The “Hiking Money” Secret
1. Title
The “Hiking Money” Secret
2. FULL STORY — PART 1
When Dad walked into his 12-year-old son’s bedroom, he stopped dead in the doorway.
Right in the middle of the room was a brand-new 42-inch plasma TV.
Dad stared at it for several seconds.
“Where did you get that TV?”
His son looked up from what he was doing.
“I bought it.”
“You bought it?” Dad repeated. “With what money?”
The boy shrugged.
Dad narrowed his eyes.
“Did you steal it?”
“No!”
“Then where did you get enough money for a television like that?”
His son calmly replied, “I saved up my hiking money.”
Dad blinked.
“Your what?”
“My hiking money.”
Dad had no idea what his son was talking about.
“Hiking money? What on earth is hiking money?”
The boy simply smiled.
“Well, Dad…”
3. FULL STORY — PART 2
Dad folded his arms.
“I’m listening.”
The boy sat on the edge of his bed, clearly enjoying the fact that his father was completely confused.
“You know how you’re sometimes out of the house?”
“Of course.”
“And sometimes Uncle Bob comes over to visit Mom?”
Dad’s expression changed slightly.
“Yes…”
“Well, Uncle Bob gives me twenty bucks every time he comes over.”
Dad stared at his son.
“Twenty dollars?”
“Yep.”
“For what?”
The boy shrugged.
“I don’t really know. He just gives it to me.”
Dad was now more confused than ever.
“And then what?”
The boy answered matter-of-factly.
“He tells me to take a hike.”
Dad slowly looked from his son to the enormous television.
Then back at his son.
For a moment, he didn’t say a word.
The boy was trying very hard not to laugh.
4. FULL STORY — PART 3
Dad finally understood what his son meant.
“So let me get this straight,” he said carefully. “Every time Uncle Bob comes over, he gives you twenty dollars and tells you to leave?”
The boy nodded.
“Exactly.”
“And you’ve been saving all those twenty-dollar bills?”
“Yep.”
“For this TV?”
“Yep.”
Dad rubbed his forehead.
There were suddenly a lot of questions he wanted to ask.
“How long has this been going on?”
The boy thought for a moment.
“I don’t know. A while.”
Dad looked at the television again.
He had walked into the room expecting to catch his son doing something wrong.
Instead, he had discovered that his son had somehow turned being sent away by Uncle Bob into a very profitable savings plan.
The boy smiled innocently.
“So… can I watch it now?”
Dad just stood there speechless.
5. ENDING
Finally, Dad sighed.
“Well, at least you saved your money instead of wasting it.”
The boy grinned.
“Thanks, Dad.”
Dad shook his head.
“Just one thing.”
“What?”
“Next time Uncle Bob tells you to take a hike…”
The boy waited.
Dad pointed toward the door.
“Take the money first.”
The boy burst out laughing.
And Dad couldn’t help laughing too—although he suspected there was a much bigger story behind those twenty-dollar bills.
