Once there was a poor man who was an immigrant to this country. He and his wife had seven children. They needed a place to live, but no one would rent to a family with so many kids.
So he told some of his children to hide. With only a few children, they were able to rent an apartment. Whenever the landlord came by, the “extra” children hid.
The man fixed whatever broke in the apartment. His wife cleaned the hallway of the building so that it sparkled.
One day all of the children were playing outside in the yard. The landlord came by. He asked each child, “Where do you live?” Each one answered, pointing, telling the truth.
The landlord knocked on the door. “How many are living here?” The father admitted, “Yes. They’re all mine. They all live here.”
The landlord sighed. He looked around at the sparkling clean hallway and into the well-maintained apartment. He listened to the children playing outside.
“It’s all right,” he said.
Years passed. Two of the children--two brothers--went into business together. They prospered, and even purchased their own apartment buildings.
Sometimes other landlords ask them: Why do you rent to the new immigrants–with their large families, and so many relatives crowding in with them?
Then each brother silently asks himself: Where would I be, had our father’s landlord kicked us out?
They tell the other landlords: “These are hard-working people. They deserve a place to live.”
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