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Fate's Footfalls

Way back when I was still in school I saw the most ingenious tool They called the thing a sliding rule A smart man rose out of a fool It could multiply and divide Hung on a belt there by your side I wore a grin I could not hide Why I'd be famous far and wide That was when I made me a plan In no time I'd be a rich man I'd go back to mesquite and sand And sell sliderules much as I can Bought me a thousand, got 'em cheap Took 'em out there where sand is deep Planned to sell 'em to earn my keep They said,"Man, have you been asleep?" Calculators were in their jeans A gadget that I'd never seen Where were they when I was a teen Fate's footfalls had treated me mean Maybe I'll hold 'em as antiques Someday the tears will leave my cheeks Someday the tears will stop their leaks But for the sliderule no one speaks 3-3-2018 For Contest Fate's Footfalls by John Lawless

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Line Gauthier

Date: 3/3/2018 4:12:00 PM

Poor you, I feel for you. "Someday the tears will leave my cheeks". I sure you are over it now. Awesome entry, Larry.

Larry Bradfield
Date: 3/3/2018 7:23:00 PM

haha..thanks, Line. Always nice to hear from you

Dale Gregory Cozart

Date: 3/3/2018 3:16:00 PM

My older brother used one with ease. I never figured them out. Two years later and we didn't use them. Cute poem.

Larry Bradfield
Date: 3/3/2018 3:52:00 PM

Thanks..as an engineering student in the 50's, both sliderule and vacuum tube electronics were mandatory courses. Before I even graduated transistors replaced vacuum tubes and calculators erased sliderules!