by dakotamouse » Tue Mar 03, 2009 12:41 pm
This letter to the editor appeared today in the Bismarck Tribune, March 1, 2009. I thought it was pretty darn good.
Mary
Leaving Us On a Sinking Ship
By LEON NESJA
Mandan
The ship was floundering in heavy seas, with waves breaking over the bow. Seeing the ship take on all that water, the passengers were frightened, and looked to the charming and charismatic captain and his willing-and unquestioning crew for help.
The very charming and charismatic captain came out on the poop deck, mustered all his charm and charisma, and smoothly told the passengers to give the willing and unquestioning crew $800 billion and they would be saved.
The passengers swooned and quickly turned over their cash, their checking accounts, their saving accounts, their retirement accounts and their children’s college funds. Then they wrote IOUs to be collected from their children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren to the fifth generation. And so the passengers coughed up the $800 billion.
When this was done, the charming and charismatic captain directed the willing and unquestioning crew to take a big ax and chop holes in the bottom of the ship to let the water drain out. The willing and unquestioning crew leaped to action and chopped holes in the bottom of the ship.
Oops!
Then the willing and unquestioning crew, along with the charming and charismatic captain, grabbed the treasure chest and the barrels of pork from the hold, loaded it all in their private life boats and rowed away.
Where did you get it? We didn't get it, we built it!
Myron and Mary