ack-scratcher

aron Von Lodge was the head of a small country known as Lilliland near Switzerland. The time was the early 1900s.

The Baron lived quite the idyllic life in his castle. He was engaged to Lady Angela of Alpine Castle and they spent many hours together horseback riding, skiing, sailing and many other popular activities for which Lilliland was known. Sometimes it was nice just to relax and watch the beautiful swans on Castle Lake or look at the snow covered Alpine Mountains.

One very small thing bothered the Baron. After a few hours of working at his desk, his back would develop an itch. It was a small spot right in the middle of his back where he could not reach, except with a back-scratcher.

The Baron kept an old black metal back-scratcher in his desk for just such occasions when his back would begin to bother him. The back-scratcher was very old and starting to bend. The Baron decided to send the old metal piece to the blacksmith to straighten it out so it scratched better.

The Baron was surprised when he quickly got the back-scratcher back from the blacksmith with a note that said he could not fix it because it was made from a metal that he wasn’t familiar with. The Baron read on and the noted disclosed that the metal was pure solid gold.

Somehow the Baron had acquired a solid gold cane. He showed the letter to Lady Angela who was surprised. The Baron also showed the letter to his chief advisor Professor Hamblin. The Professor was familiar with many of the items around the Castle but did not have the slightest idea where the solid gold cane came from.

The Professor suggested that the castle jeweler could clean up the cane and that it should be placed in the castle vault for safekeeping.

Lady Angela gave the Baron a new bamboo cane to replace the one that had been put into the vault.

The Baron became rather philosophical about the event and said that oftentimes one becomes rather used to the things and people around and takes them for granted. That is until one realizes the value of everything. Many things are priceless and cannot be replaced.

Most people thought the Baron was talking about the solid gold back-scratcher and maybe one or two people thought the Baron was also talking about his dear friends in the Castle and in Lilliland.