The first man walked down the hallway
on the way to the outlet mall bathroom.
He was stopped by the second man who
said that there had been an accident

and there were feces all over the floor
and the third man who had the accident
was still in one of the stalls. The first man
walked around the mess took care of

his own business and then asked the
third man if there was anything he, the
first man, could do to help. The third
man said no but thanks, so the first man

left and reported the incident to mainten-
ance. Later while standing outside stores
of the outlet mall, the first man saw who
he assumed was the third man emerge

from the hallway and walk with as much
dignity as he could muster down the
sidewalk. The first man thought about
a fourth man, who was caught years

ago, hiding in a bunker after wreaking
havoc on civilization, causing the death
of millions of people, and posturing in-
vincibility. In the bunker, presumably

in his own excrement, the fourth man
shot himself dead. The first man then
thought about the third man walking
down the sidewalk and celebrated the

third man’s vulnerability and dignity.