The broke monkey wore a hat tipped down over its face. It was scraggly and looked extremely destitute.
The other monkeys often looked down on it, because the broke monkey did not seem to have the extravagance and pretensions of regular society. The other monkeys often acted intimidated, looking at him like he was a criminal. They would avoid eye contact and walk across the street to avoid the broke monkey. They couldn’t see how sensitive other monkeys could be. They were looking at people’s cars, hair and money. Kissing everyone else’s behinds.
No one realized the broke monkey was rich too, in spirit. Sometimes a hard life can teach a lot of things. The broke monkey had a beautiful intellect. It would go out in disguise and help all the other monkeys as best it could, making sure everyone had a banana.
The broke monkey was humble and would share love and affection sincerely, from its heart. It didn’t want a pat on the back. It had been through all of these other things and knew what it was like. Real richness comes from helping others and is not based on money.
Then the flood came. The village was decimated and most of the other monkeys couldn’t even help themselves. A famine soon followed.
It turned out the rich monkeys were the ones that were broke. They were too busy putting on airs and trying to be pretty. They really didn’t have anything. They all finally saw the broke monkey, really saw it, when they needed help
But the broke monkey was very resourceful, and it cared for everyone. It gave what it had and found the rest. But most importantly, the broke monkey shared. It knew you couldn’t keep it at the end of life.
It went around checking on everyone, bringing water and bananas. They all got through the flood and famine by following the broke monkey’s example and helping each other. And that came from its heart and soul. That’s why the broke monkey was really rich—everybody’s not like that.
