In a Lurch

When I was growing up, we had a trailer that was in a park not far from our house. My mom and I spent the whole of the summer there, while my dad and my brothers stayed at home and worked at the family towing business. Once in a while, my cousin Jerry would stay with my younger brother Merv. Merv is not younger than me, but he is younger than my eldest brother, Larry.

During the summer, Merv would go to the golf course across the street and collect golf balls that had gotten hit into the pond. He would clean them, baggie them and sell them to the players on the course. Then he would take our dog, Lurch, to Gypsie's Ice Cream Palour and he'd treat them both to an ice cream cone. When Jerry was there, he would help out and he'd enjoy an ice cream cone each day as well.

One day, it was rainy and overcast and there was not much business on the golf course. The boys only made enough money to get two ice cream cones. They went home and picked up Lurch and took him to Gypsie's. Jerry and Merv shared one ice cream cone and Lurch had his own.

A gentlement watched them for a bit and then walked up and asked the boys why they were sharing an ice cream and giving the dog his own. Merv explained that they didn't have enough money for three cones and the dog was used to getting his own each day and wouldn't understand if he suddenly didn't get it one day. Merv said he was afraid Lurch would think he had done something wrong.

The gentleman was so impressed, he bought all three of them an ice cream cone.