A Parable: The Electric Pool

Not too far from us, there is a world of people very similar to ours. They look the same, they walk the same, and they even talk the same. There are a few differences between this world and our own, and one of them is a place called the electric pool. People pass the electric pool on their way to work, and on their way home; on visits to the store and even in casual walks around the block. The electric pool is passed on every jaunt, stroll, skip and stride by every person, every single day.

The electric pool is a treacherous place; the water holds a current of electricity and the deck of the pool is extremely slippery; there is a very steep fall in between. It is not uncommon for a person to slip and fall into the electric pool, and it happens every day. Many people survive the fall, but understandably find the pool a very uncomfortable place to be. The residents of this world understand the dangers of the electric pool and the slippery deck, and are warned daily to be careful when passing by. The residents also understand that once they fall into the pool, there is little hope for them but to ask one of the lifeguards for help.

One day a certain man was carelessly running through the area when he slipped on the ever-so-slippery deck—before he even realized he had slipped, he found himself treading water in the pool, crying out for help among many others who had also been careless enough to land in the shrill, electrified water.

“Oh won’t someone please help me; I am in such pain and there is no way out for me!” he cried.

The other residents looked down sadly and with concern at the man but only briefly, for without strict attention, they too could suffer the same fate.

“You know the rules;” one resident yelled out to the man, “you have to call out to the lifeguards and ask for help”.

The man called out to the closest lifeguard, who came over and inspected his situation. The lifeguard was a man of average weight and stature wearing a white shirt and glasses. His confident attitude and appearance gave the victim a sigh of relief.

“Surely he will help me” thought the man, still in much pain and discomfort from the sting of the electric pool.

“I have a solution,” said the lifeguard, “but it will cost you.”

“Please, I’ll try anything; I am in such pain here in the electric pool” cried the man, desperate to relieve his suffering.

The lifeguard placed two small tablets into a cup and lowered it down to the man on a string. In turn, the man emptied his pockets into the cup which was then raised back up to the deck. The lifeguard took the man’s belongings, placed them into his briefcase, and carried on his way, also being careful in his walk across the slippery deck. The man in the pool quickly placed the tablets into his mouth and swallowed them; immediately he felt relief from his pain and with much excitement, he splashed around in the water with a smile from ear to ear.

Shortly after, the effect of the pills began to wear off and again the current began to distress the man. At first, his skin started to tingle from the electricity, and before the man could realize what was happening the pain returned in full force. With the current running through his body yet again, he was left with only the choice to cry out for help and hope another lifeguard might have a solution to relieve him.

A beautiful female lifeguard, tall and slender, wearing a light blue shirt and flower-print pants, was the first to hear his cry and quickly came to his aid.

“I have a solution,” she said, “but it will cost you.”

“Please, I’ll try anything; I am in such pain here in the electric pool” cried the man, even more desperate to relieve his suffering.

The beautiful woman lowered herself down to the man in a bucket and took some tools out of her bag, carefully inspecting the man and his position. Despite his fear and his questions about her tools the man was quiet, willing to let her help in whatever way she could.

“I’m going to make some adjustments to your body that will relieve your pain” said the woman. “It will only take a moment and your problem will be resolved after this; I promise.”

The woman used her tools to make adjustments to the man’s body, and in exchange he handed her the clothes off of his back. The man breathed a great sigh of relief for he was now pain free. He thanked the beautiful lifeguard as she raised herself up onto the deck and walked away, carefully stepping through the crowd so as not to end up in the electric pool herself.

The man spent much more time in the electric pool pain free, enjoying the comfort that the beautiful female lifeguard had given him. Inevitably though soon after, the pain from the water had returned and the man was soon as uncomfortable as he had ever been, treading water in the electric pool.

Seeing his discomfort, a fair-faced gentleman yelled down to the man in the pool “I can help you!”

“Are you a lifeguard?” asked the man in the pool.

“I am not, but I can help you if you will only listen to me.”

“Please, I’ll try anything; I am in such pain here in the electric pool,” cried the man, “but how can you help me if you are not a lifeguard? According to our rules, it’s not possible, or even right for you to do so.”

No sooner could the man in the pool finish his sentence when the end of a rope splashed down at his side. “Grab on,” yelled the fair-faced gentleman, “let me free you from your pain.”

The man grabbed the rope and was quickly hoisted back up onto the slippery deck. The pain from the electrified water was now gone and he was no longer afraid. He broke down onto his knees into tears of happiness and gratitude for what the fair-faced gentleman had done for him.

“I am here naked and without a way to pay you. I have paid the lifeguards and they could only relieve me temporarily. But you have saved me and I have nothing to give you.” cried the man thankfully.

The fair-faced gentleman knelt down at the man’s side, saying “I require no payment but for your thanks. People usually do not ask me to help them. Sometimes they call out in desperation, but only because they don’t understand I can help. Come with me my friend—let’s take a walk together. I have several other things to tell you about the slippery deck and the electric pool.”

At that, the fair faced-gentleman removed his coat and placed it over the wet man, who was still in tears, and they carefully walked together back across the slippery deck. The man never again fell into the electric pool and later had the pleasure of saving several others from the fate that he had faced that day. He always did so with a smile, and never asked for anything in return but a “thank you”.