A wealthy man has only one son, and so he tries to spoil the boy.

Upon his son's fifth birthday he tells the lad that he has gone out and hired a circus and a carnival specifically for his son and all the boy's friends.

The son in turn says to his father that while he appreciates this, he wants only one thing. "What is it you want?" the father asks. "Dad, all I want is a ping-pong ball."replies the boy. Puzzled by the request, the father never the less fulfills his son's wish and procures the nicest, most expensive ping-pong ball he can find. Upon giving it to his son, he notices the lad is indeed overjoyed to recieve it. The father just smiles and does not ask why nor does he say much of anything. A few years later on his son's tenth birthday father once again tells son he has no limit on whatever the boy desires.

"Son, we'll go out and get you a ballroom full of the latest video games, we'll get a bowling alley put in the house, we'll...

" "Dad, it's nice of you to offer me all that stuff, but all I want is a ping-pong ball." Once again the old man goes out and buys his boy the most extravagant ping-pong ball he can find. And once again the boy is as happy as can be.

At 16, pop offers to fill the garage full of all the sports cars junior could want, only to hear that same request yet again. And once again, daddy comes through and the son is happy. On his sons 21st birthday father once again approaches son to make a most generous offer. "Boy, I am gonna take you out and get you shit-faced, I'm gonna get you a shit load of lap dances, I'm gonna buy you all the hookers you want..." "But Dad, all I want.." "You just want a ping-pong ball, right?" "Well, yes Dad." "Always with the f**king ping-pong ball." Dad has already prepared for this and produces yet again a most extravagant ping-pong ball.

The young man is once again pleased with his gift.

That very night, the son is involved in a horrific car crash.

As soon as the father is notified he rushes to the hospital.

At the hospital he is greeted by his son's doctor who tells the man that his son doesn't have long to live, and that he should speak to him now before it's too late. The father, in tears, walks in to the boy's room.

"Son, I want to say to you before it's too late that not only do I love you, but I have always been proud of you. You have always been a good son, you have grown into a good man, and though I offered you the world you always held to your simple desires.

You are the best son a man could ask for." "Dad, I love you to, and I don't want you to be sad. I can die in peace knowing I could not have hoped for a better father." "Son, before you pass, I just have to ask you, why is it, that no matter what I offered to buy you on your birthdays, you always wnated just a ping-pong ball. What is it about them that you liked and desired so?" The son, surveying the room, motioned for his father to come closer, so that he could whisper the answer in his ear. "Dad, the reason I always asked for a ping-pong ball is because I" and then he died.