The Persistent Question

Abstract

"The old man was telling a young boy about a battle in which, in bygone days, he had fought. His tired, o.ld voice had taken on a young ring again and a liveliness possessed him as he recounted the charge and the details of the fight. It had been a day of glory for that little band of men and the old man had almost forgotten the boy as he relived the event. "But what came out of it all?", asked the boy. His question went unheard and he asked it again. And he persisted with his asking until the old man was stopped and had at last shamefacedly to admit that very little came out of it at all"