Free Meat
One warm summer evening, a young woman walked into the neighborhood butcher shop, cradling a baby in her arms. “This little fella is yours,” she told the butcher.
Well, that sure knocked the wind out of him. Not knowing what else to do, the butcher—being a man of his word—offered to provide her with free meat every week until the boy turned 16. She agreed.
Years rolled by, and every week, that growing boy came in to pick up the family’s meat. Then, one day, he walked in and said proudly, “Tomorrow’s my 16th birthday.”
The butcher, smiling, said, “I know, I’ve been keeping track, too. When you take this meat home today, tell your mama this is the last free meat she’ll ever get—and watch her face.”
The boy delivered the message, and without missing a beat, his mother replied, “Go on back to the butcher and tell him we’ve also had free milk, bread, and groceries for 16 years... and watch the expression on his face.”
