There once was a slave who, out of all the slaves in the house, was always angering his master, cutting corners and dragging his feet on tasks. One day, as the final straw, the master found that he had been bold enough to steal some kitchen supplies and immediately banished him out of the house. The guards walked him down the long long driveway through the woods to the public street, where they left him and returned. In that country, to be an banished slave meant he wasn’t even worth reselling. Knowing that no one would ever think of taking him in to their homes, he wasted no time learning how to live in the woods. For three weeks he lived out there.
When three weeks had gone by, the master sent all his horses
and all his men to find his former slave. After a
long and arduous search they found him and handed him a letter. It read,
Dear Sir, Two of your fellow slaves have brought it to my
attention that I had falsely accused you of stealing from my property. Since I
had wrongly given you a sentence worse than death, it is only right that I find
you again and properly release you so that you will be a free person in the eyes
of the law. I can never compensate for the wrong I’ve done to you, nor expect
your forgiveness, but I will not let you simply fend for yourself any longer in
your new freedom. Please return to me with my men so that I can set you up in a
new home closer to the town. I am well connected to the owner of a lovely condo
development and can get you into one of their better units. I have already
arranged for this with the owner, so there will be no delay, and I have already
prepared all your furnishings and other necessities. You won’t have to hear
from me again, but there you can have an honest chance at starting a new life
of your own. Please accept at least this much from me, your once master, now indebted
servant.
Stunned, he returned with the master’s men, not uttering a
single word. He wouldn’t dare question it nor add a single sentiment to the promises written in
the letter until he had seen his new home, with the keys in his hand, and the
master out of the door, leaving him alone to begin his new life of freedom.
The very next day, the master showed the former slave his new
home. On the way, they stopped at the barber who cut his hair and gave him a
clean shave. He had never looked so neat and clean like his master. The
condo had everything a home needs, plus a little bit more. It was spacious, but
left plain, so he considered while he toured his new condo how he might arrange it and
decorate it. His former master also gave him a full set of clothes for all occasions,
including whatever one might need to find decent work. The man came to the condo
in a white button shirt tucked into black slacks with matching black shoes and
tie. The two men looked almost exactly alike.
After a thorough tour of the place, the former slave took a seat in his kitchen. The master put on his coat and shoes and said, “So…that’s your home! Before I go, let me just tell you about what the town has to offer. You’re going to love this place,” he began again, describing all the amenities that came with the development, and all the local features of the town. He loved the town so much that he lost track of time describing it, gesturing grandly with his arms, listing all the conveniences and restaurants and entertainments and parks. But the slave, sitting silently, waiting for him to leave, didn’t know that he had not been legally freed. He had been sold to the owner of the development, a very wealthy man with very unusual tastes. This man had been looking for just such a disowned slave, so that, having no legal record at all, not even the status of a slave, he could buy him and eat him.
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