Getting to Know You
For over twenty years I taught a short
story to my freshman English students entitled "The Interlopers." One would think I would
remember the author's name, but that is eluding me at the moment. That is an
injustice to the writer as he did an outstanding job of crafting his meaningful
tale with the great life lesson which it
teaches.
Many years prior to the event which unfolds for the reader two men had disagreed on who owned a strip of land which joined their farms. Each claimed that the land was a part of his farm. Finally they agreed to take their quarrel to the court and allow the judge to determine the owner.
After hearing their arguments the judge gave ownership to one of the men. The one who lost what he thought was his grew even angrier than he had been before going to court.
It happened that each man had a young son. They each told their sons about how unfair the other boy's father was. They taught them that that man could not be trusted, that he did awful things, that he was someone to be hated. To be sure the boys learned their lessons well. They grew up to hate each other
Eventually their married and each had a son. As their sons grew they and their fathers would see each other from afar. The fathers would tell them how despicable the others were. These two men never met each other, never spoke to each other, but their hatred for one another was intense. Each yearned to be able to kill the other.
The grandson of the man whom the court had awarded the land to many years before his birth, became obsessed with protecting this strip of land and would often go to it to see if the other man was on his land hunting. One particularly stormy night as he set by the fire, he thought of the man and just knew he would be there, taking advantage of the weather to hunt game. So he took his gun to go in search.
This land was worthless for farming. In fact it was worthless for hunting due to its steep, rocky nature. Huge trees were in abundance and clung precariously to the rock soil. As the man walked in the storm he rounded a large tree, suddenly confronting his enemy. They each raised their guns to shoot when a thundering sound alerted them. With no warning a gigantic tree fell on them, pinning each of them beneath its heavy mass.
After much bluffing and bragging about what each of their men would do when they were discovered, the men's injuries and pain began to take its toll. One man was able to get a flask from his pocket, hoping that the drink would ease the pain. After taking his drink, he looked across at the enemy seeing the pain on his face. He asked if he thought he could reach the flask if he handed it across to him. The other thought he could.
That was the first time in their lives that they had ever reached out to each other. From that gesture things began to change.
Finally, as time passed they warmed to each other. Finding themselves trapped together beneath the weight of their common enemy, the fallen tree, they discovered each other for the first time. before the hour passed they became friends. They laughed at how the villagers would stare in wonderment as they walked through town talking with one another, laughing and joking, sharing their friendship
They heard something in the distance and each hoped it was his men, as they vowed that their men would first release his new friend before releasing himself. But what was in the distance was not their men. No. What was approaching them was wolves. They were fated to die undiscovered.
Many of the students of students who studied that story with me over the years were shocked by the ending. "But Mr. Baker, no one will ever know that they ended the feud begun by their grandfathers. No one will know that they became friends."
No and this unfortunate for those left behind, but these two men found each other. One reached out to the other with compassion for his pain. Each of them spoke from the heart and accepted and other. Each of them found the blessing of accepting another.
It should be unthinkable that any of us should speak publicly against a fellow member of our small community whom we have never must. Speak with a weighted tongue about one to whom we have never extended the hand of greeting. Speak hurtful words against one with whom we have never visited. Speak with ridicule against one with whom we have never discovered what they love in life.
I think of the words in a song, "Getting to know you, getting to know all about you." None of us is a two-dimensional flat character with only one shortcoming or flaw. There's more to us than that.
Even more unthinkable is that there would be those who would encourage us to ridicule other and cause us to hate one another. Rather we should take the time to know each other. There is so much for us to learn from one another. We need to get to know each other.
Many years prior to the event which unfolds for the reader two men had disagreed on who owned a strip of land which joined their farms. Each claimed that the land was a part of his farm. Finally they agreed to take their quarrel to the court and allow the judge to determine the owner.
After hearing their arguments the judge gave ownership to one of the men. The one who lost what he thought was his grew even angrier than he had been before going to court.
It happened that each man had a young son. They each told their sons about how unfair the other boy's father was. They taught them that that man could not be trusted, that he did awful things, that he was someone to be hated. To be sure the boys learned their lessons well. They grew up to hate each other
Eventually their married and each had a son. As their sons grew they and their fathers would see each other from afar. The fathers would tell them how despicable the others were. These two men never met each other, never spoke to each other, but their hatred for one another was intense. Each yearned to be able to kill the other.
The grandson of the man whom the court had awarded the land to many years before his birth, became obsessed with protecting this strip of land and would often go to it to see if the other man was on his land hunting. One particularly stormy night as he set by the fire, he thought of the man and just knew he would be there, taking advantage of the weather to hunt game. So he took his gun to go in search.
This land was worthless for farming. In fact it was worthless for hunting due to its steep, rocky nature. Huge trees were in abundance and clung precariously to the rock soil. As the man walked in the storm he rounded a large tree, suddenly confronting his enemy. They each raised their guns to shoot when a thundering sound alerted them. With no warning a gigantic tree fell on them, pinning each of them beneath its heavy mass.
After much bluffing and bragging about what each of their men would do when they were discovered, the men's injuries and pain began to take its toll. One man was able to get a flask from his pocket, hoping that the drink would ease the pain. After taking his drink, he looked across at the enemy seeing the pain on his face. He asked if he thought he could reach the flask if he handed it across to him. The other thought he could.
That was the first time in their lives that they had ever reached out to each other. From that gesture things began to change.
Finally, as time passed they warmed to each other. Finding themselves trapped together beneath the weight of their common enemy, the fallen tree, they discovered each other for the first time. before the hour passed they became friends. They laughed at how the villagers would stare in wonderment as they walked through town talking with one another, laughing and joking, sharing their friendship
They heard something in the distance and each hoped it was his men, as they vowed that their men would first release his new friend before releasing himself. But what was in the distance was not their men. No. What was approaching them was wolves. They were fated to die undiscovered.
Many of the students of students who studied that story with me over the years were shocked by the ending. "But Mr. Baker, no one will ever know that they ended the feud begun by their grandfathers. No one will know that they became friends."
No and this unfortunate for those left behind, but these two men found each other. One reached out to the other with compassion for his pain. Each of them spoke from the heart and accepted and other. Each of them found the blessing of accepting another.
It should be unthinkable that any of us should speak publicly against a fellow member of our small community whom we have never must. Speak with a weighted tongue about one to whom we have never extended the hand of greeting. Speak hurtful words against one with whom we have never visited. Speak with ridicule against one with whom we have never discovered what they love in life.
I think of the words in a song, "Getting to know you, getting to know all about you." None of us is a two-dimensional flat character with only one shortcoming or flaw. There's more to us than that.
Even more unthinkable is that there would be those who would encourage us to ridicule other and cause us to hate one another. Rather we should take the time to know each other. There is so much for us to learn from one another. We need to get to know each other.
(written July 08, 1999)
Posted: Tue - January 3, 2006 at 02:09 PM
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"Chance favors only the prepared mind." - Louis Pasteur
"Art arises from basic needs-a strong need to express and celebrate our everyday events.
In a museum most people spend less than twenty seconds looking at a work of art."
"Art arises from basic needs-a strong need to express and celebrate our everyday events.
In a museum most people spend less than twenty seconds looking at a work of art."
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Published On: Jan 04, 2006 02:09 PM
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Published On: Jan 04, 2006 02:09 PM