The Bandit Problem
Bit different from my normal stories, but I needed to get this off my chest.
I actually wrote a parable, a rather topical one too. The moral of this story: No matter how painful it may be, you must confront your problems. You can't run away from them or pretend they don't exist. But, you must confront them, and find a way to solve them for good. If you find a temporary solution, use the time to find a more permanent solution, rather than resting on your laurels until the problem resurges.
Out in the hills of Italy, there once stood a grand mansion, with a great view over the coast and many nearby orchards that were said to produce the ripest, tastiest, and most plentiful fruits in the country. However, this mansion was also a common target for a group of bandits hiding out nearby.
The first man to live in this mansion was a man named Marco. He'd inhabited and lived in the place for one year before the bandits struck. They'd stolen a fortune from the mansion while Marco was out on the town. Marco had promptly gone to the authorities, however the bandits paid them off when they went to investigate, and they'd wound up doing nothing to help Marco's situation, and another robbery occurred shortly after.
Marco, fearing what the bandits might do if he confronted them, elected to ignore the problem. And, so the robberies continued, until Marco was left with no choice but to pack up and leave for elsewhere.
The second inhabitant of the mansion was named Cesar. Unaware of the plight that had befallen Marco, he bought the mansion and moved in. A year passed before the bandits struck again, stealing various items while Cesar was out socializing. He had gone to the authorities to report his problem, but again they were bribed by the bandits to do nothing.
Cesar realized he could not ignore this problem, and decided to secure his house. He boarded his windows and put locks on all the doors, making sure there was no easy way into the house. For a while, it worked. The bandits could not so easily enter the doors nor the windows. Cesar, believing his troubles finally over, rested well, secure in the knowledge his valuables were safe.
However, eventually the bandits found ways around Cesar's security. They made tools to pick open his locks, to pull the boards from the windows, and before long, the burglaries continued. Cesar finally gave up trying to keep his valuables safe here, so he packed up and moved out.
Francesco was the third occupant to the mansion. This time, he'd heard of the robberies that had plagued the previous two owners. And, when a year had come and his house was stolen from, it came as no surprise to him. Every night, and anytime he was out of the mansion, he'd lock all his valuables away in a safe, with a combination only known to him.
Anytime he was able, he'd go out on the town and socialize with its people, trying his best to forget the bandit problem. His valuables were never stolen as the bandits did not know the combination to his safe, so he made a rule he'd never speak of their existence, to prevent undo worry to himself or others.
However, one day he'd gone out to socialize with the others while the bandits devised a plan to get into his safe. When Francesco came home, he was greeted by several bandits who'd waited for him. They forced him to give the combination up, and then they'd stolen all his valuables, leaving Francesco beaten, and once again forced to move out.
The fourth occupant was a man by the name Giorgio. He had remained unaware of the fates of the previous three owners, and moved into the mansion with all his goods and valuables. After the initial year, the bandits once again robbed from his house. Once again, Giorgio went to the authorities, whom the bandits paid off, and nothing was done yet again.
However, Giorgio wasn't going to ignore the problem, and he certainly wasn't going to run away. The day after, he found where the bandits were hiding and went to confront them. However, their numbers were too great, and they'd beaten Giorgio within an inch of his life.
He'd slowly, painfully made his way back to town, where he was patched up, and made a slow recovery. Soon after, though, he went before all the townspeople, telling of what had happened to him and calling for aid. Most turned a blind eye, though there were those, some he knew and some complete strangers, who took up the cause, aiding him in once again assaulting the bandit stronghold.
The battle was grueling, and many townspeople were severely injured. But, in the end, they'd finally driven the bandits away. Giorgio, his mansion, and all the valuables in town were finally safe from the bandits. He lived out the rest of his days at the mansion, letting it and his fortune pass down his family for generations. Over the years, more bandits showed up, but every time they were driven out by the townspeople who would not simply let their valuables be stolen.