Tom, Dick and Mary

(A Modern Fable)

Once upon a time three donkeys named Tom, Dick and Mary lived on a wildlife preserve. They were very happy, eating delicious grass, drinking pure spring water and frolicking in the wide open spaces.

Then one day an agent from the Bureau of Land Management arrived and said: “I am sorry, but you three will have to leave. This area has been overgrazed and it can no longer support all of the wildlife on it.”

“But where will we live?” asked Tom, Dick and Mary.

“I don’t know,” said the agent. “Maybe some kind humans will give you a good home.”

So Tom, Dick and Mary went looking for a new home. They came to a farming community and Tom said: “I will go down and see if this is a good place for us to live.”

After a while Tom returned and said: “This is not a good place for us. The farmers want to hitch us to plows and drive us with whips.”

So they traveled further and came to a village. Dick said: “I will go down and see if this is a good place for us to live.”

After a while Dick returned and said: “This is not a good place for us. The villagers want to send us to the slaughterhouse where we will be made into dog food.”

So they traveled further and came to a town. Mary said: “I will go down and see if this is a good place for us to live.”

After a while Mary came racing back in terror and cried: “Run for your lives! This is the worst place of all! They want to make us candidates for Congress!”

(Moral: Would any of us be that smart?)