Overestimating how smart we are...

On Having Smarts


"The problem, "said the gallon jug, "is that
you only hold a quart, which severely limits
-- surely you understand this --
how much I can teach you."

Already well-aged and fairly full of himself,
most of the words splashing around him
on the placemat, the quart only heard,
"The problem is...
...how much I can teach."

Disgusted with the jug's inadequacies,
the quart was whining around the water cooler
to a very cute and delicate glass,
"You're not going to believe what a poor teacher
that pompous old jug is. What a jerk!"

The glass, half-full and content
with what it already knew,
was only able to absorb the words:
"You're...a jerk."

So the glass, now feeling acutely half-empty,
attacked for no reason that it could see,
just sat in self-righteous anger,

while just above the town,
the dam was about to burst.