There once was a man named Sullivan

There once was a man named Sullivan who had several children.  Some of Sullivan’s children liked him a lot but most of his children didn’t like him at all.  Every chance they got they said, “We don’t like you!”, “You’re stupid!”, and “You look like a monkey!”  But Sullivan was very patient.  Even though he was sometimes angry with his children, he never lashed out or punished them.  Instead, he would say things like, “I’m really sorry you feel that way”, or “Maybe your ought to be more polite.”

These children didn’t like Sullivan because he made them eat their vegetables, he insisted they put some of their money in a savings account, and he didn’t let them fight with other children in the neighborhood.  He would say, “If we have a problem with another family, we should talk to them and try to work out our differences instead of just punching them all in their faces.”  This made the mean children more and more and more angry.

Living next door to Sullivan and his children was Beau and his children.  Beau had a small house but it was nice.  Beau hadn’t built the house himself.  After suffering a tragic loss, some of the other neighbors had joined together to build it for him.  There weren’t many places to build it so they asked another neighbor, Henry, if they could put Beau’s house in his yard.  Henry said yes, “As long as they are good neighbors, I’m happy to give them a place to live.” 

But Beau turned out to be not a very nice person.  He didn’t like Henry and threw rocks at Henry and his children.  He also threw rocks at Henry’s house.  He even cut off the water going to Henry’s house, and then moved in to Henry’s house.  Henry and his family had to move to a small room in the corner of the basement of their own home.  If they complained about Beau and his children then they all got punched in their faces.

The rest of the neighbors knew that Beau and his children were bullies, but they were afraid.  They were afraid because Beau and his children went from house to house in the neighborhood telling everyone that the Mayor Thornton – the greatest mayor the town had ever had – said they were the most favorite family in the entire town.  They told all the families that if Beau wasn’t allowed to take Henry’s entire house and punch him in the face whenever he wanted that Mayor Thornton would raise everyone’s taxes and give them all chicken pox.

Of course, Mayor Thornton had never said that.  Instead, he had said that if they got along with each other there would be a great reward.  If they didn’t, then everyone would suffer.  Mayor Thornton was so great because he owned all the land in the city.  In fact, he had even been there to build some of the houses where people lived.  Whenever he had time he would come to the neighborhood and tell everyone that it was really important that they get along and be polite to each other.  In fact, it was because of Mayor Thornton’s kindness and generosity that so many people were willing to help Beau after his tragedy.   

Sometimes, when Mayor Thornton didn’t have time, he would send one of his best employees.  They would be welcome in the town for a little while.  But soon the mean children didn’t like what they had to say.  They usually killed the Mayor’s employees and buried them down in the playground.  Mayor Thornton never really said anything, so the mean kids thought it was the best way to deal with Thornton’s messengers.   

Beau often complained that he didn’t have any money.  “Oh, look at my tattered clothes and my small house!  I’m so pitiful.  Please…please have mercy on me and give me money so I can have nice clothes and build a better house.”  And the people in the neighborhood did it.  They gave and gave.  Sullivan gave a LOT of money – so much that sometimes his own children didn’t have enough to eat. 

One of the other neighbors, Clem, was really tired of Beau punching Henry in the face and stealing his house.  See, Clem and Henry were cousins.  One day Clem said, “Beau, I don’t mind you living in Henry’s yard, but you need to move out of their house and stop punching him in the face.”  Beau said to Clem, “You’re stupid and I hate you and your mother wasn’t even a real person!” 

That made Clem very angry.  In fact, it made Clem so angry that he said he was going to burn Beau’s house down and then kick him in the face!  When Sullivan heard about this he knew it wouldn’t be long before Clem, Beau, Henry and a bunch of the other neighbors would have a huge fight and burn everyone’s house down.  So Sullivan decided it was time to talk Clem.

“Look, Clem,” Sullivan said, “It’d be really terrible if everyone’s house burned down.  That wouldn’t be good for the neighborhood at all.”  Clem said he understood but, “Beau makes me so furious!  I want to kick him as hard as I can – him and all his children!”

Well, while Sullivan was talking to Clem one day, Sullivan’s mean children called Beau.  They said to Beau, “We think you should burn Clem’s house down before he can burn down your house.  We think that’s what Mayor Thornton would want.”  Beau thought that was brilliant.  And he was very pleased with his own children.  They had done a very good job of making many of the neighborhood children afraid of Mayor Thornton, even though Mayor Thornton didn’t really care very much. 

Sullivan’s mean children called Beau one day.  “Beau,” they said, “we would really like it if you came over and told us all about how dangerous Clem is and how badly Mayor Thornton wants us to burn down his house.”  Beau, who never called to ask Sullivan if it was OK to come talk to his children, agreed.  “You’re right,” he said, “It IS very important that I talk to you.”

When Sullivan learned what his children had done, he was outraged.  But he remained kind.  He believed very strongly that his children should be able to speak freely.  “Now, this wasn’t the right way to do this,” he admonished the mean children.  “And I won’t come listen to Beau speak – and neither will your good brothers and sisters.”

“Fine,” the mean children said.  “Fine…you’re ugly and stupid and look like a monkey anyway.”

When Beau found out that Sullivan wasn’t going to come hear him talk, he said to the mean children, “Wow, not only is your father ugly and stupid and look like a monkey – but he’s very childish, too.  Shouldn’t a grown up be there and listen when another grown up comes and talks to the children?”

“Yeah!” they all said.  “Yeah, he’s ugly and stupid, looks like a monkey AND he’s childish!” and they all cheered. 

Sullivan sighed and went back to talk to Clem. 

When the mean children found out he was talking to Clem again, they were very angry.  According to Beau, Clem was about to burn down Beau’s house any minute now!  So they wrote a letter to Clem.  The letter said: “Dear Clem.  You’re stupid and ugly just like Beau said.  And you’re talking to our stupid, ugly, monkey look-alike father.  But just remember, meanyface, that one day our father is going to die and we’ll be in charge.  We aren’t allowed to say out loud that we’ll burn down your house if Beau says so, but that’s probably exactly what we’re going to do.  So, watch your back, meaney-stupid-face!”

Sullivan sighed again.  “These children just keep embarrassing themselves,” and he went to talk to Clem some more.