The Girl Who Put Her Hand in the Fire

She put out her hand, he took it and said, “What happened?”

She looked up, eyes watering, and said, “I burned my hand.”

“I’m so sorry,” he said.

“I put it in the fire,” she said.

“Why would you do that?” he asked.

“I didn’t think it was a fire,” she said.

“How many times have you done this?” he asked.

“I’ve done it everyday for about a year,” she said. “I thought it would warm me.”

“What do you think now?” he asked.

“I don’t know” she said, “I keep hoping things will change, and that maybe if we both change …”

She began to sob. He held her hand and turned it over. It was terribly burned.

“What should I do?” she cried, “I don’t know what to do? What do you think I should do?”

“Stop putting your hand in the fire,” he said.