Smile

She smiled at a saddened stranger.
Her smile made him feel better.
He recalled the kindness of a friend
And so wrote him a thank-you letter.

The friend was so pleased with the thanks
He left a large tip after lunch.
The waitress, surprised by the tip's size,
Bet all the money on a hunch.

The next day she picked up her winnings
And gave away part to a bum
The bum was oh so very grateful
He'd starved for two whole days, then some.

After the bum finished his dinner,
He left for his small dingy room.
He did not know that, at that moment,
he might face a terrible doom.

En route he grabbed a shivering puppy
And brought him home to keep him warm.
The small worn pup was very grateful
To be taken in out of the storm.

That night the house burst into fire.
The puppy barked a loud alarm.
He yelped until the household woke,
protecting all of them from harm.

One of the boys the puppy rescued
Grew up to be the president.
When strife ruled in the Middle East
Nuclear bombs were what he sent.

The missiles killed millions of people
perpetuating World War III.
Soon famine ruled in every nation --
the end of all humanity.

In all of mankind's history,
this made a pretty nasty dent --
all stemming from a simple smile
That hadn't cost a man a cent.

So next time that you feel like smiling,
I beg you, heed this warning well:
Remember that the life you save
could send this merry world to hell.

Pit of shame
Read the original version of "Smile."