Sharing Can Go Too Far

The little old couple walked slowly into the restaurant. They looked out of place among the young families and young couples eating there that cold winter evening. Some customers looked admiringly at them; it wasn't hard to tell what the admirers were thinking. "Look, there's a couple who have been through a lot together, probably for 60 years or more!"

The little old man walked right up to the cash register, placed his order with no hesitation, and then paid for their meal. They took a table near the back wall and started taking food off the tray. There was one hamburger, one order of fries and one drink.

The little old man unwrapped the hamburger and carefully cut it in half. He placed one half in front of his wife. Then he carefully counted out the fries, divided them in two piles and neatly placed one pile in front of his wife. He took a sip of the drink; his wife took a sip and then set the cup down between them.

As the man began to eat his few bites of hamburger the crowd began to get restless. Again you could tell what they were thinking. "That poor old couple. All they can afford is one meal for the two of them." As the man began to eat his fries, a young man approached their table. He politely offered to buy them a second meal. The old man deferred. They were just fine, he said, and used to sharing everything.

Soon the crowd noticed that the little old lady hadn't eaten a single bite. She just quietly watched her husband eat. Occasionally they took turns sipping the drink. Again the young man approached and begged them to let him buy them something else to eat. This time the lady refused. There was no need, she said. They were used to sharing everything.

The little old man finished eating and wiped his face neatly with a napkin. The young man could stand it no longer. Again he approached them and offered to buy some more food. After being politely refused again, he finally questioned the little old lady directly. "Ma'am, why aren't you eating. You said that you share everything. What is it that you are waiting for?"

She answered quietly, "The teeth!"

I just finished my taxes, and this story comes to mind. Where does all of that tax money go? Some of it is surely shared with those who are truly needy, made destitute through no fault of their own. That's OK. But I balk at sharing with those who won't work, those who undermine our morality, and those who already owe us but refuse to pay.

There should be a limit to our generosity; there are some we really shouldn't help. If we continue to share with them, we may one day find ourselves uncomfortably "waiting for the teeth." I'd really prefer not to give mine away.

Copyright 2000 James McAlister

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