The Parable of the Purple Porsche

One day, a man sat at home fretting about the direction of his life. He was bored and reached for a book on his shelf that contained adventure stories. He read a story about someone who drove a purple Porsche from his small town to the big city and founds lots of success.

The man closed the book and thought about his life. He was bored and didn’t feel very successful. Like the person in the story, he was also from a small town and wanted to see the big, exciting city. He decided then and there that he needed to find a purple Porsche and get out of his small town as soon as possible. So he packed up his few possessions in a suitcase, walked to the highway, and stood by the side of the road and waited.

Since he lived out in the country, not many cars drove near his house. After a long while, he heard the sound of an engine and thought it might be a purple Porsche. (He had decided, after all, that a purple Porsche was the only car that could take him to the big city.)

The car crested over the hill and he was disappointed to see that it was a dusty red station wagon with a family inside. It pulled up beside him and the driver asked where he was going. The man said, “I’m going to the big city.” The driver said, “What do you know! That’s where we’re going, too. Would you like to ride along with us?”

The man replied, “No, thank you. I’m waiting for a purple Porsche. I read about someone who went to the city and found lots of success, and I’ve decided that’s how I’m going to get there, too. Everyone knows that successful people don’t get where they’re going in dusty red station wagons.”

The driver shrugged his shoulders and said, “OK, best of luck.” Then the dusty red station wagon drove away and disappeared into the distance.

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A few hours passed by and the man began to worry that it might be a while before he saw a purple Porsche. But just as he was beginning to get discouraged, he heard the sound of another vehicle. He turned in the direction of the sound and saw a big yellow bus coming over the hill. His heart sank.

The big yellow bus stopped beside the man. The bus driver opened the door and said with a smile, “Hello there! Where are you headed?” The man said, “I’m going to the big city.” The bus driver said, “What do you know! That’s where we’re going, too. Would you like to ride along with us?”

The man sighed and replied, “No, thank you. I’m waiting for a purple Porsche. That’s the kind of car that looks great, and everyone will admire the purple color. When I get to the big city, I want to arrive in style. Everyone knows that successful people don’t get where they’re going on big yellow buses.”

The bus driver shrugged his shoulders and said, “That’s too bad because there’s plenty of room.” Then the bus driver closed the doors, and the big yellow bus drove away and disappeared into the distance.

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It was getting late and the sun was about to set. The man began to doubt if he would ever see a purple Porsche or get to the big city. He thought of the story in his adventure book and how his life didn’t resemble that story at all. He sat down on a stump and began to feel very sorry for himself.

Then off in the distance, he heard a strange sound. It wasn’t like the station wagon or the big yellow bus, although he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He jumped up to get a better view, and all of a sudden, he saw a farmer driving an old green tractor coming over the hill. The man’s heart sank because this was about as far away from a purple Porsche as you could get!

The farmer pulled up beside the man, shut off the engine, and adjusted his straw hat. He hooked his thumbs in his overalls and said, “Hey there, partner! Where you headed?” The man, looking dejected, said, I’m going to the city.” The farmer said, “What do you know! That’s where I’m going, too. This is a two-seater tractor, and I’ve got room for one more. This old tractor doesn’t go very fast, but it will get you there.”

The man sighed and replied, “No, thank you. I’m waiting for a purple Porsche. A Porsche goes very fast, and I’m a hurry to get to the big city. If I ride a tractor, it will take far too long. Everyone knows that successful people don’t get where they’re going on old green tractors.”

The farmer shook his head and said, “That’s a shame because I would love some company.” Then he started up the engine of the old green tractor and disappeared into the distance.

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Now it was dark and the man felt very alone. He wondered if he had made a huge mistake. Who did he think he was, trying to leave his small town for the big city? He thought of the person in the adventure story and how he had found so much success when he drove his purple Porsche into the big city. The man wanted to be just like him, and the only way he knew to get to the big city was in a purple Porsche. So he resolved to wait.

The man waited all through the night and didn’t hear a sound. He was cold and tired, but he knew if he could just wait long enough for a purple Porsche to come by, he would finally have his chance at success.

Just as the first rays of sun began to peek over the horizon, he heard a sound. It wasn’t the sound of a station wagon, a bus, or even a tractor. It was the sound of a sports car, and it was coming toward him very quickly.

The man turned toward the sound with anticipation, and in the clear morning light he recognized the shape of the car speeding over the hill—it was a Porsche! His moment had come, and success was finally within reach!

But as the car drew near and finally pulled up next to him, his heart sank once again. The Porsche wasn’t purple. It was blue with red stripes.

The driver rolled down the tinted window and asked where the man was going. The man said, “I’m going to the big city. I heard about a man who drove a purple Porsche there and became a success. I’m been waiting here a long time for a car just like it. Let me guess—you’re going to the big city, too?”

The driver of the blue and red Porsche said, “You got it. That’s where I’m headed. Would you like to join me?” The man thought very hard about it but finally said, “No, thank you. I appreciate the offer, but this isn’t the exact car I’m looking for. Everyone knows that successful people don’t get where they’re going in blue Porsches with red stripes.”

The driver said, “That’s too bad. This is a fast car and I love driving it. It will be a long time before you come across a purple Porsche. Best of luck.” Then the blue Porsche with red stripes sped off into the distance.

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The man stood there and thought about everything that happened. He thought about the dusty red station wagon, the big yellow bus, and the old green tractor. He thought about his dreams of success and all the things he was missing in the big city. But most of all, he thought about the blue Porsche with red stripes, and how it was almost—but not exactly—what he was looking for.

The man sat down on the stump and rested his head on his hands. He knew it might be a very long wait. But that was fine because he wanted to be just like the driver in the adventure story. He decided that the best way to spend his days was to sit there waiting for the right opportunity. After all, he thought to himself, everyone knows that the only way successful people can get where they’re going is in a purple Porsche.

And today, if you drive through that small town, you’ll find the man sitting there on the same stump, head resting on his hands, gazing at the hill in the distance.

He’s still waiting for that purple Porsche to arrive.

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Photo: Caricos.com via Youtube