That town back there....

Sometimes the newest wisdom is the oldest.  I love this story.

         There was once and old farmer standing on his property near a road that ran between two small towns.  As he was working he looked up and saw a stranger dragging his way down the road.

            “Hey stranger, how are ya’ today?”

            The stranger looked at him with tired eyes and from what was clearly a bitter soul said, “Not so good today, Mister.  I was just in that town back there and nobody was very nice to me.  Everywhere I went people just looked at me.  Nobody offered me any water or to stay for dinner, and to be honest I didn’t want to stay.  I shook the dust off my feet as I left.”

            “That’s too bad” the farmer said.

            “Say” said the stranger, “can you tell me what the people are like in this next town up ahead here?”

            The farmer’s head drooped as he took off his hat and scratched his brow.  He looked at the stranger.  “I think you’ll find the people in the town up ahead to be exactly the same way.”

            Some time later the farmer was still by the road when another stranger came up.  

            “How are you today, sir?” chirped the traveler.  The farmer, being a bit surprised said, “Well I’m fine, sir, and you?”

            The stranger beamed a smile and said “I’m just great, thanks for asking!  You know, I was just in that town back there and they were the nicest people.  Everyone said ‘Hi!’ to me, I had several offers to stay for dinner and made many friends.  I sure liked that town.”

            “That’s good” said the farmer.

            “Say” said the stranger, “maybe you could help me.  Can you tell me what the people are like up in the next town?”

            The farmer lifted his head smiling, took off his cap, scratched his head and said, “I think you’ll find the people in the next town to be exactly the same way.”        

          "One machine can do the work of fifty ordinary people. No machine can do the work of one extraordinary person."
                                                                                                               -Elbert Hubbard