Seating at the table, four merry diners were going through the last bites of a delicious pot roast. As the dishes were empty, the guest could not refrain himself anymore, and addressing the head of the family that had given him so much in exchange for nothing, he broke the silence. He needed to get an answer to the question that had haunted his mind lately: “A few days ago I stood for the first time in front of you,” he began. “Setting eyes on me was enough for you to understand my situation, and you sheltered me without hesitation. You didn’t mind the danger or the troubles that I carry along and which now I’ve made yours as well. Instead, I have received from you without being asked anything in return. You have harbored me and fed me. You have hidden me at the risk of your own safety. You have washed and cleaned after me. You have put up with my presence in the privacy of your family. I have received endless hours of advice from you. You have not accepted any compensation from me or even asked me to help in domestic chores.
