[NetBehaviour] THE LAST BUG

[Alan Sondheim]

         THE LAST BUG

"But you're out of your mind,"              It still wasn't perfect,
They said with a shrug.                     As year followed year,
"The customer's happy;                      And strangers would comment,
What's one little bug?"                     "Is that guy still here?"

But he was determined.                      He died at the console,
The others went home.                       Of hunger and thirst.
He spread out the program,                  Next day he was buried,
Deserted, alone.                            Face down, nine-edge first.

The cleaning men came,                      And the last bug in sight,
The whole room was cluttered                An ant passing by,
With memory-dumps, punch cards.             Saluted his tombstone,
"I'm close," he muttered.                   And whispered, "Nice try."

The mumbling got louder,
Simple deduction,
"I've got it, it's right,
Just change one instruction."