See the future?

A soldier walks into a bar. He's off duty, wants a drink, but doesn't want the company of his War buddies. He wanders into the local bar normally shunned by warriors. He expected privacy and deferential treatment from the locals.

In the middle of his first drink, some one speaks to him, 'I can tell the future.'

Without looking, he says, 'No one can tell the future. Especially someone like you.'

'Oh but it can be done. Has been done. Once to a guy like you.'

The soldier turns and looks at the speaker. Nothing remarkable about the little man. Yesterday's clothing style. Collar frayed at the corners. The shirt clean but a dingy look as if some old food stain added to the darker shadows.

'You think I'm going to buy you a drink after you tell my fortune. Is that your deal? Buzz off. No one has ever been told their future.'

'Oh,' the little man replied. 'It has only been done once before. To someone like you. Younger than you now. He had two possible futures. In one, he could be a farmer, have children, even grand children. He would die happy as an old man in his bed.'

'Or, he could give in to his ambitions to be famous. Become a soldier, then a General, a great leader of men.'

'But, if he became a soldier, his country would follow his example. More and more men with ambition would try to become rich and famous as soldiers. To do that, they would need wars. Small ones. Easy to win. Little chance of dying.'

'That would work for his country. For a while. Then, the country would be hated as the oppressor is always hated. The wars would get bigger and last longer. Eventually, all the country's natural resources would be used up. Then, the wars would become occupations. War for resources.'

'The country, and all it's people, would become hollow, empty. Like you right now.'

The soldier finished his drink. Stood up. Paid. Looked at the little man. 'There ain't never been a man like that.' He looked at the little man for the last time and walked out.

The little man slid into the soldier's seat and picked up the drink glass. With a finger, he wiped inside the glass. Then, he sucked on the finger to get the last of the alcohol.

Looking at the glass, the little man said, 'Yes, there was such a man. His name was George Washington.'