Random musing

The story below is meant for kids.

There was once a story about a boy who lived in family that valued cleanliness and spruceness above other things in their life. The family was so zealous about being clean that they purchase ridiculous amount of bar soap on a weekly basis. They were so worried of being dirty that they wash clothes so often that the boy's white shirt shines. The parents were so ardent in being tidy, the mother ironed and starched his boy's clothings so vigorously, that the boy's shirts were solid and never once people saw a wrinkle. The father was so enthusiastic about being clean that he was nicknamed "General White". Like all things in life (this is getting cliche), doing something excessively is never good. Predictably, the boy was ostracized by his friends. The boy's clothes were so clean and sparkling, they hurt people's eyes. He was sad, he was unhappy.

One day, the parents went off for a trip in another state and left the boy alone. The parents naturally supplied him with every type of products for hygienic and cleanliness purpose imaginable - mountainous bars of soap, stocks of cleaning powder that would last him for years, enough starch to feed the whole neighbourhood and enough toothpaste to turn any elephant white. When his parents left, he felt an overwhelming feeling of liberation. For once, he felt the gargantuous responsibility to keep himself constantly clean taken off from his shoulders.

For a whole week, he did not bathe, he did not wash his clothes nor did he brush his teeth. He played in the mud and slept with enough dirt behind his ears to plant a flower. When his parents returned, they were shocked to see the condition of their only son..

I can't remember the story from then on but it ended with the boy growing fruits from his body becuase he was so dirty. The parents learnt to accept him in the end. As to whether it ended the way I said it, I'm not sure.. but that's not the point as to why I'm writing this story.

I find this story fascinating, not because of the story but because of what the children might learn from it. I thought about it for a while and concluded that there are 3 possibilities of what might the children get from this story:

1: Being who you are is important regardless of who your parents are and their idiosyncrasies. This value seems very westernize, if you ask me, but what the heck.

2. Being dirty is ok as long as you can grow fruits from your armpits and behind your ears.

3. I... can't remember.

Oh well, guess that's all for now.