His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer.
One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby peat bog.
He dropped his tools and ran to the bog. There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself.
Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.
"I want to repay you," said the nobleman. "You saved my son's life."
"No, I can't accept payment for what I did," the farmer replied, waving off the offer.
At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel.
"Is that your son?" the nobleman asked.
"Yes," the farmer replied proudly.
"I'll make you a deal," said the nobleman. "Let me provide him with the same level of education my son will enjoy. If the lad is anything like his father, he'll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of." And that he did.

Farmer Fleming's son attended the very best schools and University and in time, he graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the same nobleman's son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia. What saved his life this time? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill. His son's name? Sir Winston Churchill.

As someone once said:
What goes around comes around.
Work like you don't need the money.
Love like you've never been hurt.
Dance like nobody's watching.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

Answers

Very good.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

Superb Clarky, where did you find that out? (:o)

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

Good one Clarky.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

Actually Gal, a friend in the US sent it to me - by way of return for me sending her Gav's "philosophy of life"!
As they said what goes round comes around.

:-{)

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

I thought you were going to say Gav`s phone number then!! (;o)

Off out for a curry now - but I shall try and catch up on the BBS tomorrow - I`ve missed out on it this week - been doing some more family history research!(:o)

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

....if I gave her Gav's phone number she might find her self experiencing his philosophy of life! ;-{))

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

If you gave her Gav's phone number you might find her poking you in the eye with a badly sawn off stick! ;0)

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

Is it DEAD on here today Ken, or what - I guess your at work?

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

It is dead, and yes I am at work, my last weekend in this place!

I've even been trying to wind up the makems at the Strawberry and RT but I think they've rumbled me.

I'm posting as YIDGTSJP which is mirroring one of their regulars but as I say, they sem to have rumbled me as someone has just mentioned Stetw Canel.....oh well, back to work them!

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

Firmed up on any plans for the future yet, Ken? It must be an unsettling period for you and the family.
Looking on the positive side, which is way you need to approach it, this provides an unique opportunity to start afresh - a chance that not everyone gets.
I was fortunate enough (looking back) to be able to do this, and although I was bitter and twisted for a while, I got over it after a few months, and am really enjoying myself these days.
Good luck with whatever you ultimately decide to do.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

I haven't firmed anything up yet, but have got a couple of irons in the fire.

Despite the view I may have given on here on occassion's I am over the moon at getting out of here.

I've been here 21 years, but when we had a reorganisation a couple or so years back I had the chance of redundancy then, but passed it up as the 'new look' department semed to offer some good future plans.

However, to paraphrase a well worn line from the immortal KK, what they said in the brochure and what was reality didn't quite meet in the middle, so I have basically been slagging the place off for about the last 18 months, so when redundancy was offered this time,it would have been churlish to turn it down.

I am looking forward to having a few weeks off, but at the same time keep looking for a job and look upon it as a positive start to the next phase in my life, and not something to worry unduly about.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001