The owner smiled and replied, "They range in price from $30 to $50."
The boy pulled out a handful of coins and counted them carefully. "I have $2.37. Can I look at them?"
The store owner gestured toward a pen where several adorable puppies were playing. As the boy watched, his eyes caught sight of one puppy lagging behind, struggling to keep up with the others.
"What's wrong with that little dog?" the boy asked.
The owner explained that the puppy had been born with a deformity and would never be able to run and play like the other puppies.
"I want that one," the boy said immediately.
The store owner tried to discourage him, "You don't want that puppy. If you really want him, I'll just give him to you."
The boy became upset. He looked the owner in the eye and said firmly, "That puppy is worth just as much as the others. I'll pay the full price. In fact, I'll give you what I have now and pay the rest in installments."
The store owner was perplexed. "Why would you want to buy a puppy that will never be able to run and play like the others?"
The boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg, revealing a twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace.
"I don't run too well myself," he said softly, "and the puppy will need someone who understands."
The store owner was moved to tears. He smiled and said, "I hope each and every one of these puppies finds a home as loving as yours."
The boy paid his $2.37 and returned every week to pay off the remaining amount. From that day forward, the boy and the little puppy, whom he named Buddy, became inseparable. They understood each other in ways no one else could, sharing a bond of companionship and unconditional love.
This story beautifully illustrates the values of empathy, understanding, and the intrinsic worth of every living being, regardless of their physical limitations.
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