Struck by Lightning
This is a story of a time when riding on horseback was the fastest way to travel.
Walter, a wealthy man in his forties, had expanded his business from one coast to another. Traveling was a must for him. But Walter disliked travelling through the forests, mountains, and plains alone. So he always hired young men to accompany him. For the past three years Henry was a traveling companion. A young man in his late teens, Henry came from a humble background and did not mind riding along for weeks. He actually saw this as an opportunity to see new places.
Walter was always only interested in making a larger profit. Any opportunity that had the slightest hope of gain was sure to make him gallop. He often said, "Time is money."
On one of his trips, Walter was rushing to strike gold for his new business. Thus, he was in a hurry and would not accept any delay. Henry was riding behind him. At one point, Walter turned round, and when he saw that Henry was lagging far behind, he yelled at him to ride faster. With great effort, Henry caught up.
"You better stay right behind me! I will not lose business because of you!" roared Walter.
"My horse is old, sir," said Henry. "It cannot keep up with your pace."
"That's because you've not fed it well," Walter said angrily, and he gave Henry a fierce look.
As they continued on their journey, Walter's anger soon subsided, but Henry continued to smolder. It was not the first time that his boss had yelled at him, and he had begun to resent being treated badly. Henry was brooding and wanted a chance to get even with his hot-headed boss.
As Walter was riding fast toward his destination, the sky grew dark and it began to thunder. He was afraid of thunder and looked up nervously at the sky.
When it thundered again, he closed his eyes tightly and hid his face in the horse's mane. Henry noticed his boss' discomfort and a mischievous idea entered his head.
When it thundered next, Henry rode up behind his boss, touched his shoulder with a whip, and shouted, "Lightning!"
Walter thought he had been struck by lightning and slumped onto the back of his horse.
After some time he raised his head again. When it thundered next, Henry let out another shout. This happened again and again. On the tenth occasion, the businessman fell from his horse and became unconscious.
At that instant, Henry dismounted and sat beside him. He felt guilty for what he had done. After all, the man was his boss and was much older than him. When Walter began to stir, Henry quickly lay down and closed his eyes. Walter got up and was pleased to see that Henry had also been knocked down and was unconscious. He began to shake him. The young man opened his eyes and pretended to be dazed.
"What happened, sir?" he said.
"Lightning hit you just once, and you became unconscious!" laughed Walter. "I was hit ten times before I fell."
Soon the sky began to brighten and clear. Once the storm had waned away, they resumed their journey. Walter was feeling pensive and thought to himself that his fall was a punishment for his hardness toward Henry. After that, he never shouted at Henry again.
24
What is the theme of the story?
A.
One who forgives others is brave and kind.
B.
Making profits in business is life's central goal.
C.
If you test someone's patience, you must face the consequences.
D.
It is wise to not reveal your weaknesses to others.