GRAPE SOCIETY/Hughes groups were of great importance. Those who were in were not out, and great was the feeling of security they had. And as the years passed on, it became extremely and importantly important for the normal ants to have a government which was not ruled by the faculty ants. A great meeting was held and one arose and spoke. "It is important that leaders are chosen to rule with dignity and importance over our grape society." All arose and cheered and called this ant-of-the-suggestion blessed. Another arose and spoke. "We must have a President and as many vice-presidents as we can think of." All hailed this great ant for his wisdom. Another spoke. "We must have senators, and we must divide the ants into groups according to interests and according to class, and we must have leaders for these interests and we must have leaders for these classes." All cheered and some did back-flips. But one among them arose and spoke. "How come?" And in one cry the ants cried, "How come what?" "Because they are important," chorused the ants in one chorus. "What will they do?" spoke the ant of little understanding. "They shall sit in great and important councils to decide decisions of greatness and importance," spoke the multitude in one speech. "And what will be the nature of these decisions?" And in one voice the ants vocalized, "They shall plan the great social events of our society such as the Third Class Prom." And then the little and insignificant ant did blaspheme as he spoke. "Why not appoint a few lesser ants and call them by such titles as the Head of the Refreshment Committee for the Third Class Prom? And why make an ant hill out of a small clod of dirt? And then this ant was cast out and antrocized and it was rumored that he had come among them from the most dangerous and vile of their society: the "asker-of-why" ants. And it was rumored that he had been led to the fruit of the "why" by the most dangerous of all ants the great JG-ant. And it was hinted that this little ant did have red ant learnings. And the "asker-of-why" did wander off and heard of another society known as the "why," but he was not admitted there and he did continue to wander in wondering. And then the multitude in the great purple and white grape society continued their council and did decide to robe their leaders in white robes with great and important titles printed thereon. And it was decided that each year a great school would be held for the new leaders in posh hotels and here they would learn the accepted method of ant leadership. They would learn how to smile as though it had some meaning even in the face of complete apathy which was the feared sickness of the non-leaders. They would learn to say "hello" and other important niceties with the affectation of sincerity. They would be taught to give great speeches which would seemingly contain some meaning. And most important, they would learn the great trick known to the greatest leaders, known as the "trick of the disappearance." This was used after the elections. And it was great and wonderful how the ants who became leaders did learn these methods and tricks each year in their posh hotel in short meetings held between the extra activities which did help the leaders to become one in joy and attitude. 24 Each year the elections were held and wonderful to witness were they. There was the great subtle-ant who did become President because he did promise friendliness and communication and did pass out large quantities of precious gifts only as an act of love for his society. There was the great PP-ant who did speak out for "PP-ant and you" which had some apparent meaning. The great Welch-Grape ant did campaign with exceeding enthusiam and regularity even to the point that he like many of the greatest leaders, did forget that the grapes were still upon the vine. There was the Hind-ant who did campaign with many and varied posters and great smiles and little else, but yet with great success. And many more were the ants who did accept the glorious weight of responsibility and become leader ants. There were those who asked, "What means this better communication?" or "What is the importance of this friendliness?" or "Why PP-ant and me?" But these were passed by and accused of the gravest of all sins that of apathy. And much to the chagrin of many leaders, the creeping apathy did continue and even the wisest and most absolutely-right of all the ants the publisher of the weekly Quatsch (ant language for "of great importance") could not overcome the apathy. This ant known as rine-ant because of the Quatsch preached that it should be in the grape society as it had been in societies before. This was the way of truth: Look to the other societies and copy. But the apathy did creep and it was even feared that red ants had come among them. And then the most wicked and apathetic of all ants known as loser-ant did come among the grape society and did campaign contrary to the rules of campaigning in that he did make light of the entire election and did laugh to himself. He even made for his slogan, "Lose with loser-ant." and he did it for a joke but the ants were not perceptive and voted him into the office which had once been debated Head of the Refreshment Committee for the Third Class Prom. He did take the office and did laugh exceedingly and did fulfill his campaign promises, which was more than the other leaders could say. But this farce had no effect and the great elections continued as always and the loser-ant continued to laugh. And so the society continued on. The ants known as the apathetic-ants did continue to go to the vines and find what juices were offered there. But the leader ants knew what was most important and stayed with their leading only sucking enough from the vine so as to stay at the society for five or more years and they did continue to preach against the other ants and gradually the split between the leaders and the led became very great. But then the year of the triumph did come. The leaders met and long discussed the problems of their society and great and important were the considerations. Finally the decision was reached. The leaders thought up a new vice-president. And all members of the leader class at the grape society did deem this move great and important and one which would solve man problems. The other ants wandered away, knowing little of importance and grapes. 25