Barry is having a very difficult time in his life. His wife recently passed away. He is very sad.
Barry's neighbor, a very old woman named Gertrude, sees him from her yard one day. She has not seen him outside for days!
"Hello, Barry! Just look at this fence. It is broken. You are a strong man, and you have some free time. I want you to fix this fence for me," Gertrude says.
Barry is angry. He thinks the old lady is very selfish. Still, he knows she is a nice woman, and he respects her. He agrees to help her.
Barry works for days. Gertrude brings him lemonade while he works. When he finishes, he smiles for the first time in months.
"You did such a wonderful job. Do you think you could paint it for me?" Gertrude smiles at him.
Barry cannot believe his ears. Doesn't she know how sad he is? But because he respects her so much, Barry agrees. He works hard in the hot sun, but Gertrude's lemonade and encouragement are wonderful. He feels proud of the beautiful fence he is making.
Over the next few weeks, Gertrude keeps giving Barry jobs. He even repairs her door. All the neighbors pass by and tell Barry what a beautiful job he has done.
He finally realizes that she has never been rude. She is really very wise. He knows that simply getting busy with something can take sorrow away. He helps her, but she truly saves him.
