Mr. Jones lived in a quiet area. Next door lived Mrs. Smith, who had a small dog called Max. Max was a friendly and obedient dog, but he was known for barking frequently. Every morning, Max’s loud barking woke Mr. Jones up. Mr. Jones became very angry because he couldn’t enjoy a good sleep.
One day, Mr. Jones noticed Max running freely around the yard, holding a red lead in his mouth that was dragging on the ground. Mr. Jones thought that Mrs. Smith didn’t take good care of her dog and didn’t control him enough. He came up with an idea. He decided to send a complaint. He sat down at his desk and wrote a letter about Max’s barking.
A few days later, Mrs. Smith received a letter from the office instructing her to keep her dog on a lead and try to reduce his barking. This was not good news for Mrs. Smith. She felt sad and upset when she read it. From that day on, Max stayed at home more often, and the red lead was left hanging on the wall.
One evening, Mr. Jones was working in his garden when he suddenly slipped and fell. He hurt his leg and couldn’t get up. He was alone and in pain. Mr. Jones called for help, but no one heard him. Only Max started to behave strangely. Hearing Mr. Jones’s quiet voice, the dog began barking loudly. His barking woke up Mrs. Smith and the neighbors, who quickly came to help and called an ambulance. Thanks to Max’s alertness, Mr. Jones was rescued.
The next morning, Mr. Jones met Mrs. Smith, who was holding the red lead. Mr. Jones realized his earlier complaints had been unfair and felt sorry. He thanked Max and said, “His barking saved my life.” Mrs. Smith smiled and said, “Max is a good dog. We should remember to look after each other.” From that moment, Mr. Jones stopped complaining about Max. Now, when he notices the red lead, he smiles. It became a symbol of care and a new friendship between the neighbors.
Mr. Jones learned an important lesson: sometimes what appears to be a problem can actually be helpful. Instant karma showed him that patience and understanding are very important.
written by Katarzyna Olsztyn
