Mr. and Mrs. Grumps lived in a little retirement apartment in Hastings by the Sea.
One day Mr. Grumps woke up in a particularly grumpy mood. Mrs. Grumps said “My, you are miserable today” as she made a boiled egg for his breakfast. “You should try to make yourself more happy”.
So, after breakfast, Mr. Grumps left the apartment and went down to the newsagents where he always bought his daily newspaper.
“Can I buy a newspaper and some happiness please” he said to the newsagent.
The newsagent gave him his newspaper but said “we don’t sell happiness here. Why don’t you try next door?”
Mr. Grumps left the newsagent in an even grumpier mood and went next door to the greengrocers.
“Can I buy a bag of plums and some happiness” please he said to the greengrocer.
The greengrocer gave him a bag of plums but said “we don’t sell happiness here. Why don’t you try next door?”
Mr. Grumps left in an even grumpier mood and went next door to the supermarket.
“Can I buy a bottle of milk and some happiness please” he said to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper gave him a bottle of milk but said “we don’t sell happiness here. Why don’t you try next door?”
Mr. Grumps left in an even grumpier mood and went next door to the bakery.
“Can I buy a loaf of bread and some happiness please” he said to the baker.
The baker gave him a loaf of bread but said “we don’t sell happiness here”.
So Mr. Grumps walked all the way back to his apartment in a very, very grumpy mood.
When he got home, his wife said, “My you look very miserable, What’s the matter?”
“I’ve tried my best to buy some happiness. I’ve asked at the newsagents, the greengrocers, the supermarket and the bakery but they all say they don’t sell happiness”, Mr. Grumps said in a very grumpy voice.
“You silly man!” said Mrs. Grumps. “You can’t buy happiness. Happiness isn’t something outside you, its something inside you. You have to think happy thoughts, and they don’t cost anything.”
Mr. Grumps sat down in his favourite chair and thought about what his wife had said. He decided to think about all the happy times he had had. He thought about the time he spent with his grandchildren, he thought about his own children growing and he thought about his own happy childhood.
And as he had these happy thoughts they pushed away all the grumpy thoughts and he began to feel much better.
When Mrs. Grump brought him a cup of tea a little bit later, she said “My, you do look happier”.
“Yes” said Mr. Grump. “I’ve filled my head with happy thoughts so there’s no more room for any grumpy thoughts anymore.”
