Of what awaits the sin of greed
His eyes were bigger than his stomach. That's what his mother always said. "It's a sin to waste food," she said, so he was forced to eat all he took, and his stomach grew bigger and bigger and his face expanded until his eyes nearly disappeared.
By the time he reached adulthood, it was not just food he craved. Fast cars, exotic vacations, beautiful women, power and influence. But his eyes were bigger than his wallet.
Lust, gluttony, greed -- they were all the same thing. Wanting more than was good for you. The thing he wanted most was money, because money could buy all those other things. His job was enough to pay the bills, save for the future, and have a little fun, but it wasn't enough for his dreams. He learned how to cheat at cards, tried out his skills, got caught, spent time in prison. He traveled to storm-ravaged states, promising to repair old people's damaged roofs, took their money and drove away. Got caught, spent time in prison. He sent out e-mails asking people to invest in his non-existent business. Never got caught.
Finally, he had enough money to buy a small island. He built a beautiful house, bought a fleet of fast cars even though there were no roads on his island, invited Hollywood directors to film on his island so he could hang around with beautiful movie stars.
One day a hurricane blew through the area, devastating his little island. His fleet of cars was gone, washed out to sea. His beautiful house was damaged beyond recognition. His Hollywood starlets were busy with other projects, and couldn't find his island on a map anyway.
With his food and fresh water scarce, and communication cut off, he waited alone to die. He was about to repent of his life of greed when he heard a helicopter. He waved the tattered curtains from his living room, shouting wildly. The helicopter landed and a man climbed out.
"Hey," the man said. "Your house looks pretty bad. Lucky for you I'm a roofing contractor. Just give me a million dollars so I can fly back to the mainland and pick up some supplies..."
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