There was once a farmer who had nothing in the world but his wife, his dog and his fields. He would plow, sow and reap these fields every year, throughout the years. The man was content with his life. One day, though, he began to find it lacking in some way.

For years, nothing happened.

Then one day, his wife was gone without a single word. He loved her very much and missed her dearly, but the change itself was welcome. He could eat what he wanted to eat now and could do things the way he wanted to do. He woke up every day, ate the same thing that he always loved, played with his dog, worked his fields and went around to the pub every so often to down a pint. Only he seemed to notice his wife's disappearance.

Eventually, waking up every morning, eating the same thing that he always loved, playing with his dog, working the fields and going around to the pub for a pint began to become boring.

Then a thought came into his head. His dog was getting old with age. He loved the dog very much and missed it dearly, but it never wanted to go out for walks anymore or do anything.

The man wanted things to change...

One day, his dog was gone and he could find no trace of the hound. He assumed it had gone off to the fields to die, so he didn't pay it much mind. While he missed his dog, the change was welcome. He no longer had to feed it every morning, reprimand it for its mistakes and could spend more time doing the other things he wanted to do.

The years past. The farmer grew older and found that he no longer enjoyed plowing and sowing and reaping from his fields. His back hurt terribly and the fields were less plentiful every year. He loved his fields very much, but wanted to experience something different...

The man wanted things to change.

A few months passed and, as he stepped out the door, he noticed something peculiar. Where his fields had once been, there was nothing but dry dirt. Wisps of dust and smoke occasionally breezed up from the fields, small whirlwinds casting bits of sand and silt here and there.

He missed his fields, but the change was welcome. He grew to enjoy sitting and starring at the little whirlwinds.

He was surprised one day when one whirlwind began to grow stronger and stronger, taking the shape of a man.

Eventually, a very regal looking gentleman with a hat, cane, and darkly colored old-fashioned clothing appeared. It was an exquisite match from head to toe, complete with a wine-red undercoat, burgundy cloak and white handkerchief.

The man tipped his hat to the farmer, who was startled with surprise.

"Greetings, farmer," he said.

"Greetings to you, Sir," the farmer replied.

"Do you like all of these changes?" The gentleman politely asked as he hunched down beside the farmer.

"Well...I loved my wife very much, but without her around I got to drink more and play with my dog more often. I loved my dog very much, but without him I got to plow my fields more often and go drink more. I loved my fields very much, but without them I could drink more and watch the whirlwinds."

"So you're comfortable, then?" The gentleman inquired.

The farmer thought a moment. He smiled and replied, "Yup, I think so, actually!"

"That's good, I'm glad to hear it" The man said as he smiled.

The gentleman would come every now and then, inquiring as to how the farmer was doing. The farmer always said the same thing to him with the same smile. The change was good for him, for he liked the company.

But eventually, the farmer grew bored. He loved his relaxation very much, but there was something quite peculiar about it. When he woke up in the morning, he no longer wanted to eat his favorite meal, nor did he like watching the whirlwinds of dust, or even going down to the pub to down a pint.

One day, as the gentleman walked up to the simple house the farmer had, he inquired as always, "So you're comfortable, then?"

The farmer frowned very deeply, thought a moment, then whispered "no."

The gentleman was taken aback.

"Because I'm bored," the farmer replied.

"That seems odd," the gentleman said, "You enjoyed everything you gave to yourself."

"What do you mean?" asked the farmer.

"What I mean is you are here because you wanted to be here. Your wife ran off because of neglect, your dog ran off because of neglect and your fields became dust because of neglect. Weren't you paying attention?"

The farmer thought a moment and it occured to him now why he no longer wanted to eat his favorite meal, watch the whirlwinds, or go to the pub and drink.

"You visited me, so I must be...dead?"

"Yes," the gentleman nodded without a touch of kindness.

"But...but...why did you do this to me?"

The gentleman was taken aback. His tone grew angry as he said, "Farmer, why are you complaining? Your wife ran off because of neglect, your dog ran off because of neglect and your fields turned to dust because of neglect. I gave you a place to stay after all of that and you dare to show me disrespect?"

The farmer was surprised at the gentleman's tone and began to apologize, "I'm sorry, sir, honestly I am. I didn't know, Sir, I just got bored."

The gentleman held up a hand as if to restrain his words and shook his head, "You are forgiven...by me. You didn't know." With that, the gentleman walked away into the distance.

Many years passed. The farmer no longer saw the gentleman, not even the whirlwinds on the piece of land where his fields had once been.

In truth, the gentleman had been kind in giving the farmer a place to stay when he died. It was the farmer who never knew the kindness of this gentleman, nor of the harvest of his field, nor of the companionship of his dog, nor the love of his wife. He simply didn't know.

The End.

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