The Goddengwick Running Club were good and quick. That was their motto, good and quick, and has been since the beginning of time, pretty near. They would sing as they ran, “We're Goddengwick, we're good and quick, la-la, la-la.” People would gaze in wonder as they passed, running and singing to the rhythmic pitter-patter of their sneakered feet and the huff huff of their Goddengwick breath. Kilometer after kilometer they ran, stopping for nothing and no man, singing their song.
One day they were running like they do, singing loudly, when suddenly the front row stopped, causing a pile up. Looking ahead they could see that a big rock blocked the road and had in fact knocked out the entire front row and maybe half the second row of runners. Pretty much all the leading Goddengwicks were knocked out after running into that big rock. The other Goddengwick Runners milled about until dinner time when they went home. Happily the entire club was home by midnight.
The next day a group made up of third, fourth and even fifth row runners were thrilled and delighted to discover they'd been promoted to the first and second row. The thrill of leading the pack is not only venerated but eagerly sought out, with some taking years to reach even second row.
Spirits were high as the day's run began with the proud new leaders setting a goodly pace. Pitter-patter, all together, “We're Goddengwick, we're good and quick, la-la, la-la.”
Remembering the unpleasantness of yesterday's run, a run truncated by other-worldly events, probably a meteor or some other mysteriously occurring big rock phenomenon, they chose a different road. This run was fine. Just fine until suddenly, inexplicably, the front row stopped, causing a pile up. Looking ahead they could see that a big rock blocked the road and that the entire first row and a goodly portion of the second row were quite knocked out.
The resemblance to yesterday's disturbance was uncanny, a point the remaining runners frequently brought up as they milled about. Not all the runners made it home that night and a few were missing for the next day's run. As if this wasn't disturbing enough, it was becoming increasingly difficult to find new front row runners. The club was facing an existential threat. Apparently, none of them had joined to get knocked out. Not one.
They began this day's run without any first row at all which put the second row in a curious position. Some second rowers might have argued the point but it was time to run and when it was time to run, they ran. The second row appeared to be leading but everyone knew they weren't, it was just that you couldn't see the first row. Then, when the first row suddenly stopped, somehow no one knew about it until the second row suddenly stopped and this caused a pile up. Yep, big rock in the road again despite being a different road, but this time other rows got knocked out. This time it was the second and a goodly portion of the third row. The first row fared much better this time and this was seen as a positive development.
Now, while the Goddengwick Runners were looking for a front row and grappling with their existential threats, it became apparent to the Road Maintenance Department (RMD) that big rocks in the road were becoming all too common and were in fact now blocking all roads in and out. Big rocks, seemingly insurmountable rocks, on every road. Now was the time to act. The chief engineer went to those rocks and drilled holes into each and every one which he then filled with dynamite and proceeded to blow those rocks to smithereens. Next the paving machines came and put in a new road. On the very day they finished, the Goddengwick Runners came pitter-patter all together, “We're Goddengwick, we're good and quick, la-la, la-la.”
Their arrival startled the RMD workers, who gazed in wonder as pitter-patter all together the Goddengwick Runners passed without a glance.