Once upon a time there was a father
who liked to read his mail on the narrow staircase
of the family home.
I would like to go down now,
said one of his children.
I will be gone in a minute, said the father, just wait.
So the child stood on the stair
and thought about how many minutes
the average person is alive for.
After a while the child began to climb
over the bannister, a plan which would save time.
I told you to wait, said the father,
climb back over. I told you to wait.