This is a story of a young man who had everything; a luxurious home, cars plus lots of money, but try as he might he couldn’t get the girl he loved.

“You’re not good looking enough for her,” said his friends.

“Oh looks,” said the young man haughtily as he went to a hospital, “can be bought! I have the money!”

“Nose job?” asked the surgeon, “Seventy to eighty thousand.”

“I want a facial scar correction…”

“Twenty-five thousand.”

“Tummy tuck?”

“Ninety thousand… and why don’t you also do a liposuction?”

“How much?”

“Another ninety thousand.”

“Do everything!” growled the young man, “She’s gonna flip when she sees me!”

Two months later, he walked out, a good-looking fellow with a nose job that would have made Caesar jealous, no facial scars and a tummy that was the envy of even his gym instructor. He saw her as she stood at the bus stop and stopped his car, “Care for a lift?” he asked and she got in. She looked at him and smiled, “You look different!”

“Does it please you?” he asked.

“Not really,” she said.

“Why?” he asked disappointed, “I’ve got everything, everything!”

“Do you?” she asked.

“Look at my face, at my tummy, at my car, my bank balance! Look!”

“Stop the car,” said the young wise girl and got out of the car. She walked back to the bus stop and soon enough a young man came to join her. He watched as they laughed and joked and looked at each other and he knew she had fallen for him.

He drove past the next day and instead of inviting her in, got out and walked to where she stood, “What does he have that I haven’t got?” he asked quietly.

“Character!” said the young girl.

“Where did he buy it from? Which doctor got it done for him?”

The young girl looked at him, “You want it?”

“Yes,” he said, “I have money to buy anything. I will get the best instructors to teach me how to smile, how to be courteous to you, how to make an impression to your friends and family!”

“What you talk of,” she said sadly, “is personality! Money can buy you a personality, but character; it’s something you build yourself, brick by brick.”

“I can buy each brick…”

“Integrity, honesty, loyalty, honour?”

“How much?”

“Too much,” she said, and turned with a smile to the other young man walking towards her.

The surgeon at the hospital, his gym instructor and the personality development trainer roared with laughter at the mad young man.

“Character!” they cried, “We don’t sell character! You got to build it yourself, brick by brick, and when people like you do, we’ll be out of business!”