Wang's Fables: The Mimosa

In Wang Chi's front yard there grew a beautiful Mimosa tree. There were also Tall Pines and Magnolias and many other trees, but every year, the Mimosa's pink silky blooms were the focal point of the yard.

And also in Wang Chi's front yard was a rusted water line. At first the hole was small, and only provided a little water. But as time went by, the hole got bigger, and provided more and more water.

The Tall Pines, with their long taproots, did not partake of the leaky line and looked down on the Mimosa. The Magnolias were too far away, and could only get an occasional sip.

But the Mimosa was close, and devoted all its energy to growing roots to soak up the water from the leak. And the grass grew tall, and other trees took root, and they all drank deep from the leaky pipe.

And when more plants took root, the Tall Pines warned that the leak would not last forever, but the Mimosa and the others took no notice. With each passing year, the pipe rusted a bit more, and there was more water for everybody. And so it would be forever. Or so thought the Mimosa.

But Wang Chi saw that his water bills were rising. And, in time, he noticed a soggy spot in the yard. And he called a plumber. And the plumber replaced the leaky water line with a new, non-leaky line.

But by this time, the Mimosa had become completely dependent on the leaky water line, and when it disappeared, so did the Mimosa's source of water. And when spring came, it was drier than usual, and the Mimosa could find no water. And it died.

And the moral is, if your livelihood depends on exploiting a broken system, sooner or later it'll get fixed and you'll die.