Based on an Urban Legend...

This movie was loosely based on the u.l. "Who'll Take the Son".

WHO'LL TAKE THE SON????

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare
works of art. They had everything in their
Collection, from Picasso to Raphael.
They would often sit together and admire the
great works of art.
When the Viet Nam conflict broke out, the son
went to war. He was very courageous and died
in battle while rescuing another soldier.
The father was notified and grieved deeply for
his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas,
there was a knock at the door. A young man
stood at the door with a large package in
his hands.

He said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the
soldier for whom your son gave his life. He
saved many lives that day, and he was carrying
me to safety when a bullet struck him in the
heart and he died instantly. He often talked
about you, and your love for art."

The young man held out his package. "I know
this isn't much. I'm not really a great artist,
but I think your son would have wanted you to
have this."

The father opened the package. It was a
portrait of his son, painted by the young man.
He stared in awe at the way the soldier had
captured the personality of his son in the
painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes
that his own eyes welled up with tears.

He thanked the young man and offered to pay him
for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never
repay what your son did for me. It's a gift."
The father hung the portrait over his mantle.
Every time visitors came to his home he took
them to see the portrait of his son before he
showed them any of the other great works he
had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to
be a great auction of his paintings. Many
influential people gathered, excited over seeing
the great paintings and having an opportunity to
purchase one for their collection.
On the platform sat the painting of the son.
The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start
the bidding with this picture of the son. Who
will bid for this picture?"
There was silence. Then a voice in the back of
the room shouted,"We want to see the famous
paintings. Skip this one."
But the auctioneer persisted, "Will someone bid
for this painting? Who will start the bidding?
$100, $200?"
Another voice shouted angrily, "We didn't come
to see this painting. We came to see the Van
Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real
bids!" But still the auctioneer continued,
"The son! The son! Who'll take the son?"
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the
room. It was the longtime gardener of the man
and his son. "I'll give $10 for the painting."
Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
"We have $10, who will bid $20?" the auctioneer
continued.
"Give it to him for $10. Let's see the masters."
"$10 is the bid, won't someone bid $20?" asked the
auctioneer.
The crowd was becoming angry. They didn't want
the picture of the son. They wanted the more
worthy investments for their collections. The
auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going once, twice,
SOLD for $10!"
A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now
let's get on with the collection!"
The auctioneer laid down his gavel, "I'm sorry,
the auction is over."

What about the paintings?"
"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this
auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in
the will. I was not allowed to reveal that
stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son
would be auctioned. Whoever bought
that painting would inherit the entire estate,
including the paintings. The man who took the
son gets everything!"
God gave his Son 2,000 years ago to die on a
cruel cross. Much like the auctioneer, His
message today is, "The Son, the Son, who'll
take the Son?" Because you see, whoever
takes the Son gets everything.
--Author unknown.

I received it in an email back in 2002, but have since found the story predates my email. You can read the entire 'history' of the story at:
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/son.asp


Patricia

"not my will but Yours be done" Luke 22:45