a father pulls up with his son on his first day of school he was a single father that adored his son very much. the father owned an up and coming import/export business and therefore did not have a lot of money. looking over to his son he could see the tears in his eyes from the fear of a different environment and the fact that he would have to be apart from his father for so many hours. ""tell you what son"", the father says ""if at the end of this school year, if you get an A ill buy you a little toy from the dollar store son, any toy you want thats not expensive"", the boy liking the offer agreed, and kissed his father before leaving the beat up family car. the boy finished that school year with an A. the last day of school came and the father and his son pulled up to the dollar store. ""all right son, my offer of course, still stands, any little toy you want thats not anymore than a dollar and ill get it for you!"" the boy was super excited and exclaimed that he wanted ping pong balls. the father agreed thankful that his son was understanding and didnt persist on a more expensive toy. the next school year came and the father brought up the offer stating again that if the son finishes that school year with an A they could go to the dollar store and purchase another toy. the son finishes the school year up with an A and after the last day of school they return to the same dollar store. ""all righty son"", said the man, ""same offer as last time! any toy you want thats a dollar!"" the boy was again excited and asked for ping pong balls again. the man unphased by his son asking for the same toy went inside the store with his son and bought the ping pong balls for his son. at the beginning of that school year the man offered his son the same deal. this time though because of his importing/exporting business the father could afford to buy a slightly more expensive toy, he told is son and again the son kissed his father and ran off to class. at the end of that year the boy once again finished with an A and they drove to a different store to buy the son's present. ""all right son, this time i can afford to buy you something cooler! what would you like?"" the boy responded with ""ping pong balls daddy."" the man looked confused ""are you sure son? we can get you a cooler toy this time! the boy shook his head no and politely repeated his request. so the man strolled into the store with his son and they bought his present. next school year comes and the same offer arises. each time the father increases the amount that his son is allowed to spend thanks to his business flourishing. but the boy continued to ask for ping pong balls. this continued up until he went to the 5th grade. the son had finished the school year again with an A but his father wanted to speak to him before they went into the store. ""listen son"", the man said, ""im not quite certain if you feel like we dont have any money like before, but things are going pretty darn good for us, so this year you are allowed to buy ANY TOY IN THIS STORE. any toy you want! ill happily buy it for you no questions asked!"" the boy looked around the store until he fought what he was looking for.. ping pong balls. the father was confused, ""now son, out of all the toys in this here store, you want to buy the same thing that you've bought for all these years? ive never even seen you play with them!"" the boy said that out of everything, he just really wanted ping pong balls, and that one day he would explain his strange request fully, but that right now was not the time. so the father bought his son his ping pong balls and they went on their way. a few years pass by and the son is now a freshman. the father, now dedicated to having his son buy something more than ping pong balls now sweetened the deal. ""all right son, i have a much better offer than ive had the previous years. this year if you get an A because my company is doing sooo good ill get you the fastest, coolest, smartest, electronic that you want. it could be ANYTHING like a laptop, ipod, cell phone, anything that you think is cool thats an electronic ill get it for you. shoot, if i cant even get it in this country we'll get it shipped out overnight!"". his son seemed excited and for that, so was the father just for the offchance that maybe, this year, his son would chose something else besides ping pong balls. at the end of the year the father eagerly asked his son what he decided on getting. his son seemed shy at first and the father shifted his weight in his seat when his son responded. ""umm.. well dad, ive been thinking and the only thing i really want are ping pong balls"". his father was floored, ""son! why do you want to get ping pong balls when i can get you any electronic device from ANYWHERE in the world?????"" the boy just explained to his father that thats all he would want, and that the day would come when he explained to his father why he wanted all those ping pong balls. the father, beatened, just agreed and went to the store in order to get his son the ping pong balls. the next year the same offer and the same presents was asked for. ping pong balls. then, it was the boys senior year. his father drove him to school in the most expensive car that money could buy, equipped with the latest and greatest top of the line products. the boy and his father pulled up to the school. ""now listen son, this year is your last year of school, and for that i have the best offer for you, now ill buy you ANYTHING, a car, a boat, an island, mansions, women! anything you want! ill even get you your own private island! anything that money could buy!"". his son seeming excited agreed and bid his father goodbye. the end of the year came and the son graduated with top honors in his class. sitting in his fathers car after the graduation, his father asked him with the broadest smile what he wanted THIS time for his present. the boy thought long and hard and then responded. ""ping pong balls dad, ping pong balls"". the father couldnt believe his ears but knew that his son would not explain until he was ready. so they went to the store to buy his son some ping pong balls. that night the son attended a party but as he and his friends were driving home intoxicated they got into a bad car crash. the car went spinning out of control and all passengers were violently spewed out of the car. everyone was taken to the hospital and families were notified. later on that night the father sat next to his son's hospital bed. his son was covered with pulpy, splotched, torn skin, he suffered punctured lungs, and multiple fractures all throughout his body. the doctors were unsure exactly how he might recover. that same night however the son woke up and looked over at his fathers crying face. ""dad, im ready now, im ready to tell you why i wanted ping pong balls for all those years, im ready to tell you why i never played with them, and why you never ever saw them."" his father sat up, ""yes son?"" his son looked him in the eyes, drew a breath to finally explain to his father why all these years he wanted nothing more than everyday ping pong balls. and then he died.