The "Professional" Philanthropist
The United Way realized they had never received a single cent from the city’s most successful litigator. They sent their most earnest volunteer to his lavish, top-floor office to settle the matter.
The volunteer opened the meeting by saying, "Our research shows that despite your annual income being well over two million dollars, you don't give a penny to charity. Wouldn't you like to give something back to the community?"
The lawyer leaned back in his leather chair, sighed heavily, and looked out the window. "First," he said softly, "did your research show you that my mother is currently in a hospice after a long, agonizing illness, facing medical bills that would make a banker weep?"
Embarrassed, the volunteer mumbles, "Uh... no, I didn't know that."
"Secondly," the lawyer continued, his voice rising with indignation, "did it show that my brother is a disabled veteran, confined to a wheelchair, struggling to support a wife and six children on a pittance?"
The stricken volunteer begins to stammer, "I’m so sorry, I—"
"Thirdly!" the lawyer barked, leaning across the desk. "Did your research show that my sister’s husband was killed in a horrific accident, leaving her penniless with a massive mortgage and three children—two of whom have specialized needs requiring a battery of expensive tutors?"
The volunteer was now utterly humiliated. "I am so, so sorry," he whispered. "I truly had no idea."
The lawyer narrowed his eyes and snapped, "Right. So... if I haven't given a single cent to them, what on earth makes you think I’d give anything to you?"
The volunteer opened the meeting by saying, "Our research shows that despite your annual income being well over two million dollars, you don't give a penny to charity. Wouldn't you like to give something back to the community?"
The lawyer leaned back in his leather chair, sighed heavily, and looked out the window. "First," he said softly, "did your research show you that my mother is currently in a hospice after a long, agonizing illness, facing medical bills that would make a banker weep?"
Embarrassed, the volunteer mumbles, "Uh... no, I didn't know that."
"Secondly," the lawyer continued, his voice rising with indignation, "did it show that my brother is a disabled veteran, confined to a wheelchair, struggling to support a wife and six children on a pittance?"
The stricken volunteer begins to stammer, "I’m so sorry, I—"
"Thirdly!" the lawyer barked, leaning across the desk. "Did your research show that my sister’s husband was killed in a horrific accident, leaving her penniless with a massive mortgage and three children—two of whom have specialized needs requiring a battery of expensive tutors?"
The volunteer was now utterly humiliated. "I am so, so sorry," he whispered. "I truly had no idea."
The lawyer narrowed his eyes and snapped, "Right. So... if I haven't given a single cent to them, what on earth makes you think I’d give anything to you?"
