Weekend Story-Hole In The Boat

A man once asked a painter to paint his small boat red.

The painter arrived early in the morning with his brushes, sandpaper, and paint. The boat was old, but well-loved. It had carried the family across the lake for many years.

As the painter began preparing the surface, he noticed a tiny hole near the waterline.

It was not large. It was the kind of hole most people would miss. And in any case, he had not been asked to repair the boat. He had been asked only to paint it.

For a moment, he kept working.

Then he stopped.

He looked at the hole again, took some sealant from his bag, cut a small piece of wood, and patched it carefully. When the repair had dried, he sanded it smooth and painted over it.

By evening, the boat looked beautiful. A deep, shining red.

The owner came out, admired the work, paid the agreed amount, and thanked the painter.

The painter went home.

The next morning, there was a knock at his door.

It was the boat owner.

He was holding an envelope.

The painter opened it and saw a cheque for a very large amount.

“There must be some mistake,” he said. “You already paid me yesterday.”

The owner shook his head.

“Yesterday, after you left, my children took the boat out on the lake. I was not at home when they left. When I returned and saw the boat missing, I remembered the hole.”

His voice trembled.

“I stood by the shore and waited. I imagined the boat filling with water. I imagined my children calling for help. I imagined every terrible thing a father can imagine.”

He paused.

“Then I saw them returning. Laughing. Safe. With fish in their hands.”

The painter said nothing.

The owner continued, “When I checked the boat, I found the hole repaired. You had fixed what I had forgotten. You had done what no one had asked you to do.”

He placed his hand on the painter’s shoulder.

“Yesterday, I paid you for painting my boat. Today, I am thanking you for bringing my children home.”