The ant chain

They form a thin line up and down,stoping on the way to chat with friends,give them news or happenings in another part of the line. I watch them go up and down in perfect harmony,no sign of a quarrel or even a cold shoulder. These are house ants. I find them snaking their way to a tin of rice. I decide to get rid of them. While I admire their tenacity and their sense of community and their alleged love of order and friendship,I do not necessarily welcome them into a tin of rice. Let's be very clear,the rice is mine and so is the kitchen and unprovoked intrusions will result in consequences. I fill a bowl with water and leave the tin in it. Most often than not a few brave ones will venture out and drown,then the tragedy will be transmitted fast up the chain and new strategies will be formulated. Ah predictable ones,that's exactly what they did. After the drowning of a few,some came out and circled the rim of the tin. It's a long climb from the bottom of the tin to the rim but they did it. Then when they realised there was no way to escape they went back and the entire community ,which till then was browsing among the grains,and after some kind of clarion call,all the ants got into a huddle. Suddenly there is a thick red ribbon of ants all clustered together and wondering what to do. I have to change track too. Should I put the tin on a hot stove and roast them?. Or should I wait patiently till they tire of hanging on the edge and decide to commit suicide. I've decided on patience,simply because roasting them would mean roasting the rice too and that wouldn't do me much good,so I wait patiently for all of them to kill themselves. As a veteran of many an ant war,I do believe I can outsmart them all the time.