Riddle 020: Calling All Crooks

[questionauthority]

A. [At Mayfield High, Edward is taking to his new job as Ethics teacher with very little enthusiasm. Any kids in his class? Your first assignment is being written on the board in a neat, tidy scrawl:

"How far would you be willing to go to escape this place?"]

Discuss.

B. [Later on that afternoon, Edward makes a public phone call, filtered away from drones, Grady, the Mayor, the Smiths, and the like.]

Mayfield, Mayfield, Mayfield. You know what I like to do every Sunday night when I'm not scheming a daring escape? I like to think up riddles. Like this one, for example: "What is the one question you can ask at any point in the day, and still get a different answer?" Give up? Hmm?

Answer: "What time is it?" See? Simple. I could say "7:26" just as easily as I can say the time is 9 o'clock PM. Or this one---actually, my old college roommate, Andrew, was instrumental in helping me think this one up.

"Brothers and sisters have I none, but that man's father is my father's son!" I'll let you figure out the answer to that one on your own.

Hmm. Perhaps this Sunday night, I'll think up another good riddle. Or perhaps I'll finally find a way for all of you to get out of here. Who knows? Maybe I already have. Interested? Well---you already know where to find me. I've practically given you all the answers, regardless.

[He chuckles obnoxiously.]

Comments

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[......you see this face? Why you do this.]

Perhaps I should have made this more clear. This isn't a question of distance so much as it is one of moral fortitude and strength. To achieve any end, what would you be willing to sacrifice?

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

[Because she is a witch and trolling is one of their jobs....at least according to Nanny.]

Oh, the end justifies the mean.

That would depend on the situation and the choices I was presented with.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

...all right. Say in order to get out of here, you had to stab a friend in the back. Figuratively or literally. Would you take that chance?

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

Why exactly would I have to stab a friend in the back?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[You are making this simple question so much harder than it needs to be, you.]

Because either you go home or they do.

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

[She likes details.]

In what type of situation would that happen in?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

...if you really want to get into this, let's just say you and your friend have found the door out of Mayfield. But it will close up after one person goes through. Do you let your friend pass or do you take initiative?

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

We'd both go through at the same time.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

That's not possible.

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

Why not?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

It just isn't.

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

What would happen if we both went through?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

It---

[He groans, rubbing his forehead. This is just getting ridiculous.]

All right. Let's think of a more simple example, then. Consider this. Is it wrong for a man to steal a loaf of bread to feed his family?

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

That depends. Does the man have any money?

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

I would assume not, if he had to resort to theft.

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

People steal for other reasons.

[She spends most of her time with a group of men who steal everything they can find.]

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[You are KILLING HIM.]

For the sake of this discussion, he is stealing because he has no money.

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

[She'll take pity on him.]

No, I do not think he is wrong to steal food to feed his family.

[puzzlerprince.livejournal.com]

[SIGH OF RELIEF.]

Thank you.

[the-wee-big-hag.livejournal.com]

You're welcome.