Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2001 12:36:13 -0500 (EST)
From: Lisa Galloway
Subject: BLAGUES-L: Kind of people


There was an old man sitting at the gate of a town many years ago when a 
stranger came to the gate and asked, "Old man, I'm thinking of moving here. 
What kind of people live here?"

The old man replied, "Stranger, what kind of people lived in your former 
town?"

The stranger thought and then replied, "Most were mean people, jealous, 
suspicious of others, likely to cheat me, very proud of themselves, couldn't 
be trusted."

The old man said sadly, "Oh, it is too bad. I'm afraid you'll find the 
people are much the same here."

So the stranger moved on.

Later that day, a different stranger came up and asked the old man, "If I 
move to this town, what kind of people will I find here?"

The old man again asked, "Stranger, what kind of people lived in your former 
town?"

The second stranger thought and then replied, "Well, fairly normal people, I 
guess. Some were friendly, some were cheerful. Sometimes I would meet a bad 
person, but then I'd meet two or three nice people after that. Most of the 
people there were easy to get along with, I should say."

The old man nodded. "Welcome to our town, stranger," he said. "I think 
you'll find the people are much the same here."