The Empty Boat

There once was a man who had to row his boat home up river and, it being a long trip, he undertook the journey with earnest resolve. The rules of the river dictate that those rowing upriver have right-of-way because they must, by necessity, be working hard with their backs facing the direction of travel. Notwithstanding, as he was rowing, the man was bumped and jostled by a row boat coming the other way. He whirled around and scolded the downriver boater who apologized politely and they parted without further incident. The man continued to row his boat homeward industriously.

The man rowed and rowed and was suddenly jostled by the bump of another wayward boat. He whirled around angrily again only to be confronted by an empty boat that had apparently slipped loose from its moorings and was drifting freely. Thus silenced he pushed off the boat and continued to row home. As he rowed he watched the empty boat fade into the distance and decided that, from now on, he would treat everyone he met as well as an empty boat.