Gina Heslop
In a rural setting, a young boy endured the discomfort of using an outhouse—sweltering in summer, freezing in winter, and perpetually odorous. Determined to change this, he hatched a plan to push the outhouse into the nearby creek.
One day, following a spring rain that swelled the creek, the boy seized the opportunity. Armed with a large stick, he began the ambitious task of pushing the outhouse. After a concerted effort, success— the outhouse toppled into the creek and drifted away.
That evening, the boy’s father announced a trip to the woodshed after supper, hinting at a looming punishment. Anxious about the impending spanking, the boy questioned the reason. The father, suspecting the truth, inquired if his son was behind the outhouse incident. The boy admitted guilt.
Drawing a parallel to a school lesson about George Washington and his honesty about chopping down a cherry tree, the boy attempted to leverage the story. He said, “Dad, in school today, I read that George Washington told the truth about chopping down a cherry tree and didn’t get into trouble.”
The father, quick-witted, responded, “Well, son, George Washington’s father wasn’t in that cherry tree.”
This humorous twist emphasized the father’s awareness of his son’s attempt to avoid consequences and cleverly underscored the fundamental lesson of personal responsibility. The tale of the boy and the outhouse served as a lighthearted reminder that honesty, even when faced with consequences, is a virtue not easily escaped.
