I should have known that my life was about to be struck by a whirlwind of change when, one night after
a strenuous day of observation, I noticed a stray lemming had followed me home. Since it was Friday and I had not
planned on returning to town that weekend, I decided to allow it to stay with me until I went back to work on
Monday, even though I had vowed never to bring my work home with me. I went about my tedious daily activities
while the little animal trailed along behind me with a sad expression on his face. After I finished my chores,
I sat on my front porch to relax and watch the sunset. All of the leaves were budding and flowers were blooming
their myriad colors. With the wide assortment of colors from the deepest red to the brightest blue as a background
for the new leaves, I viewed a minute piece of heaven; however, I was not at peace. My newly acquired companion noticed my distress and was empathetic. Then I realized that all along I had
been treating my comrade as a beast. I forgot that he could think and feel just as much as I. He was not an it--he
was a male lemming. I guiltily picked him up and we looked at each other with our despondent eyes and finally I
stated, "I wish you could speak so that I wouldn't feel so alone." Suddenly my little friend replied in a doleful voice, "It's about time you notice me. I was beginning to
wonder if all you were going to do was feel sorry for yourself. I mean, you didn't even heed my existence for the
entire walk here and three miles is a long way for a little guy like me. I'm sorry. I seem to be babbling, but it
has been such a long time since I had anyone to speak with." My astonishment was so great I did not even think about
how strange talking to a lemming was, and I began asking him questions. We spoke late into the night about our
philosophies on life, and I soon discovered that my friend was called Kismut. After watching the stars move across the sky for many hours, we went inside to the warmth of my bed. I
allowed my newly found friend to sleep beside me on my pillow because I did not have anywhere else in my humble home
for him to sleep. We awoke early, watched the sunrise, and breakfasted. After we ate, we went on a brief tour of
my property without knowing that a psychotic man from town named Gawain was stalking me in the forest. Gawain, who was my fiancé, went crazy about six months ago when he was hit by a speeding car. I found him
lying helplessly on the side of the road. He refused to see a doctor, and I treated his wounds as well as possible;
however, since I am not a doctor, I did not know that the trauma he suffered could cause insanity. Gawain was no
longer the same man: he was violent and tried to kill me so I broke off our relationship. Unfortunately, he decided
abducting me would be the best way to solve our problems. Returning to the story, Kismut and I were walking along my property line when Gawain suddenly jumped from
behind a tree and grabbed me. In a demented voice, he stated, "You are coming with me to Las Vegas where we're getting
married." "I can't marry you! The man I love disappeared when you were hit by that blasted car," I replied sadly.
"I wish you were sane again so we can both be happy." Out of the blue, Gawain realized that he had been acting crazy and put me back on my feet. He fell to his
knees saying, "I am so sorry. I don't know what happened. I know something was wrong with me, and I wasn't myself.
Now, I am back to normal. Please find it in your heart to forgive me." Overcome with joy, my voice momentarily failed me. When I came to my senses again, I pulled Gawain to his feet,
kissed him, and bluntly told him, "Your mental state was not your fault. And anyway, I love you; therefore, I must
forgive you." As we walked back to my house, I picked up Kismut and introduced my new comrade to my fiancé, and they were
instantly friends. After returning home, the three of us began to reestablish wedding plans, and the next week Gawain and
I had a simple ceremony in my backyard. We were a happy family, but our financial state was dire. The bank threatened to foreclose on my property.
Gawain, Kismut, and I observed lemmings, but our combined salary remained at three dollars an hour. I was desperate. One
night, Kismut and I talked about our financial state. I told him, "I wish I could figure out why the lemmings jump off the
cliffs. Then, I could publish an article, and with the money, pay the bank. We could keep our home." "I can grant your final wish as I did your others," my diminutive friend replied. "Since you have always tried
to do your best in all you do, you were granted three wishes. You were supposed to use them on yourself and I feel you have
accomplished that feat. You wished for my friendship, Gawain, and your home." "Why are you capable of granting wishes?" I asked in astonishment. "I am the only lemming who ever swam to 'the other shore'. When I got there, I was sent here and told my job was
to give you the three things that you wanted most." My lucky little friend told me the reason lemmings take the suicidal plunge, and my article will be published next
week. Now, the three of us can live blissfully in our humble abode. We know simplicity is the only way to true joy.
