often listen for hours, as men would open up about problems at home or struggles at work. Walters gentle ear and kind words could topple down even the biggest of difficulties. Although it was no secret that Walter’s job was to sell extinguishers, he rarely would bother with the sales pitch. He knew that if you wanted to buy, all you had to do was ask. The fact was that nearly everyone already owned some kind of extinguisher. Pushing sales on his friends didn’t seem natural and he wasn’t willing to risk the friendship over just another sale. With that Walter had many friends and great respect.

Unfortunately, the people of Perfidy were hardened to the fires that plagued their village. It wasn’t uncommon for a fire to take out one or two people in a week. Fires became a part of life and a part of death. It was especially hard when a child was taken. But that’s just the way it was in Perfidy. Everyone at some point would eventually find themselves as a victim of a fire. The fire extinguishers found in most homes didn’t work. Most were empty from the very start. At best, they only served as a sense of false security. Some were filled with water but had no pressure. It doesn’t make any sense, but this was tolerated, and no one really expected anything different.

So what about Walt’s extinguishers? They were amazing. They would put out any fire as soon as the pin was pulled. But just like all the others, they only could protect the one who purchased them. So why didn’t more people buy these special extinguishers? Were they expensive? No, only a signature was needed.

Although Walter was a nice friend, he was really no friend at all. He had the answer to the villager’s fate. Yet, he was unwilling to push his extinguishers, because so many already believed in their own. Walter knew they were trusting in empty dreams and failed to share the truth. What a sad story.

Thanks Scott!