LEVELS OF REPORTING

There was B.  And there was F.  There was B and F.  F and B together on the same level.  For now.  Who knows how long it would last?  How long would it last for B and F?  How long for B?  Not long for F?  It was lasting for as long as it would last for B.  And the same could be said of it and how long it would be for F.  Only a matter of where spaces made themselves known in the levels.  B and F had been on the bottom level for several months.  Probably more than a year.  Almost two years.  Somewhere between a year and two years.  B and F together on the bottom level.  Reporting.  B and F reported to G.  G was made aware of a change in the reporting structure.  Q from the 4th level would now report to W on the 11th level.  Q no longer had T reporting to them.  T was asked by Z to take the elevator with K to come down from the 4th level and hit the road.  T took the elevator down from the 4th level and hit the road.  L was moved from the 9th level to report to D who had been moved up from the 3rd level onto the 4th level.  This left no one on the 4th level reporting to L since T had been asked to hit the road.  That opened up space for B or F to report to L.  Which one of them would report to L?  They waited.

B: Has L said anything to you, F?
F: Has L said anything to you, B?
B: I asked you first.
F: I am saving my words for last so that you can have the courtesy of voicing your thoughts first.
B: I won't hold any words back if you answer me first.
F: How will I know for certain that I will hear all the words you have to say on the matter?
B: Because you will have given me the courtesy of an answer to a question that was put forth?
F: Courtesy is one thing.  Full disclosure is another.
B: T took the elevator down from the 4th level.
F: T always takes the elevator.  Doesn't like the stairs.  Hollow echo.
B: Hollow echo.  T took the elevator down from the 4th level for the last time.
F: For the last time.  So that one of us might take the elevator up to the 4th level for the first time.
B: Been up there once already.
F: When have you been up there once already?
B: When L wanted to meet.
F: L wanted to meet.
B: That wasn't the only meeting.
F: That wasn't the only meeting.
B: There were two meetings.
F: Two meetings at the least.
B: There may have been more meetings.
F: There probably were more.
B: Depending on how many are involved.
F: It's not just internal.  There might be some external considerations.
B: External considerations may not be accurate.
F: According to who?
B: That's just what's been heard. 
F: There is a possibility that this may not be exclusive to the bottom level.
B: Really?  Are there levels lower than this one?
F: They are always making lower levels.  It cuts complexity in terms of responsibilities and liabilities on the even lower levels.
B: That would affect the 4th level?  Make it a higher level with more under it?
F: Not necessarily.  There is word that no one might report to L on the 4th level.
B: No one might report to L?
F: L is being considered to report to X on the 8th level.  After T took the elevator down that leaves no one on the 4th level.  Essentially the 4th level gets absorbed in one direction or the other.  Either the 4th level disappears into the levels above it or the levels below it. 
B: Brings to mind a story of a cow that wandered onto the highway due to a space in the fence.  It followed the two lanes that continued in one direction.  Could have been towards cooler weather or warmer weather.  The cow couldn't understand the road sign that said that the two lanes were merging into one.  The sign said, "Lane ends merge left."  What difference does it make?  The lane could merge right.  Both lanes are merging into each other.  Just like the levels.  They move towards each other because the 4th level is eliminated.  But then they don't really get any closer because they just add new ones above and below.  It makes no difference because the cow can't make sense of it.
F: The weather might not change all that much.
B: What do you mean?
F: The highway could be going between East and West.
B: It could.
F: Or the cow might leave the road.  Cars and trucks.
B: Cars.  Not so many trucks these days.
F: The cow would more than likely leave the road.
B: Not like us.  We stay on it. 
F: We stay on it so we can come everyday and move around the levels when spaces open up.  Like the one on the 4th level.  The level that isn't there anymore.
B: Move around between levels when spaces open up and there are just the right number of meetings to leave a level where it is.  Able to move up to it.  Or just stay on the bottom level with lower levels below.  Doesn't that make our level higher?
F: No.  It makes the lower levels lower.  And the level we're on just stays the same. 
B: Until they don't need it anymore. 
F: If they don't.
B: When they don't.
F: When?
B: Until we've been here long enough.
F: And when is long enough?
B: Don't know.  Don't think there will ever be enough.


- Max Stoltenberg