An elderly lady was resting in the lounge at the nursing home where she had been living for several years, holding a purring calico cat in her lap. Suddenly she remembered that her dearest friend Tabitha had been dead for years, and she realized that she must also have passed away.
She looked up and saw a golden door on the opposite side of the room – a door that was not there ever before. She cuddled Tabitha in her arms, stood up and walked over to the golden door. She opened the door to see before her a magnificent arch of mother-of-pearl at the beginning of a street of pure gold leading off toward what appeared to be a beautiful city made of crystal.
A man was sitting at a desk at the side of the arch. The lady asked the man, “Excuse me, sir, but where are we?†“This is Heaven, madam,†the man answered. “My goodness,†said the old lady, “would you happen to have some water? Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m so thirsty.â€
“Of course, madam. Come right in, and Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll have some ice water brought right up.†“Can Tabitha come in, too?†“Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m sorry, madam, but we donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t accept pets.â€
The lady thought for a moment, cuddled Tabitha, turned around, and went back out the golden door. Back in the lounge of the nursing home she saw another new door – a very plain door; rather rickety and badly needing some paint. She opened the door and saw a dirt road leading to a charming, but plain, farmhouse. She saw a man leaning against a tree on the side of the road, reading a book.
“Excuse me,†she called out to the man. “Do you have any water?†“Sure,†the man answered, with a smile. “There is a pump right over there – come on in. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m sure your furry friend must be thirsty, too. You will find a bowl right next to the pump.â€
The old lady walked through the rickety door, walked down the dirt road to the pump, filled the bowl for Tabitha, and took a drink of the refreshing water herself. When they had both quenched their thirst the lady picked up Tabitha, holding her close, walked back to the man who was standing by the tree and asked, “What do you call this place?â€
This is Heaven,†he answered. “My, my, thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s confusing,†the lady said. “The man behind the golden door said that was Heaven, too.†“Oh,†said the man, “you mean the place with the golden street and the crystal city? Nope, thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s Hell.â€
“Doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t it make you mad for them to use your name like that?†“No,†said the man, “weâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]re happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.â€
She looked up and saw a golden door on the opposite side of the room – a door that was not there ever before. She cuddled Tabitha in her arms, stood up and walked over to the golden door. She opened the door to see before her a magnificent arch of mother-of-pearl at the beginning of a street of pure gold leading off toward what appeared to be a beautiful city made of crystal.
A man was sitting at a desk at the side of the arch. The lady asked the man, “Excuse me, sir, but where are we?†“This is Heaven, madam,†the man answered. “My goodness,†said the old lady, “would you happen to have some water? Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m so thirsty.â€
“Of course, madam. Come right in, and Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]ll have some ice water brought right up.†“Can Tabitha come in, too?†“Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m sorry, madam, but we donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t accept pets.â€
The lady thought for a moment, cuddled Tabitha, turned around, and went back out the golden door. Back in the lounge of the nursing home she saw another new door – a very plain door; rather rickety and badly needing some paint. She opened the door and saw a dirt road leading to a charming, but plain, farmhouse. She saw a man leaning against a tree on the side of the road, reading a book.
“Excuse me,†she called out to the man. “Do you have any water?†“Sure,†the man answered, with a smile. “There is a pump right over there – come on in. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]m sure your furry friend must be thirsty, too. You will find a bowl right next to the pump.â€
The old lady walked through the rickety door, walked down the dirt road to the pump, filled the bowl for Tabitha, and took a drink of the refreshing water herself. When they had both quenched their thirst the lady picked up Tabitha, holding her close, walked back to the man who was standing by the tree and asked, “What do you call this place?â€
This is Heaven,†he answered. “My, my, thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s confusing,†the lady said. “The man behind the golden door said that was Heaven, too.†“Oh,†said the man, “you mean the place with the golden street and the crystal city? Nope, thatâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s Hell.â€
“Doesnâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t it make you mad for them to use your name like that?†“No,†said the man, “weâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]re happy that they screen out the folks who would leave their best friends behind.â€
