The local United Way office realized that it had never

received a donation from the town's richest man, a successful

lawyer with a yearly income of more than $600,000.  The volunteer

in charge of contributions called him to persuade him to

contribute. "We have found that everyone else in town has   given

us some contributions over the years, and I wanted to ask if you

would also like to make a charitable donation this year."  The

lawyer asked, "Did you know that my mother is dying after a long

illness, and is unable to pay her medical bills that are several

times her annual income?"  Embarrassed, the United Way

representative said, "No, I am sorry, I did not know that."  "And

did you know," asked the lawyer, "that my brother, a disabled

veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair?"  The stricken

United Way representative stammered an apology that he did not

know.  "And did you know," the lawyer added, "that my   sister's

husband died in a traffic accident, leaving her penniless with

three children?!"  The humiliated United Way representative,

completely beaten, said simply, "I am very sorry, I had no idea." 

The lawyer said, "And I don't give a penny to any of them, so why

should I give anything to you?"