Here's a story I read at school and it has remained with me
Despite several google searches, though I found references, I couldn't find the actual story by J.M Turner - so I decided to rewrite it as I remembered it!
Having recently witnessed how the Recession could bring down an entire nation - I realised how important it is to spend - if an economy has to flourish, not just function
And I personally believe that women are the ones that keep our economies thriving. While men can spend on weapons & cars, a few basic pairs of jeans and shirts and manage quite well .... the women go out and spend on much more - clothes, perfumes, jewellery, perfumes, shoes and more
So let's spend some and save some - and keep our nations prosperous!!!!!
(and say your secret thanks when your women spend ;-) )
The Man who Saved Pumpelsdrop
- James Walter Turner
(re-narrated by Suhana Bhatia)
The aftermath of the World War II was the Great Depression. All of Europe was in the throes of recession. Everyone feared when they would run out of what they had.... money, food, stocks.... so they kept what they had to themselves!!
People went out and bought supplies on credit - afraid they might never be able to repay it... and kept their last pennies saved for an even rainier day!
The town of Pumpelsdrop, somewhere in the heart of a once flourishing Europe, had seen great days! It was the connecting town between other tourist cities and travellers, stopped there, shopped there and spent there
Proof to it was the Rolls Royce showroom that stood, listless, with a dust-covered RR that had nowhere to go. The owner Paul had still held on to this last glorious memento of prosperity
Everyone in Pumpelsdrop was nervous, afraid and angry .. at themselves, at each other and at the war!
That freezing winter evening, Paul decided to shut his automobile showroom and go home an hour earlier. No one was expected anyway!
As he locked the grills, he was requested by a gentleman waiting behind to show him in. Well- dressed and refined, he explained that he was from a neighbouring town and now that he was travelling, he needed to have his own car. ANd it had to be a Rolls-Royce! Being from an illustrious family, he was not going be seen in a hired automobile!
He gave Paul his card and a check for 200 pounds - as down payment - with a request that the car be ready when he passed Pumpelsdrop next weekend!
Paul, unable to believe his stroke of luck, rubbed his tears in joy and relief! He rushed home and shared the blessed news with his wife. Still in tears, overwhelmed, he went in to his bedroom and opened his cupboard. He took out 75 pounds and called his wife Ursula. He wanted her to go buy herself a new winter coat that she had been putting off - in order to scrimp and save for the other expenses of the household. She had sacrificed all these months and she deserved to be well-dressed now!! After all she was Paul's wife and good times were round the corner
He realised that if people from other cities had started spending spending, the Great Depression must be over! So, besides getting the Rolls' refurbished it was probably time to order other cars!
His wife,, Ursula, rushed to the coat shop and instantly picked a lavish coat for herself and a thick new jacket for Paul - the good man really was a sweetheart - how could she not pick something for him? A prudent spender, with a few pounds left over she paid off some of the credit on her grocery bill as well, If good times were here, and the remaining money on the car would be coming any day, she could afford to be doing this!
Within hours, the coat maker ran to the wine-store, paid off his bills and bought school supplies for all his 6 kids - their education was not going to suffer anymore! His drinking had caused enough suffering.
The wine-store owner went to Paul to check on a good car to buy - he wanted to start living the good life too
Word spread around town that tourists would be on their way soon, and it was time to spruce things up - some spit & polish and brand new paint!
Cash stored in the boxes came out - spending attracted more spending! Money attracted money!
A fortnight later Pumpelsdrop was ready for tourists and with Christmas on its way - the little inns in and around had guests booked in advance
A month went by, but there was no news of the scion of the illustrious family. Other cars were bought and sold - but the ROlls ROyce stood - polished and ready
Paul fished out the visiting card he'd been given and asked about Mr. So & So and the booking of the car. The person on the other side told him that Mr. So & So was indeed the son of the family - but having been declared a lunatic at an early age, had been living in an asylum for 2 years. He had run away recently and was going around giving signed cheques to stores that caught his fancy
With the recession gone, the worries of money over and the great business that was coming in - Paul smiled and kept the phone!
The man had saved Pumpelsdrop from further decline and probably the ripple effect had continued all around Europe!
This Christmas was going to be a good one after all..... the bells were ringing and ushering in joy