Heaven

[valerie]

Some of you may have seen this, but just in case, I'm posting it.



A man and his dog were walking along a country road. The man was enjoying the scenery, when suddenly it occurred to him he was dead.

He remembered dying, and that the dog walking beside him

had been dead for years. He wondered where the road was leading them.

After a while they came to a high, white stone wall along one side of the road. It looked like fine marble. At the top of a long hill it was broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight. When he was standing before it he saw a magnificent gate in the arch that looked like mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked toward the gate, and as he got closer saw a man in a white robe standing just inside.

When he was close enough, he called out, "Excuse me, where are we?"

"This is Heaven, sir," the man answered.

"I thought so...", mused the man, "Perhaps I can come in? I've been walking a long time."

"Of course, sir. Come right in and rest," said the gatekeeper.

The man thought for a moment and looked down at his dog. "Can my friend come too?" he asked.

"I'm sorry sir, we don't allow pets here." stated the gatekeeper. The man thought for just a moment and then turned back down the road and continued the way he had been going with his dog.

After another long walk, and at the top of another long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through a rusted farm gate. There was a ramshackle barbed wire fence surrounding the farm, and the lowing of cattle and baa'ing of sheep could be heard. A few old farm dogs lifted their heads to eye over the visitors. As he approached the gate, he saw a man leading against a tree and reading a book.

"Excuse me!" he called to the man. "Do you have any water?"

The old farmer nodded his head, and pointed to an old fasioned hand pump.

"How about my friend here?" the weary traveler asked, scratching his dog behind the ear.

This time the old farmer looked up and said, "Of course, there is a bowl by the pump."

Sure enough there was a old bucket leaning against the pump. The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long drink of the sweetest water he had ever tasted. He filled the bowl and gave it to his dog. When they were both full, he and the dog walked back toward the man who was leaning against the tree.

"What do you call this place?" the traveler asked.

"This is Heaven," he answered.

"Well thats confusing," the traveler said. "The man down the road said that was Heaven, too."

"Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and pearly gates? Nope, that's Hell."

Stunned, the man asked, "Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name like that?"

"No, the old farmer replied. "We're just happy they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind."