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There once was a
man named Henry
who was very
rich. He had a
beautiful
family: a loving
wife and lovely
children. But he
was always
worried about
their wealth, as
he had plunged
into a desire to
increase their
money and had no
time for his
family who he
claimed to love
so much.
One day, Henry
was going to his
company when he
felt ill, fell
down hitting his
head on a
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pole,
and lost
his
memory.
He was
alone
and two
guys
thought
he was
drunk
and
laughed: |
- Look! Early in
the morning and
he’s already
drunk! His
clothes are
good. He must be
full of money!
They took
everything he
had, including
his coat,
leaving him only
with his shirt
and pants. They
kept the money
and threw his
documents on the
street. As it
was beginning to
rain, the water
ended up washing
his documents
away.
When he came to,
Henry could not
return home. He
walked around
town, eventually
reaching a
highway and
hitchhiking. A
truck driver saw
him, was moved
by compassion
and stopped,
asking:
- Where are you
going, buddy?
Not knowing what
to say, he
pointed at the
direction that
the truck was
going.
- Well, then,
let’s go!
Further ahead,
as he was
hungry, the
driver stopped
at a gas station
to eat and asked
the stranger if
he was hungry,
to which he
nodded to say
yes.
- Don’t you
worry. This time
it’s on me.
They had a snack
and later on the
driver told the
passenger he was
changing
direction, so
Henry decided to
stay there. They
said goodbye and
again Henry was
alone.
He walked a good
stretch of the
road until he
got tired. He
stopped and
leaned against a
tree to sleep.
Meanwhile, his
family searched
for him
everywhere,
because the
company said he
had not showed
up at all that
day. They warned
the police, who
started looking
for him but
couldn’t find
him because he
had already left
the city.
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Thus, Henry
began to live a
new life. Need
forced him to
beg for food.
Within days he
was
unrecognisable;
he had filthy
clothes, unkempt
hair, nowhere to
shower and he
stank. He drank
water from a tap
that he found in
the city but he
did not know
what city it was
nor where it
was.
He became ill
and his
condition
deteriorated
until a
well-meaning
person full of
pity took him to
a hospital.
There he was
treated by
doctors and
nurses but could
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not tell
them who
he was
or where
he
lived.
As he
spoke
correctly
and had
educated
manners,
they had
the idea
to
photograph
him and
send a
photo to
the
police
and to
some
television
stations. |
A few days
later, someone
thought he
looked like
Henry, the great
entrepreneur,
and warned his
family. His wife
and son went
there to visit
the sick man who
was still
hospitalised.
Once there, they
had a surprise:
- Henry! — his
the wife
screamed, in
tears - Thank
God I found
you...
- Dad! Where
have you been
all this time?
And they say you
have been
begging in the
streets? — his
son said.
Seeing those
people, Henry,
now much better,
recognised them
and smiled
relieved. The
doctor talked to
his wife,
saying:
- It would
appear that
Henry
disappeared
because he had a
problem and lost
his memory. He
is now
recovering; be
patient with
him. If it
happens again
come back and
look for me.
- Thank you,
Doctor. You
helped us a lot.
We will
definitely come
back.
Then, with tears
in her eyes, she
said:
- Let's go home,
honey. The
doctor said
you're released.
So, Henry
returned to his
home and to
living with his
family. Just as
he had been
treated in
hospital, the
doctor again
warned his wife
that he was
recovering his
memory because
of a problem he
had, and asked
them to be
patient with
him.
Arriving at the
mansion where he
lived in a big
avenue Henry
smiled because
he recognised
the house where
they had lived
for so long.
They entered and
he was taken to
his room where,
already
accommodated in
bed, he said to
his family:
- Thank God, I'm
back. I suffered
a lot all this
time. I was a
beggar and asked
for alms, food
and slept rough,
covering myself
with the
newspapers that
people would
throw on the
streets or leave
on park benches.
- Honey, forget
about all of
that. It’s over.
You're back to
our home...
- I know,
darling. But I
cannot forget
what I
experienced.
I've always been
a hard man who
only valued
money. Today,
after so much
suffering, I
know that people
are not on the
streets because
they want to,
but for a lack
of choices. So
from now on, I
will be
different. I
want to help all
the people in
need, living on
the streets,
drinking,
addicted to
drugs. They are
all very unhappy
and need someone
to help them. I
will be that
person, because
I lived with
them but even
when they were
in difficulty
they helped me,
sharing with me
what little they
had.
His wife and
children were
moved by his
words, for until
then they had
only known the
hard man without
pity towards
anyone that
needed help. And
Henry continued:
- I'll be a
different boss
to my employees
from now on.
Tomorrow I will
go to the
company to talk
to them, and say
the same thing
said to you
today: God has
given me another
chance and I
intend to use
it! Believe me!
Forgive me for
the father and
husband I was to
you.
From now on I'm
a different man.
His loving wife
and children got
closer and
embraced him
with tears of
understanding
and compassion
as they
recognised that
there is always
time to change.
MEIMEI
(Psychographed
by Celia X. de
Camargo on
09/11/2015.)
