Survey
                                                                                              copyright © 2002 by Robert L. Blau
 

    "Pardon me.  Could you spare a couple of minutes to fill out this survey?  I assure you, it's completely confidential."
    "Aah!  Aah!  Get away from me!"
    "There is, of course, no compulsion whatsoever.  It is completely your choice.  However, I must stress that this is for your own benefit."
    "What benefit?  How can I trust you?"
    "Why, this is a survey of working conditions.  We will use the results to improve conditions for you and your peers.  What could be wrong with that?"
    "What are you talking about?  You're going to eat me!"
    "Oh, nonsense.  Just because you're a tuna and I'm a shark?  I wouldn't eat you before you finished the survey.  I will read you four statements.  You will answer, 'Agree,' 'Strongly Agree,' 'Disagree,' or 'Strongly Disagree.' Ok, first one.  The water temperature is comfortable."
    "Aah!  I don't know.  I guess it's ok."
    "'Agree,' 'Strongly Agree,' ..."
    "Agree!  Agree!"  The tuna is looking about furtively for an avenue of escape.
    "Next, the rest room facilities are adequate."
    "The rest room ...  You're insane!"
    "'Agree,' 'Strongly Agree,' ..."
    "Uh, agree, I guess.  But what difference does that make, when you're going to eat me?"  The tuna dives, but the shark smoothly cuts him off.
    "Hmm.  Good.  Third, there is an abundant supply of tuna food."
    "I ... I ... Well, I suppose so ..."
    "'Agree,' ..."
    "Agree!"  The tuna tries a flanking maneuver.  The shark intercepts effortlessly.
    "Ok, here we go.  Last one.  The water is clean and healthy."
    "Except for sharks!  Help!  Help!"  The tuna is thrashing desperately.
    "Agree, then.  That wasn't so hard, was it?  Four 'Agrees,' so we must be doing pretty well by you tuna, huh?"
    Chomp.