The pink ping pong ball story!!
There's an eight-year old boy named James, who's the only son of a very wealthy widower.
A few days before James' ninth birthday, his father comes to him and says, "James, your birthday's next week. You can have absolutely anything in the world you want. What will it be?"
"Well, Dad," says James, "I'd like a pink ping-pong ball."
"A what?" says his dad.
"A pink ping-pong ball," repeats James.
So, James' dad gives a non-commital response and walks away. Since a pink ping-pong ball is hardly a fitting birthday gift, he goes out that day and buys the fastest, neatest bicycle he can possibly fine.
On James' birthday, his dad gives him the bike. And he really loves it. He rides it all around the grounds of their mansion, and really has a blast. But, what he really wanted was that pink ping-pong ball.
Soon enough, it's the week before James' twelfth birthday. Again, his father comes to him and asks what he'd like.
"Well, Dad," says James, "I'd really like a pink ping-pong ball."
"Are you sure there isn't something else you'd like?" asks his dad.
"No, I really just want a pink ping-pong ball."
So again his father gives a non-commital response, and goes away.
On his birthday this year, James receives a brand-new, next-generation video game system and a copy of every game published for it. James loves the crap out of that video game, and plays it constantly for weeks on end. But, even as he's kicking alien ass, he can't help but feel a little disappointed that he didn't get his pink ping-pong ball.
Three days before James' sixteenth birthday, his father comes to him and asks what he'd like.
"Well, Dad," says James, "I'd really like a pink ping-pong ball."
"You ask for that every year, James. And, I'm not getting it for you. It's not a fitting birthday gift," says his father somewhat angrily.
James' father rushes out that day, goes to the dealership, and buys his son an absolutely top-of-the-line Ferrari. He brings it home and hands James the keys.
James really loves the car, and drives it everywhere for years. He gets into street racing, and wins not a few of his challenges. But, as much fun as the sportscar is, he really wishes he could have just gotten the pink ping-pong ball.
On James' twenty-first birthday, his father again comes to him and asks that fateful question.
"Well, Dad," says James, "What I'd really like is a pink ping-pong ball."
"Absolutely not, James!" his father roars, "That's not a birthday present fit for my boy. I'm retiring soon, and you'll be made head of the company. What kind of a chairman asks for ping-pong balls? Go to Chez Michael in the city. Your birthday party is there. Open bar, and I've already invited all of your friends."
So James goes to his party and has a really excellent time, drinking and dancing with his friends. But, the whole time he wishes his dad had just gotten him a pink ping-pong ball.
Well, on his way home from the party, James, not a little drunk, runs his speeding Ferrari into an oak tree. He's thrown through the windshield, and out onto the highway. A passing motorist calls 911, and the police and EMS show up rather quickly. The EMTs have a look at James and realize they can't move him, and that the boy's going to die soon.
They call James' father, and tell him the horrible news. He drives like a bat out of hell and within minutes, he's arrived at the scene. Tears streak down his face as he kneels next to his son.
"James," he says, "I love you."
"I love you too, Dad," says James.
"There's one thing I have to know," says his father, "Why did you always ask for a pink ping-pong ball?"
"Well, Dad," says James, "I'll tell you--"
At that moment, James dies.
A few days before James' ninth birthday, his father comes to him and says, "James, your birthday's next week. You can have absolutely anything in the world you want. What will it be?"
"Well, Dad," says James, "I'd like a pink ping-pong ball."
"A what?" says his dad.
"A pink ping-pong ball," repeats James.
So, James' dad gives a non-commital response and walks away. Since a pink ping-pong ball is hardly a fitting birthday gift, he goes out that day and buys the fastest, neatest bicycle he can possibly fine.
On James' birthday, his dad gives him the bike. And he really loves it. He rides it all around the grounds of their mansion, and really has a blast. But, what he really wanted was that pink ping-pong ball.
Soon enough, it's the week before James' twelfth birthday. Again, his father comes to him and asks what he'd like.
"Well, Dad," says James, "I'd really like a pink ping-pong ball."
"Are you sure there isn't something else you'd like?" asks his dad.
"No, I really just want a pink ping-pong ball."
So again his father gives a non-commital response, and goes away.
On his birthday this year, James receives a brand-new, next-generation video game system and a copy of every game published for it. James loves the crap out of that video game, and plays it constantly for weeks on end. But, even as he's kicking alien ass, he can't help but feel a little disappointed that he didn't get his pink ping-pong ball.
Three days before James' sixteenth birthday, his father comes to him and asks what he'd like.
"Well, Dad," says James, "I'd really like a pink ping-pong ball."
"You ask for that every year, James. And, I'm not getting it for you. It's not a fitting birthday gift," says his father somewhat angrily.
James' father rushes out that day, goes to the dealership, and buys his son an absolutely top-of-the-line Ferrari. He brings it home and hands James the keys.
James really loves the car, and drives it everywhere for years. He gets into street racing, and wins not a few of his challenges. But, as much fun as the sportscar is, he really wishes he could have just gotten the pink ping-pong ball.
On James' twenty-first birthday, his father again comes to him and asks that fateful question.
"Well, Dad," says James, "What I'd really like is a pink ping-pong ball."
"Absolutely not, James!" his father roars, "That's not a birthday present fit for my boy. I'm retiring soon, and you'll be made head of the company. What kind of a chairman asks for ping-pong balls? Go to Chez Michael in the city. Your birthday party is there. Open bar, and I've already invited all of your friends."
So James goes to his party and has a really excellent time, drinking and dancing with his friends. But, the whole time he wishes his dad had just gotten him a pink ping-pong ball.
Well, on his way home from the party, James, not a little drunk, runs his speeding Ferrari into an oak tree. He's thrown through the windshield, and out onto the highway. A passing motorist calls 911, and the police and EMS show up rather quickly. The EMTs have a look at James and realize they can't move him, and that the boy's going to die soon.
They call James' father, and tell him the horrible news. He drives like a bat out of hell and within minutes, he's arrived at the scene. Tears streak down his face as he kneels next to his son.
"James," he says, "I love you."
"I love you too, Dad," says James.
"There's one thing I have to know," says his father, "Why did you always ask for a pink ping-pong ball?"
"Well, Dad," says James, "I'll tell you--"
At that moment, James dies.
kakashi + 10:14 AM
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