Happy Valley

Here is your Saturday STORY on: SOLVING PROBLEMS: If you have all the academic skills in the world you may never be prepared for some situations that life throws at us. I have witnessed students in my fair city, of who could well embarrass most with their academic skills, but they seem to lack the quality of common sense. Common sense comes from experience of life. Eventually it becomes second nature to respond to difficulties with a confident and understanding attitude. We all know someone with this frailty. Too much knowledge, but not enough common sense, they seem to lack this important understanding. Why? It is because they don't realise that knowledge, although an important key, if not used or applied properly is wasted. Good instinct and intuition are as a result of a good application of common sense. See in this next story, how well a young child knows what to do from instinct. BIG BROTHER'S WATCHIN The little Downs' syndrome girl, a teenager the size of a ten year old, made her way through the McDonald's restaurant to the back and turned toward the restroom. After stopping and looking closely at the word on the door to make absolutely certain she was entering the appropriate one, she walked in. This was a happy evening for her. She and her family had just come from the roller rink with a group of friends from her church, and although trying to stay in an upright position while skating had been more work than fun for her, she knew now that it was certainly well worth the effort: was there, after all, any place in the world offering greater rewards than McDonald's? Her younger but bigger brother sat quietly, looking after her and noticed what she, thankfully, had not. A group of four teenagers, two couples, had taken an interest in the little girl from the moment they spotted her. Their eyes on her like magnets as she walked to the bathroom, they sniggered and whispered behind their hands, one even openly laughing, another pointing. Her brother watched them for a minute or so, then stood slowly, almost wearily, and walked casually across the restaurant to the booth where the merry couples were sitting. The two guys paled slightly, and the girls looked a little alarmed as this total stranger, a year or two their junior, placed his hands boldly on their table, leaning down slightly toward them. He, clearly in their space, and they, most definitely out of their comfort zones, studied each other. The stoic intruder stood up straight after several seconds and motioned with one hand for one of the couples to scoot over. Clearly, he intended to sit right down next to them. Somewhat in shock, and thrown completely off-guard, they made space for him and he lowered himself and sat, hunched slightly forward, his forearms resting on the table. When the silent tension reached ear-splitting proportions, the stranger spoke to this now-serious party of four. Quietly, he informed them, "I was watching you making fun of my sister." All four faces before him were now pale, and the boys stumbled over their words in their rush to defend themselves. "Who? Your sister? Where?" "We weren't making fun of anyone!" "Oh, that was your sister? We weren't making fun of her!" "We would never make fun of someone like that!" But he told them again, "I watched you." They babbled whatever came to their minds, knowing they had been caught red-handed and maybe, just maybe, even realizing that they had been not only rude, but cruel to boot. Maybe they even got a little glimpse of the love this fifth wheel had for his sister, and an inkling of the emotions he was dealing with. The brother appeared not to be listening to their denials as he turned and watched his sister head back to where she had been sitting with the church group. Each of the four looked away, making sure they looked absolutely anywhere besides at that little girl. Somehow, on her return trip from the restroom, not one of them found her the least bit amusing. Her brother watched her sit down with the others, then he slid out of the booth and stood. As he turned to walk away, one of the boys tried for one last line of defence: "Hey, we would not make fun of her. We feel sorry for people like that!" The little girl's defender stopped and turned back to their table, and placing the palms of his hands again on its surface, and leaning in close to his new acquaintances, he said hoarsely, "And I feel sorry for people like YOU." Then he turned and walked away. And, somehow, he suddenly blended right in with the Happy Meal atmosphere as he took his place next to his little sister. Just as if he were your average, basic McDonald's customer. And not a hero at all. (By Alison) Alison's story has appeared in Stories for the Teen's Heart, under the title "Brotherly Love." She also has a story in "Chicken Soup for the Grandparent's Soul." This one is called "Home Run." QUOTE: 'Having ability and intelligence is not the key. It's recognising that ability, confessing it, appreciating it, developing it, and then using it.' (Zig Zagler).

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