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Charles Bukowski

Charles Bukowski

the great escape

listen, he said, you ever seen a bunch of crabs in a
bucket?
no, I told him.
well, what happens is that now and then one crab
will climb up on top of the others
and begin to climb toward the top of the bucket,
then, just as he’s about to escape
another crab grabs him and pulls him back
down.
really? I asked.
really, he said, and this job is just like that, none
of the others want anybody to get out of
here. that’s just the way it is
in the postal ser vice!
believe you, I said.
 
just then the supervisor walked up and said,
you fellows were talking.
there is no talking allowed on this
job.
 
had been there eleven and one-half
years.
 
got up off my stool and climbed right up the
supervisor
and then I reached up and pulled myself right
out of there.
 
was so easy it was unbelievable.
but none of the others followed me.
 
and after that, whenever I had crab legs
thought about that place.
must have thought about that place
maybe 5 or 6 times
 
before I switched to lobster.

#1993 #AmericanWriters #ThePleasuresOfTheDamned

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