[Groop] GOOD ONE, a rare Larry Forward

Fri Sep 10 20:15:31 PDT 2004

> >   Subject: Fw: What would you do? 
> > 
> >   You make the choice Don't look for a punch line. There isn't one.
> Read
> it anyway. 
> > 
> >   My question to all of you is: Would you have made the same
> choice? 
> > 
> >   At a fundraising dinner for a school that serves learning
> disabled
> children, the father of one of the students delivered a speech that
> would
> never be forgotten by all who attended. 
> > 
> >   After extolling the school and its dedicated staff, he offered a
> question. 
> > 
> >   "When not interfered with by outside influences, everything
> nature does
> is done with perfection. Yet my son, Shay, cannot learn things as
> other
> children do. He cannot understand things as other children do. Where
> is the
> natural order of things in my son?" 
> > 
> >   The audience was stilled by the query. 
> > 
> >   The father continued. "I believe, that when a child like Shay
> comes into
> the world, an opportunity to realize true human nature presents
> itself, and
> it comes, in the way other people treat that child." 
> > 
> >   Then he told the following story: Shay and his father had walked
> past a
> park where some boys Shay knew were playing baseball. 
> > 
>    Shay asked, "Do you think they'll let me play?" 
> > 
>    Shay's father knew that most of the boys would not want someone
> like Shay
> on their team, but the father also understood that if his son were
> allowed
> to play, it would give him a much-needed sense of belonging. Shay's
> father
> approached one of the boys on the field and asked if Shay could play.
> 
> > 
> >   The boy looked around for guidance and, getting none, he took
> matters
> into his own hands and said, "We're losing by six runs and the game
> is in
> the eighth inning. I guess he can be on our team and we'll try to put
> him in
> to bat in the ninth inning." 
> > 
> >   In the bottom of the eighth inning, Shay's team scored a few runs
> but
> was still behind by three 
> > 
> >   In the top of the ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in
> the
> outfield. 
> > 
> >   Even though no hits came his way, he was obviously ecstatic just
> to be
> in the game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear as his father
> waved
> to him from the stands. 
> > 
> >   In the bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored again. Now,
> with
> two outs and the bases loaded, the potential winning run was on base
> and
> Shay was scheduled to be next at bat. 
> > 
> >   At this juncture, let Shay bat and give away their chance to win
> the
> game? 
> > 
> >   Surprisingly, Shay was given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit
> was all
> but impossible 'cause Shay didn't even know how to hold the bat
> properly,
> much less connect with the ball. 
> > 
> >   However, as Shay stepped up to the plate, the pitcher moved in a
> few
> steps to lob the ball in softly so Shay could at least be able to
> make
> contact. 
> > 
> >   The first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and missed. The
> pitcher
> again took a few steps forward to toss the ball softly towards Shay. 
> > 
> >   As the pitch came in, Shay swung at the ball and hit a slow
> ground ball
> right back to the pitcher. 
> > 
> >   The pitcher picked up the soft grounder and could have easily
> thrown the
> ball to the first baseman. Shay would have been out and that would
> have been
> the end of the game. 
> > 
> >   Instead, the pitcher took the ball and turned and threw the ball
> on a
> high arc to right field, far beyond the reach of the first baseman. 
> > 
> >   Everyone started yelling, "Shay, run to first! Run to first!" 
> > 
> >   Never in his life had Shay ever made it to first base. He
> scampered down
> the baseline, wide-eyed and startled. 
> > 
> >   Everyone yelled, "Run to second, run to second!" 
> > 
> >   By the time Shay rounded first base, the right fielder had the
> ball. 
> > 
> >   He could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman for the tag,
> but he
> understood the pitcher's intentions and intentionally threw the ball
> high
> and far over the third-baseman's head. 
> > 
> >   Shay ran toward second base as the runners ahead of him
> deliriously
> circled the bases toward home. 
> > 
> >   Shay reached second base, the opposing shortstop ran to him,
> turned him
> in the direction of third base, and shouted, "Run to third!" 
> > 
> >   As Shay rounded third, the boys from both teams were screaming,
> "Shay,
> run home!" 
> > 
> >   Shay ran to home, stepped on the plate, and was cheered as the
> hero who
> hit the "grand slam" and won the game for his team. 
> > 
> >   "That day," said the father softly with tears now rolling down
> his face,
> "the boys from both teams helped bring a piece of true love and
> humanity
> into this world." 
> > 
> >   AND, NOW A LITTLE FOOTNOTE TO THIS STORY: We all send thousands
> of jokes
> through the e-mail without a second thought, but when it comes to
> sending
> messages about life choices, people think twice about sharing. 
> > 
> >   The crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely through
> cyberspace, but
> public discussion about decency is too often suppressed in our
> schools and
> workplaces. 
> > 
> >   If you're thinking about forwarding this message, chances are
> that
> you're probably sorting out the people on your address list that
> aren't the
> "appropriate" ones to receive this type of message. 
> > 
> >   Well, the person who sent you this believes that we all can make
> a
> difference. We all have thousands of opportunities every single day
> to help
> realize the "natural order of things." 
> > 
> >   So many seemingly trivial interactions between two people present
> us
> with a choice: 
> > 
> >   Do we pass along a little spark of love and humanity or do we
> pass up
> that opportunity, and leave the world a little bit colder in the
> process? 
> > 
> >   You now have two choices: 
> >   1. Delete this. 
> >   2.. Forward it to the people you care about. 
> >
> 
>   _____  
> 
> Get ready for school!  <http://g.msn.com/8HMAENUS/2743??PS=47575>
> Find
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>  
> 
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> 

=====
-Larry "Mr. Grooism" Steller, Mendicant Second Class 

THE BLOG IS BACK!!! http://mrgrooism.diaryland.com 
August 12 entry: Shyne On You Crazy Felon!
August 5 entry: The Statue of Liberty (Edited Version) 

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