When the breeze was just right in Toilerville, they say, you could catch the scent of sizzling steaks clear across town.
Every Saturday evening, as predictable as clockwork, the folks on top of the hill would fire up the grills and throw themselves a dinner party. There were sirloins and strip steaks, hangers and rib-eyes -- and when they were feeling especially pleased about things, they'd break out the filet mignon. And the breeze in Toilerville would sweep up each and every scent from on top of the hill, and send them rolling down the other side, down to where the regular people lived.
The regular people of Toilerville didn't throw themselves dinner parties, not on Saturday nights, or any other night. The regular people of Toilerville had all they could do to put food -- any kind of food -- on the table. They worked hard, most of them, when they could find the work, but it was difficult to stay ahead even in the best of times. When the times weren't the best, it was that much tougher.
Which is why the regular people of Toilerville were so grateful for the gristle.
Every Sunday morning, long after the embers had cooled, the folks on top of the hill would wrap up the bits of leftover meat and see that they were sent down the hill to the regular people. Each package was wrapped in nice clean butcher paper and folded just so, and then tied with a bright red ribbon.
Every Sunday morning, when the packages arrived, the regular people of Toilerville would untie the ribbons and peel back the butcher paper, and they'd pick through the bits of leftover meat. They'd decide which bits could go on the plate just as they were, and which bits were too fatty, or too tough; those they'd set aside for stew. The ribbons went into a drawer, just in case.
This is how it was in Toilerville for years -- dinner parties on Saturday night, and table scraps on Sunday. And sometimes when the breeze was just right, a few of the regular people would look up toward the top of the hill and wonder why. Mostly, though, they were too busy trying to make ends meet to concern themselves with such matters.
There came a time, though, when the folks on top of the hill started throwing their dinner parties not just on Saturday evenings, but on Friday evenings, too, and sometimes even on Tuesdays and Thursdays. When the breeze was just right, the regular people of Toilerville could smell steak two or three or even four nights a week, and they began to grumble. It didn't seem fair that the folks on top of the hill could eat like princes whenever they wanted to, while the regular people were left with Sunday scraps. (There were more dinner parties, but there were no extra packages coming down the hill, wrapped in butcher paper and bright red ribbons.)
When the grumbling started, the folks on the top of the hill knew they had to do something. So they came out of their beautiful houses and pointed far down the hill, to one little corner of Toilerville. They pointed at the people who lived in that little corner of Toilerville, and they shouted as loudly as they could, "Those people have turnips!"
It was true. Some of the regular people in that particular corner of Toilerville had gotten together and built themselves a vegetable garden, and the first thing they grew in their garden was turnips.
"Those people have turnips, and you don't!" shouted the folks on top of the hill. "Why should those people have turnips when you don't? If you don't have turnips, they shouldn't have turnips!"
And the regular people of Toilerville who didn't have turnips got so angry at the regular people of Toilerville who did have turnips that they forgot all about the folks on top of the hill who had all the steaks.
Luckily, this could never happen today.
Rick Horowitz is a syndicated columnist. You can write to him at rickhoro@execpc.com.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.