A Wilderness of Mirrors

You’ve read about the Victory of Pyrrhus, who said, “I beat them, but I’ll tell you flat: (he hadn’t seen this motor-bike with mirrors) we won’t survive another one like that!” I asked the rider why he needs reflection on such a scale. “You’d rather I rode blind?” Approaching cars, he told me, need detection: “I’ve got to know who’s coming up behind!” Next question: “Disadvantages accrue?” This one provoked, in him, a rueful smile. “My gasoline’s expensive, this is true: I burn a gallon, every single mile!”