Business Sense?
 |
| 2 layers of grabbing |
(Two successful Businessmen look into the Two Husbands’ offices)
1ST BUSINESSMAN
How can we take these men seriously?
Aren’t they fools? They look so -
with their numbers piled up on the table like monkey toys -
their paperwork all shuffled up and ignored.
Wavery, wiggly, waggling Time just ignored!
The Time bending over backward at both arrows in the clock
and heading straight - all set to confuse them even more!
2ND BUSINESSMAN
I knew that one of these men was up to no good last night;
he was itching his toes on the table-leg
while a lot of nothing was going on.
And this morning the other Husband burst in
seriously chasing and pulling at an expanding set
of plain numbers. I don’t know why?
They weren’t drawing any closer to him.
He’s not as lazy.
1ST BUSINESSMAN
However, I smell a sense of success
with the other guy. His calculations over,
he doesn’t have anything else to do
but itch his toes and play with numbers
in their abstract meaninglessness
in a most meaningless, childlike way - frivolously
while time fritters away (also going backwards
or twirling around indefinitely, like his pencil).
2ND BUSINESSMAN
Precisely. Do we have the sense
to interview these men now, at present?
 |
| some turmoil in the shop |
1ST BUSINESSMAN
No, it is worthless.
Scientifically they are chasing their tails!
2ND BUSINESSMAN
Like silly ill-suited dogs wearing ties.
1ST BUSINESSMAN
Yes, they’re creating chaos,
rather than instant harmony
which is what we want to settle in to.
2ND BUSINESSMAN
Right.
(The two Businessmen depart)
NARRATOR
Peacefulness and harmony go away;
the Husband’s created chaos all over, everywhere -
tipping useful, valuable tool numerals all over -
rolling them uselessly backward, forward, all over -
having no control or use for the numbers anymore or ever!
 |
| the number game |
(end of Chapter 11)
