"If I had a way to have my own food, and my own bed, life would be easier.", the boy decided. "But, how do I get my own food and my own bed?"

The boy decided he would convince someone he was worth their food and their bed, then he would always have food to eat and a bed to sleep in.

"How clever of me!", the boy declared.

He found someone willing to feed him and supply him with a bed. He told them he loved them. He told them he needed them. He told them anything he could think of to convince them they would be wise to take him in. In return for the food and bed, the person asked that the boy be only with them. He agreed readily, this is what he always wanted! He had all he could need.

The boy stayed close to the home of the person who gave him the food and a bed, making sure they didn't change their mind. Showing them the deal was firm. But, after awhile, the boy wanted to wander again, not far, and he would be back before nightfall to be in his place in the bed which was given him. The person who gave him the bed didn't like the idea, but agreed perhaps he should get out for some fresh air. Outside in the world the boy wandered all day, taking in the sights and smells of the city. As the day wore on, he grew hungry. Smiling, he remembered how he had found someone to give him food. He returned to the place with the food and the bed.

When the boy walked in the door he was met with anger. He had been gone far longer than the person had thought he would be. What was he doing out there? Who had he talked to?
He answered vaguely and ate the food, then went to sleep in the bed.
The next day the person who gave him food and a bed wasn't home when he awoke, so off he went again into the world. He wandered about, enjoyed some conversations with people he met. He flew airplanes at the park, met some friendly dogs and their owners. When he arrived back at the place with the food and the bed, he was met with even more anger than the previous day.
The person who gave him food and a bed told the boy he had not told them he was going out. If he wanted the food and a bed, he had to tell them before he took off like that. The boy thought it over and decided it was, indeed, only fair. He told the person who gave him food and a bed that tomorrow he would be going out again. They said he couldn't. He said he could, they had just said the rule was to tell them first.
After tedious arguing over details, the boy and the person who gave him food and a bed went bitterly to sleep.

The next day the boy went out again into the world. The sun was bright. Other children were playing. He played and laughed with them, but in the back of his mind he wondered what he might face when he returned back to the place with the food and the bed. As the sun sank low he returned.
He was greeted with no anger, but instead, a present. It was a chair, a beautiful chair. The person who gave him food and a bed had set the chair by a large window where the boy could look out on the world all he wanted. Though not what the boy had in mind, he decided it was best to try this method if he were to have a bed for this evening and food in the future.

He sat in his chair and looked out at the world. It was night, so there really wasn't much to see.

"If I had some nice blinds on this window, I think I'd like it.", the boy told the person who gave him food and a bed.

He tried not to laugh to himself. The curtains on the window were fine, but he knew he could make the person buy the blinds. The next morning when he awoke, there were blinds on the window. He sat in his chair and thought, "This isn't so bad, I can see everything all around from here!"

After about a month in his chair the boy grew restless. The person asked what was wrong. He had food, a bed, and a fine chair by the window, with lovely blinds, which looked out on the world. The boy said he wanted to go out, not just look out. He ate the food, and went to sleep in the bed.
The next morning the boy found his chair had a new cushion on the seat.

"This is nice!", he thought.

Coming together in the boy's mind were plans on how he could expand this chair/window idea. If he had a desk perhaps, maybe with a computer on it, and a phone, it would be more comfortable than just sitting in the chair with the window. He knew he could get the person who gave him food and a bed and a chair by the window to buy him those things.
He was wise now, he could get anything he wanted! He laughed at himself for wanting only food and a bed in his original plans.

Time went on, and the boy sat at his desk, with his computer full of all the latest software and having every attachment he could ever want. He could talk to the world on his computer, and thought often of how clever he was to work out such a deal when all he had needed was food and a bed, and he kept the blinds closed on the window.

© J. Simon