A Old Man and His Dog

An old man and
his dog were
walking along a
country road,
enjoying the
scenery, when it
suddenly
occurred to the
man that he had
died. He
remembered
dying, and
realized, too,
that the dog had
been dead for
many years. He
wondered where
the road would
lead them, and
continued
onward.
After a while,
they came to a
high, white
stone wall along
one side of the
road. It looked
like fine marble.
At the top of a
long hill, it was
broken by a tall,
white arch that
gleamed in the
sunlight. When
he was standing
before it, he saw
a magnificent
gate in the arch
that looked like
mother of pearl,
and the street
that led to the
gate looked like
pure gold. He
was pleased
that he had
finally arrived at
heaven, and the
man and his dog
walked toward
the gate. As he
got closer, he
saw someone
sitting at a
beautifully
carved desk off
to one side.
When he was
close enough, he
called out,
"Excuse me, but
is this heaven?"
"Yes, it is, sir,"
the man
answered.
"Wow! Would
you happen to
have some
water?" the man
asked.
"Of course, sir.
Come right in,
and I'll have
some ice water
brought right
up." The
gatekeeper
gestured to his
rear, and the
huge gate began
to open.
"I assume my
friend can come
in..." the man
said, gesturing
toward his dog.
But the reply
was, "I'm sorry,
sir, but we don't
accept pets."
The man
thought about
it, then thanked
the gatekeeper,
turned back
toward the road,
and continued in
the direction he
had been going.
After another
long walk, he
reached the top
of another long
hill, and he came
to a dirt road
which led
through a farm
gate. There was
no fence, and it
looked as if the
gate had never
been closed, as
grass had grown
up around it. As
he approached
the gate, he saw
a man just
inside, sitting in
the shade of a
tree in a rickety
old chair,
reading a book.
"Excuse me!" he
called to the
reader. "Do you
have any
water?"
"Yeah, sure,
there's a pump
over there," the
man said,
pointing to a
place that
couldn't be seen
from outside the
gate. "Come on
in and make
yourself at
home."
"How about my
friend here?"
the traveler
gestured to the
dog.
"He's welcome
too, and there's
a bowl by the
pump," he said.
They walked
through the
gate and, sure
enough, there
was an old-
fashioned hand
pump with a
dipper hanging
on it and a bowl
next to it on the
ground. The man
filled the bowl
for his dog, and
then took a long
drink himself.
When both were
satisfied, he and
the dog walked
back toward the
man, who was
sitting under the
tree waiting for
them, and
asked, "What do
you call this
place?" the
traveler asked.
"This is
heaven," was
the answer.
"Well, that's
confusing," the
traveler said. "It
certainly
doesn't look like
heaven, and
there's another
man down the
road who said
that place was
heaven."
"Oh, you mean
the place with
the gold street
and pearly
gates?
"Yes, it was
beautiful."
"Nope. That's
hell."
"Doesn't it
offend you for
them to use the
name of heaven
like that?"
"No. I can see
how you might
think so, but it
actually saves
us a lot of time.
They screen out
the people who
are willing to
leave their best
friends behind."