Frog Applause by Teresa Burritt for July 27, 2021

Never underestimate a towering ego.

You’ll have to do the parting, then. I’m kind of stuck here.

I remember that in “War of the Worlds” this scene didn’t end well.

Empty, drunken threats. The tower has heard them every which way.

And another relationship tanks…

All’s well, that ends well.

But don’t let that put any pressure on our friendship.

…and by once, I mean many…

…I never knew wh a t gaslighting was until today…

… now, I have to try and understand watertowering…

…of course water towers lift water up so everyone can have some…

…but the fluoride controls your mind…

…and the water is as hard as a high school kid going to their first submarine races…

….(the math can br quite difficult)…

…and the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye…

…and I never understood what third base was…

…and if I seem fake to you…

…it is because the real me is boring …

…as dull as Rootstown on a Tuesday night…

…and you are shine like the moon …

…just sitting there…

…your smile …crooked as Breakneck creek…

…and just as awesome…

…oh, fortunately we will always have Froglandia in the spring…

…but if you still distrust…

…maybe I shouldn’t paint you and my brother’s name on the water tower…

…(and then you will never like me)…

…from the Froglandia orginal play…

…‘Orson Fooled Me Twice’…

Comic Strips and Chicken Strips make everything cool in space.

Betty Joe’s crop duster boyfriend, Steve, just couldn’t stop crop dusting, even when grounded.

I’d make a comment, but I have to go pee; sorry!

Is that what we’re tilting at now, water towers?

His threats might be empty, but the way the weather’s been, that tank might be empty too. (With apologies to Germany and Belgium.)

The airport bus from the old downtown hotel had seen better days. In so-so repair and badly in need of body work, it was a tatty shuttle.

Well, it’s true, though! Once someone crosses me I’m done with them! It has nothing to do with ego, but all about character, and loyalty to a friend.

Now, if the water tower were to get a leak, RUN!

I guess lack of water will beget inauthenticity … no drought about it …!

This is the reason so many of Eric’s relationships tanked. He was once again washed out because of his pumped-up ego.

once one makes such a suggestion ..

When the water tower needed to be replaced, it was cheaper to install a giant variable speed pump and remove it.

All’s well that ends in the well.

Water towers can be fickle and thoughtless.

After acing the interview, Cecil was handed a pamphlet regarding the relationship that the employer expected to maintain with the employee. It explained, in many pages, that the employee was only an employee so long as there was more to gained by their employment than it cost to employ them. If the balanced tipped just a bit toward loss, for any number of reasons, then the employee was to expect a rapid dismissal for cause. Along with this, there came the notification that if his interview and qualifications were satisfactory, and conformed to all requirements, that he would be contacted within seven business days, and invited back to sign on and undergo orientation and assignment. He tried to imagine a way to make the process more impersonal, but was entirely lost as to how that might be done.

Never trust a rusty water tower.