The Lessons Life Teaches, A Collection of Short Stories.

Three Flies

Three flies were circling in the cool air under the covered backyard porch of a suburban house. It was very hot outside and the screen door on the house allowed cool air to flow out onto the open porch.   In addition, a trashcan on the far edge of the porch held the house's garbage until it was carried out to the curb on trash day. This trashcan always provided a continual variety of tasty meals for the flies. The porch was indeed a fly paradise.

One day, while circling around, the youngest fly had an epiphany.   It is so wonderful here, imagine how much nicer it must be beyond the screen door, where all the cool air and food come from. When he told his concept to the other two flies, the eldest fly said there were other flies that have flown through the doorway in the past and they never returned. The young fly excitedly exclaimed, "If it is as wonderful as I think, why would they ever want to return. It must be a fly heaven."

Suddenly, the screen door swung open and a man came out with a plastic bag of trash and put it in the trash can.  Seizing the moment, the young fly darted through the open screen door.  He was only slowed down by the headwinds of the cool breeze coming from the air conditioner. Then from the kitchen the young fly smelled the aroma of a stew cooking on the stove for dinner. The incredible smell was beyond description. The young fly immediately concluded he was right; this was a fly's heaven.

The young fly continued on his quest by flying into the spacious living room toward a large opening in the wall that looked out into the front yard.   When the fly got to the opening he crashed into the large plate glass window. He was surprised that he could walk around on the clear barrier. He continued to walk around on the glass for some time, trying to figure out how to get past it into the front yard. Then the fly noticed that the man carrying the trash bag was walking toward the window with a small object in his hand with a wire coming out of it. He wondered and watched the man to see how he got past the window glass. Unexpectedly, the man swung the object in his hand and the young fly fell dead to the floor.

Several days later the remaining two flies were flying around the back porch as usual. The one fly began to discuss what happened to the young fly that had not returned. The one fly said it must be very wonderful beyond the door because the young fly has not returned. The older fly was quiet and thoughtful for a moment and then replied, "I suppose that could be true. But my life here is very good. I think I will stay here."  The other fly remarked, "I suppose that is true."  Silently, the other fly thought what wonders must lay beyond the door. It must be a wonderous and incredible place.