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WITandWISDOM(tm) - May 18, 2001 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: "Do your work with your whole heart, and you will succeed - there's so little competition." - Elbert Hubbard Source: Inspire, http://www.inspirelist.com/ ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Forty-three years seems like a long time to remember the name of a mere acquaintance. I have duly forgotten the name of an old lady who was a customer on my paper route when I was a twelve-year-old boy in Marinette, Wisconsin back in 1954. Yet it seems like just yesterday that she taught me a lesson in forgiveness that I can only hope to pass on to someone else someday. On a mindless Saturday afternoon, a friend and I were throwing rocks onto the roof of the old lady's house from a secluded spot in her backyard. The object of our play was to observe how the rocks changed to missiles as they rolled to the roof's edge and shot out into the yard like comets falling from the sky. I found myself a perfectly smooth rock and sent it for a ride. The stone was too smooth, however, so it slipped from my hand as I let it go and headed straight for a small window on the old lady's back porch. At the sound of fractured glass, we took off from the old lady's yard faster than any of our missiles flew off her roof. I was too scared about getting caught that first night to be concerned about the old lady with the broken porch window. However, a few days later, when I was sure that I hadn't been discovered, I started to feel guilty for her misfortune. She still greeted me with a smile each day when I gave her the paper, but I was no longer able to act comfortable in her presence. I made up my mind that I would save my paper delivery money, and in three weeks I had the seven dollars that I calculated would cover the cost of her window. I put the money in an envelope with a note explaining that I was sorry for breaking her window and hoped that the seven dollars would cover the cost for repairing it. I waited until it was dark, snuck up to the old lady's house, and put the envelope of retribution through the letter slot in her door. My soul felt redeemed and I couldn't wait for the freedom of, once again, looking straight into the old lady's eyes. The next day, I handed the old lady her paper and was able to return the warm smile that I was receiving from her. She thanked me for the paper and said, "Here, I have something for you." It was a bag of cookies. I thanked her and proceeded to eat the cookies as I continued my route. After several cookies, I felt an envelope and pulled it out of the bag. When I opened the envelope, I was stunned. Inside was the seven dollars and a short note that said, "I'm proud of you." By Jerry Harpt Source: A 5th Portion of Chicken Soup For The Soul, Copyright (c) 2000, http://www.chickensoup.com/books/soup_5.html Submit ted by Vishwanath Marakath ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: STRANGE LAWS STILL ON THE BOOKS Part 3 of 3 [April 30, May 9, 18] NEW YORK A fine of $25 can be levied for flirting. This old law specifically prohibits men from turning around on any city street and looking "at a woman in that way." A second conviction for a crime of this magnitude calls for the violating male to be forced to wear a "pair of horse-blinders" wherever and whenever he goes outside for a stroll. OHIO Women are prohibited from wearing patent leather shoes in public. OKLAHOMA Violators can be fined, arrested, or jailed for making ugly faces at a dog. Females are forbidden from doing their own hair without being licensed by the state. Dogs must have a permit signed by the mayor in order to congregate in groups of three or more on private property. PENNSYLVANIA A special cleaning ordinance bans homemakers from hiding dirt and dust under a rug in a dwelling. TEXAS A city ordinance states that a person cannot go barefoot without first obtaining a special five-dollar permit. VERMONT Lawmakers made it obligatory for everybody to take at least one bath each week - on Saturday night. WASHINGTON All lollipops are banned. A law to reduce crime states: "It is mandatory for a motorist with criminal intentions to stop at the city limits and telephone the chief of police as he is entering the town. WEST VIRGINIA No children may attend school with their breath smelling of "wild onions." Source: THE LAW FIRM OF JOEL R. BRANDES, P.C. http://www.brandeslaw.com/LAWSOB.htm ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: Question: Whoever makes it, tells it not. Whoever takes it, knows it not. And whoever knows it wants it not. What is it? Source: AutoJoker Daily! autojoker-subscribe@listbot.com (The answer is located after today's Trivia.) ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Reflex Tester Want to see how fast you are in responding with a mouse click? If yes visit this site. http://www.happyhub.com/network/reflex/ Source: Computer Tips, http://www.coolnewsletters.com ~~ Answer to the Keep Smiling riddle: Counterfeit Money |