For ***boatERS with a soft side (long)

[EXTRMBT]

> A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He
> painted a sign advertising the 4 pups and set about
> nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he
> was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug
> on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of
> little boy.
> "Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your
> puppies."
> "Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off
> the back of his neck, "These puppies come from fine
> parents and cost a good deal of money."
> The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then, reaching
> deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of
> change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got
> thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"
> "Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a
> whistle. ;
> "Here, Dolly!" he called.
> Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly
> followed by four little balls of fur.
> The little boy pressed his face against the chain link
> fence. His eyes danced with delight.
> As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little
> boy noticed something else stirring
> inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball
> appeared, this one noticeably smaller.
> Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward
> manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the
> others, doing its best to catch up...
> "I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to
> the runt.
> The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said,
> "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be
> able to run and play with you like these other dogs
> would."
> With that the little boy stepped back from the fence,
> reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his
> trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace
> running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to
> a specially made shoe.
>
> Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir,
> I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone
> who understands." With tears in his eyes, the farmer
> reached down and picked up the little pup. Holding it
> carefully he handed it to the little boy.
>
> "How much?" asked the little boy. "No charge,"
> answered the farmer, "There's no charge for love."

[hoolign]

> A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He
> painted a sign advertising the 4 pups and set about
> nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he
> was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug
> on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of
> little boy.
> "Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your
> puppies."
> "Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off
> the back of his neck, "These puppies come from fine
> parents and cost a good deal of money."
> The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then, reaching
> deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of
> change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got
> thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"
> "Sure," said the farmer. And with that he let out a
> whistle. ;
> "Here, Dolly!" he called.
> Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly
> followed by four little balls of fur.
> The little boy pressed his face against the chain link
> fence. His eyes danced with delight.
> As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little
> boy noticed something else stirring
> inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball
> appeared, this one noticeably smaller.
> Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward
> manner, the little pup began hobbling toward the
> others, doing its best to catch up...
> "I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to
> the runt.
> The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said,
> "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be
> able to run and play with you like these other dogs
> would."
> With that the little boy stepped back from the fence,
> reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his
> trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace
> running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to
> a specially made shoe.
>
> Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir,
> I don't run too well myself, and he will need someone
> who understands." With tears in his eyes, the farmer
> reached down and picked up the little pup. Holding it
> carefully he handed it to the little boy.
>
> "How much?" asked the little boy. "No charge,"
> answered the farmer, "There's no charge for love."
That's cool! Our dog that just got killed was the runt of the litter as well. He was stuck in a pile of clothes form the dryer when the wife went to pick him up, to small to get out