"Really?" said Francis rather drunk.
He climbed on top of a ladder and began doing the foxtrot himself.
The ladder tipped over and he fell on top of a creature who was on all fours.



He shook hands with the Crawler apologizing and soon they began to talk.
The Crawler had decided to walk about on all fours for the rest of his life.

"I like animals--their perspective on life, I like it," he explained amiably. "People walking about on twos--it's unnatural. And they never see anything that matters.. they're too far up. Same for things that fly...they have no notion of the suffering of those beneath them."
"It's not hard on the knees?" asked Francis, kneeling beside him.
"It's good for the soul," replied the Crawler.
" And where do you go?" asked Francis.
"Anywhere, as long as it's hilly or rocky, or filled with jagged needles or pebbles."
"But why?"
"Because suffering is good"
"But why?" asked Francis.
"We're less than animals, less than pigs. That's why. We're filthy creatures, we dug ourselves out of the dirt, and then we dig ourselves back into the dirt. All we are is dirt," he said and looked away. Soon he began to grunt, weep and scratch at the floor. This frightened Francis so he got up and out the door without even a goodbye.