Robby had only one dream, one vision when he grew up as a boy. He wanted to be a high flying successful businessman. He never thought about anything else since he went to school right up to getting his MBA. He did not want anything to get in the way of his concentration - no relationships, no entertainment, cut back on movies, no time even for casual reading. Robby's daily schedule for seven days a week was to get up 6am in the morning do pre-read up on whatever lectures that was going to come up for the day. After lectures, he goes straight home freshen up and do post-read up on his lectures.
Achieved his dream he did! Robby is now a well known person in the business of trading of seafood. Robby actually shifted away from home to a different state to keep his focus. To Robby, nothing mattered more than the future. Managing his business was always a top priority and he hardly spent time with his wife and daughter.
While in his office on a Monday morning, Robby's hand phone rings. He takes a look, the number displayed belongs to his house. "Must be mom. Wonder what's up.", mumbles Robby and answers the call, "Hi mom! What's up?" His mom replies, "Hi there Robby. How's it going there? Busy is ever my dear son?" Robby goes, "Yea mom, business is pretty good and I am doing fine myself."
Robby's mom go on, "Anyway Robby, do you remember Mr. Brown from next door?". "Yup, I sure remembered him. I used to drop by his house every evening after dinner just to hang around and play around the wooden puppets he made for a living. What about him?". "Well, Mr. Brown passed away last night from a sudden heart attack.".
Robby went quiet.......... "Robby? Robby? You still on the line?", his mom said. Robby just went blanked and realised he hadn't said anything for a while, "Sorry mom, just felt so surprised. He was a nice guy. It's been a while since I last spoke to him."
"Mr. Brown never forgot you. Every time he saw me, he'd definitely ask how you are doing. He always talked about how you spent hours with him just chatting in his small house." Robby's mom told Robby.
"Yea.... I sure remember those times. He pretty much was a dad to me ever since dad and you divorced when I was 5 years old. When's the funeral?" Robby said.
"Funeral's the funeral at the usual church Mr. Brown goes to." Robby's mom replied. "I'll be there as soon as I rearrange my schedule for tomorrow. Thanks for letting me know mom. See you there." Robby said. As soon as Robby hung up, he reworked his schedule and was on the next flight back home for Mr. Brown's funeral.
The following day, after the funeral, Robby and his mom went to look at the small house Mr. Brown lived in for the last time. Robby just sighed, "I am going to miss him. He was always around to encourage me to do what I wanted to do and really strife to do well in my studies. I remembered each time I walked up these very steps into his house, he'd have tea waiting for me on the table knowing I would like a relaxing tea drink after studying."
As Robby took a last around the house, he suddenly remember something and went looking for something. Robby's mom was puzzled and asked, "Robby, what are you looking for?". Robby, panting while searching said, "Mr. Brown had a very special wooden puppet in a very nicely carved wooden box he made himself. He always said that it was like a daughter he never had. I remembered he placed it just beside the tv shelf. It was always dust free and clean. He'd never let me touch it, not even with my baby finger! Where had it gone to?"
Robby's mom said, "It's been a long time since you were here, he might have sold it." Robby let out a sigh of disappointment, "You might be right mom. Thought I might take with me for keepsake."
The very next day, Robby was back at work as usual. He got back home late in the evening about close to 10 o'clock at night. His wife greeted him as usual, "Hi hon, dinner's ready on the table warm the way you like it. By the way, a package came in this morning for you. I placed it on the dining table." "Thanks a lot sweet heart", as Robby approached dinner he picked up the package which read, "To my best young pal, Robby. From the guy next door, Mr. Brown."
Robby unwrapped the package, and found the beautifully carved wooden box that carried a beautiful puppet Robby was looking for back at Mr. Brown's home. In the hands of the puppet held a letter. Robby, opened the letter and read it. As he read, tears were trickling down his cheeks.
The letter read:
"Robby boy, if you are reading this letter that would mean you got my most precious puppet and probably the best puppet I ever carved in my entire career as a puppeteer. Most importantly, it would mean I have passed on. I sure hope I didn't look like a dried prune lying in my casket! Anyway Robby boy, pick up the puppet and be careful with it and take a peek on the back side of the puppet."
When Robby turned the puppet around, Robby saw what was carved and started crying. At the back of the puppet Mr. Brown carved out very finely and accurately which said, "Thanks for your time, Robby boy!".
Robby just sat at the dining table while his wife held him close to her bosom as he wept.
"What Mr. Brown cherished and appreciated most was my time with him," said Robby as he cried.
As Robby held on to the puppet, the following day he called his office and cancelled all appointments. His assistant, Rosanne was startled and asked, "What's happening in these two days?"
"Nothing much," Robby replied. "Just want to spend more time with my wife and my daughter. That's all. Oh yea, and Rosanne...... thanks for your time!"
Achieved his dream he did! Robby is now a well known person in the business of trading of seafood. Robby actually shifted away from home to a different state to keep his focus. To Robby, nothing mattered more than the future. Managing his business was always a top priority and he hardly spent time with his wife and daughter.
While in his office on a Monday morning, Robby's hand phone rings. He takes a look, the number displayed belongs to his house. "Must be mom. Wonder what's up.", mumbles Robby and answers the call, "Hi mom! What's up?" His mom replies, "Hi there Robby. How's it going there? Busy is ever my dear son?" Robby goes, "Yea mom, business is pretty good and I am doing fine myself."
Robby's mom go on, "Anyway Robby, do you remember Mr. Brown from next door?". "Yup, I sure remembered him. I used to drop by his house every evening after dinner just to hang around and play around the wooden puppets he made for a living. What about him?". "Well, Mr. Brown passed away last night from a sudden heart attack.".
Robby went quiet.......... "Robby? Robby? You still on the line?", his mom said. Robby just went blanked and realised he hadn't said anything for a while, "Sorry mom, just felt so surprised. He was a nice guy. It's been a while since I last spoke to him."
"Mr. Brown never forgot you. Every time he saw me, he'd definitely ask how you are doing. He always talked about how you spent hours with him just chatting in his small house." Robby's mom told Robby.
"Yea.... I sure remember those times. He pretty much was a dad to me ever since dad and you divorced when I was 5 years old. When's the funeral?" Robby said.
"Funeral's the funeral at the usual church Mr. Brown goes to." Robby's mom replied. "I'll be there as soon as I rearrange my schedule for tomorrow. Thanks for letting me know mom. See you there." Robby said. As soon as Robby hung up, he reworked his schedule and was on the next flight back home for Mr. Brown's funeral.
The following day, after the funeral, Robby and his mom went to look at the small house Mr. Brown lived in for the last time. Robby just sighed, "I am going to miss him. He was always around to encourage me to do what I wanted to do and really strife to do well in my studies. I remembered each time I walked up these very steps into his house, he'd have tea waiting for me on the table knowing I would like a relaxing tea drink after studying."
As Robby took a last around the house, he suddenly remember something and went looking for something. Robby's mom was puzzled and asked, "Robby, what are you looking for?". Robby, panting while searching said, "Mr. Brown had a very special wooden puppet in a very nicely carved wooden box he made himself. He always said that it was like a daughter he never had. I remembered he placed it just beside the tv shelf. It was always dust free and clean. He'd never let me touch it, not even with my baby finger! Where had it gone to?"
Robby's mom said, "It's been a long time since you were here, he might have sold it." Robby let out a sigh of disappointment, "You might be right mom. Thought I might take with me for keepsake."
The very next day, Robby was back at work as usual. He got back home late in the evening about close to 10 o'clock at night. His wife greeted him as usual, "Hi hon, dinner's ready on the table warm the way you like it. By the way, a package came in this morning for you. I placed it on the dining table." "Thanks a lot sweet heart", as Robby approached dinner he picked up the package which read, "To my best young pal, Robby. From the guy next door, Mr. Brown."
Robby unwrapped the package, and found the beautifully carved wooden box that carried a beautiful puppet Robby was looking for back at Mr. Brown's home. In the hands of the puppet held a letter. Robby, opened the letter and read it. As he read, tears were trickling down his cheeks.
The letter read:
"Robby boy, if you are reading this letter that would mean you got my most precious puppet and probably the best puppet I ever carved in my entire career as a puppeteer. Most importantly, it would mean I have passed on. I sure hope I didn't look like a dried prune lying in my casket! Anyway Robby boy, pick up the puppet and be careful with it and take a peek on the back side of the puppet."
When Robby turned the puppet around, Robby saw what was carved and started crying. At the back of the puppet Mr. Brown carved out very finely and accurately which said, "Thanks for your time, Robby boy!".
Robby just sat at the dining table while his wife held him close to her bosom as he wept.
"What Mr. Brown cherished and appreciated most was my time with him," said Robby as he cried.
As Robby held on to the puppet, the following day he called his office and cancelled all appointments. His assistant, Rosanne was startled and asked, "What's happening in these two days?"
"Nothing much," Robby replied. "Just want to spend more time with my wife and my daughter. That's all. Oh yea, and Rosanne...... thanks for your time!"
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