Tess, an earnest eight-year-old was worried. Her little brother was very sick and she overheard her mom crying on the phone: “They say his only chance is an experimental operation but it isn’t covered by insurance and there’s no way we can pay for it.” she sobbed.
Tess went to a jar containing all the money she had saved. Though she wasn’t supposed to go to a store alone, this was an emergency and she walked four blocks to the drug store that her mom got medicine from. She went to the counter but the pharmacist was deeply engaged in a conversation.
Finally, Tess said, “Excuse me, but this is an emergency.”
“What do you need? the pharmacist answered, “I’m talking to my brother who I haven’t seen in years.”
Tess replied, “Well I have a brother too and he’s going to die if you don’t sell me an experimenjal operation.”
The pharmacist softened but said, “I’m sorry, we don’t sell operations here.”
But his brother asked, “What kind of operation do you need?”
“To take sick lumps out of his brain,” Tess answered, “and I have money.” And she poured all her cash on the counter.
The man said, “Well, that may be enough.” After a discussion with Tess’s mom, this nationally renowned neurosurgeon took the case and successfully performed the complex operation at no charge.
This is my version of a story circulating on the internet. Even if it’s not true it’s a wonderful parable about what happens when caring is turned into action.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.