said the beertender.
Dejected, the rope went home and put on a disguise--dark glasses, heavy
overcoat, mussy hair. Back to the bar he went.
"Hey, I know you, you were in here before. You're a rope, and the sign
says .;.. well you know what it says. Now >O*U*T<!"
Truly down in the mouth now, the rope was at his wits' end. He went
home and cut off his ends and unraveled himself into his component
twiney parts, and tied himself up into a big half-hitch. He then
returned to the bar, tattered ends dragging, and draped himself over the
chair. "May I help you?" asked the barman. "Wait ... there's something
awfully familiar about you ... didn't I throw you outa here twice
already? Are you a rope?" "No," replied the rope, "I'm a frayed knot."
