Stupid like Clarice.

Far to the north, in a small town called Williamstown, there lived a young woman named Clarice. She lived in a grand house in a time of contentment and peace. The citizens of Williamstown were prosperous, and even the poor among them were rich compared to other towns and villages nearby. Beside her house ran a great river which provided energy for the town, and the children loved to swim in it!

Through the town ran a train track. The train was used regularly for delivering goods to and from Williamstown and the surrounding area.

One day Clarice went for a walk on the tracks. It was a beautiful day, and Clarice decided to walk out on the trestle that ran above the gently flowing river. The track ran along the trestle, and in the hot summer months children would often walk out on the tracks and jump off them to swim in the cool water below.

When she reached the very center of the bridge. She heard a whistle, but didn't turn around because she told herself, "It's not coming this way. It will go in another direction"

She felt the track rumble beneath her feet, but instead of rushing to escape, she convinced herself that it was just an earthquake! 

Finally, she grew tired of tossing stones into the river, and decided to go home. But as she turned, she saw the train heading straight for her. "It will stop," she reasoned. And remained steadfast where she was.

A few seconds later, Clarice was dead. Roadkill. Flat as a blob of ice cream left sitting out on a hot day. Why? Because she was stupid, and refused to see the train for what it was.