THE VISION OF THE MARTYR FRED · AS EXPURGATED FOR THE
CENTRALIANS
True Harriers know that it’s no use
Chapter 11
In Paradise,
2Lots and lots of things will go wrong,
3More and more all the time,
4aBut the people who are willing to make a big stink about it will become fewer and fewer,
5All the time,
6Because nobody will want to follow anything to its logical conclusion,
7Anymore.
8They will complain, of course, when the things they buy don’t work,
9And when service people are rude and late and inept,
10And when the paperwork is never right,
11And when they get mugged in broad daylight while everybody just stands around and watches,
12And they will complain when the Most Chosen Nation starts losing its edge,
13And when there’s nobody left to admire in the whole country,
14And when it seems like practically everybody belongs to some fanatical little group with its own special grudge against the world,
15And they will complain about the way Philadelphia just keeps on falling apart,
16No matter what anyone says,
17And no matter what anyone does,
18And they will never for a moment dare to follow these things to their logical conclusion,
19And relate them to the things they do,
20Every day,
21Or see any kind of connection between the way they are getting by, one day at a time, and the way everyone else is getting by, one day at a time,
22Because when everything is slowly falling apart,
23How could just one person possible make any difference?
24Because all true Harriers know that it’s no use,
25Whether they work hard or not,
26Whether they care or not,
27Whether they are civil or not,
28Whether they are tolerant or not,
29Whether they discipline their children or not,
30Whether they discipline themselves or not,
31Whether they take any responsibility or not,
32bBecause things are the way they are,
33And how can it possibly be their fault?
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Chapter 11 / 29