The Bug and the Bird

Through the magic of metaphor, I’ve just finished washing and waxing the car and am now on the porch sitting next to a pitcher of home squeezed lemonade and a plate of Moravian sugar cookies.

Just then, a bug from the garden across the road flies over to chat. And no sooner than he does, a bird from down the road lands on the back of the other chair to join us.

He looks at the car then looks at me and says, “Some days you’re the windshield, some days you’re the bird,” and laughs.

I hear the bug sigh.

“What’s the matter?” I ask.

He replies, “Some days you’re the windshield, some days you’re the bug.”

The bird laughs.

“Yes?” I ask.

“It’s always good to be the bird.  It’s never good to be the bug.” He laughs again.

“What about the windshield?”

The bird replies, “You win some, you lose some. But you’re always the windshield.” He laughs again then says, “Well, I’ll be off.”

The bug and I watch as the bird flies away.

“Well, I guess I’ll head back to the garden,” the bug says and flies off.

I watch as the bug flies across the road.

The bird dives for the bug.

The bird smashes into the windshield of a passing car.

Warmest regards,

Slim

slimfairview@yahoo.com 

Others by Slim Fairview

You Can't Fool the Lion

Five Apples

How Mr. Yakamoto Saved Face

Mr. When's Chicken 

Copyright © 2014  Robert Asken as Slim Fairview.

All rights reserved.

Five Apples

Through the magic of metaphor, Sir Isaac Newton, Opie Taylor, Martha Steward, Johnny Appleseed and "Lord" de Gouberville, are walking through a small orchard.

• Newton sees an apply fall from a tree.  He discovers gravity.

• Opie sees an apple fall from a tree. He picks it up, wipes it on his shirt, and eats it.

• Martha Stewart sees an apple fall from a tree. She picks it up, takes it home, peels it, cores it, and bakes it with brown sugar and cinnamon and a pat of butter. 350 degrees f. 20-25 minutes. More or less.

• Johnny Appleseed sees an apple fall from a tree. He picks it up, removes the sees, and plants apple trees.

• "Lord" de Gouberville sees an apple fall from a tree. He picks it up, takes it home, and invents Calvados.

By A Falling Apple:

• Newton's imagination is inflamed and science advances.

• Opie gratifies an immediate and temporal through necessary need.

• Martha Stewart delays gratification to elevate a necessary, albeit temporal need, for desert.

• "Lord" de Gouberville simply demonstrates a little common sense.

5 People.  5 Apples.  5 Concepts. 5 Results. Each different. Each essential.



What about Slim?

Slim is sitting apart from from the proceedings and observing while snacking on some Blue Diamond Smokehouse Almonds and sipping an Extra-Dry Beefeater Martini on the rocks--hat-trick with the olives. 

As a non-participant, he is in the position to be an objective observer.

Slim's only problem is how to deliver the message.  Well, Slim has but two skills: an analytical mind and the ability to speak in metaphors.  He quietly analyses what he sees.  Now all he must do is to come up with a metaphor to explain it.

Warmest regards,

Slim

Slimfairview@yahoo.com 


Any references to products or services are at my discretion and no offer of remuneration or compensations was solicited, offered, or accepted.  Also, they are for information purposes and do not constitute an endorsement.  You’ve been informed. You are on your own.


Copyright (c) 2014 Slim Fairview Robert Asken
All rights reserved.

The Business of Wisdom in Global Affairs -- A Fable

The Business of Wisdom in Global Affairs—A Fable

About 50 years ago, my father told me a fable. I don’t know its origin. I believe it may have originated in Turkey or in the Middle East.

No doubt, he’d heard it from someone much older than he was when he heard it. And older and wiser when he shared it with me. Thank you, Dad.


A long time ago, there lived a powerful king. He ruled vast lands with firmness and fairness. However, the many city-states and principalities were ruled by selfish and greedy men. They were constantly fighting wars over petty grievances to disguise their true motive—greed. Therefore, the king issued an edict banning such unjust wars. If they defied the edict, he would send his troops in to vanquish the offender and seize his lands.

In one of the small countries, the young people had gathered to come up with a plan to better the lives of the people. They concluded that the old people were a burden and that they should all be put to death.

One young man, unable to allow his father to be killed, led him from the city in the dead of night and hid him in a cave on the outskirts of the city.

The word spread to a neighboring land where a greedy prince called his advisors together to discuss a plot to wage a war against the other land to grab their wealth. They wrote the following letter:

Five generations ago, our people lent to your people 25 units of rope woven from sand which you promised to return. Yet with each passing generation, your promise has gone unfulfilled. Therefore, we must demand return of this rope or we will be forced to send our armies to your land to retrieve it along with just restitution.

When the leaders of the council received and read this letter, they panicked. None had ever heard of the rope woven from sand nor knew anything about it.

The man who’d hid his father in the cave outside of town asked for the letter and said he would return with a solution to the problem. He went to see his father.

His father said, “Write back. Say to them, we have many coils of rope. Some are woven from sand but each is different. Send us a sample of your rope so we may match it up with the rope that is yours and do justice by returning your rope.”

The young man returned to the council and they sent just such a letter.

When the evil prince received the reply, he turned to his advisers and said, “There is still one old man left in their land. We will wait until he dies and try again.”

Regards,

Slim

Mail: slimfairview@yahoo.com

Copyright (c) 2010 Slim Fairview

The Business of Wisdom in Global Affairs--A Fable

The Business of Wisdom in Global Affairs

About 50 years ago, my father told me a fable. I don’t know its origin. I believe it may have originated in Turkey or in the Middle East.

No doubt, he’d heard it from someone much older than he was when he heard it. And older and wiser when he shared it with me. Thank you, Dad.


A long time ago, there lived a powerful king. He ruled vast lands with firmness and fairness. However, the many city-states and principalities were ruled by selfish and greedy men. They were constantly fighting wars over petty grievances to disguise their true motive—greed. Therefore, the king issued an edict banning such unjust wars. If they defied the edict, he would send his troops in to vanquish the offender and seize his lands.

In one of the small countries, the young people had gathered to come up with a plan to better the lives of the people. They concluded that the old people were a burden and that they should all be put to death.

One young man, unable to allow his father to be killed, led him from the city in the dead of night and hid him in a cave on the outskirts of the city.

The word spread to a neighboring land where a greedy prince called his advisors together to discuss a plot to wage a war against the other land to grab their wealth. They wrote the following letter:

Five generations ago, our people lent to your people 25 units of rope woven from sand which you promised to return. Yet with each passing generation, your promise has gone unfulfilled. Therefore, we must demand return of this rope or we will be forced to send our armies to your land to retrieve it along with just restitution.

When the leaders of the council received and read this letter, they panicked. None had ever heard of the rope woven from sand nor knew anything about it.

The man who’d hid his father in the cave outside of town asked for the letter and said he would return with a solution to the problem. He went to see his father.

His father said, “Write back. Say to them, we have many coils of rope. Some are woven from sand but each is different. Send us a sample of your rope so we may match it up with the rope that is yours and do justice by returning your rope.”

The young man returned to the council and they sent just such a letter.

When the evil prince received the reply, he turned to his advisers and said, “There is still one old man left in their land. We will wait until he dies and try again.”

Regards,

Slim

Mail: slimfairview@yahoo.com

Copyright (c) 2010 Slim Fairview