�Who Will Take the Son?�

 

      A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had a large collection---everything from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great masterpieces.

     When the Vietnam War broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

     About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood there with a large package in his hands. He said, �Sir, you don�t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart, and he died instantly. In our conversations together, he often talked about you, and your love for art.� The young man held out the package. �I know this isn�t much. I�m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.�

     The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the true personality of his son in the painting. The father was so moved and drawn to the eyes of his son that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. �Oh no, sir. I could never repay what your son did for me. It�s a gift.�

      The father hung the portrait over the mantel. Every time visitors came to his home, he first showed them the portrait of his son before he showed them the other great works he had collected.

     A few months later, the man died. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the magnificent works and having the opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

     On the platform stood the easel with the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. �We will start the bidding with this picture titled, �The Son�. Who will bid for this one?� There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted,� We want to see the famous paintings first. Skip this one.�

     But the auctioneer persisted. �Is there someone who will bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? One hundred dollars? Two hundred dollars?�

     From the back another voice shouted angrily,� We didn�t come to see an unknown artist�s work. We came to see the van Goghs, the Rembrandts---the works of the masters. Get on with the real bids!�

     But still the auctioneer continued. �The Son!� �The Son!� Who will take �The Son�?� Finally, a raspy voice came from the very back of the room. It was the aged, longtime gardener of the man and his son. �I�ll give ten dollars for the painting.� Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

     �We have ten dollars. Who will bid twenty dollars?� asked the auctioneer.

     �Give it to him for ten dollars,� someone shouted. �Let�s go on and see the paintings of the masters.�

     �Ten dollars is the bid. Won�t someone bid twenty dollars?� the auctioneer persisted.

     The crowd was becoming restless and angry. They didn�t want the picture of the son. They wanted a more worthy and important investment for their collection.

     The auctioneer pounded the gavel. �Going once, twice, sold for ten dollars!�

     A man sitting on the second row shouted, �Now let�s get on with collection!�

     But the auctioneer laid down his gavel. �I�m sorry. The auction is over,� he said.

     �What about the paintings?� someone shouted from the crowd.

     �I�m sorry, but when I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. And I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until now. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took �The Son� gets everything!�

     

 

 

 

With the Son you get everything. Happy New Year! I love you, Mark