Bob The Brain

Bob Flyer was born in a small town in the middle of nowhere. His farmer parents saved enough money for young Bob to secure a place in the most exclusive College of his small town. He was to Major in "Adding 5+3", the most sought-after career of his time. Bob was a lucky young man. Not everybody could enter into that College and much less to study "Adding 5+3".

As the years went by, Bob made his best effort to absorb all the learnings of the "5+3" career. The small town put their best money to make sure that only the most qualified teachers could show up in classroom to explain the intricacies of the difficult addition of the number five and the number three. Bob grew in stature, at least figuratively, when he explained to his family and friends how he was advancing quickly towards the eventual conclusion of his studies. His diploma would include an enormous and stylish eight and the town certification that one of its favorite sons would possess such valuable knowledge.

Bob could just feel the eyes upon him on his graduation day. Eyes green with envy. Eyes from people as distant as the uneducated can be from those sporting a black toga and making their speech in full gratefulness of their recent increase in stature.

Something terrible happened after graduation. Bob loved his hometown but there were no openings for people that were specialists in adding five plus three. The newspapers were full with vacancies, but for those that could add four and four. There were even some openings for seven plus one and for six plus two, but none for Bob's profession. The town government, blinded by the beauty of the rectangular top shape of the number five and how it melted subtly into a semi-circle, did not take into account that there were probably too many people in the market with such a career.

So Bob made the announcement to his family. Standing on the pedestal that was given to him by one of his mentors, he told them that he was headed out to the great city in the middle of somewhere. "There", he said, "I will be appreciated like the professional I am." While he kissed his tearful mother goodbye, he looked towards the horizon, eager to meet the new challenges in the addition of five and three. Maybe he could even study a post-graduate course in adding three plus five.

While Bob is enjoying the same praise in the great city that he received while studying; back in his hometown, the people are still looking for those that can add four and four. New job postings have come and gone with few takers, most of them retooled professionals eager to obtain any job, even if they didn't study for that. In the meantime, the town Mayor reads the new list of five plus three graduates and dreams about the plus sign: an element of aid and hope between two very odd numbers.