Stilts
Herman loved living on the coast, facing the blue ocean and the breaking waves on the shore. He was an IT CEO, in charge of a new data mining operation twenty miles away. Ironically, as the ocean grew and the shore shrank, the data mining centre created local water shortages, needing huge amounts of water. When the rising ocean threatened Herman’s house, he had it built up on stilts. The local community faced rotating water shortages.
After a hurricane, he repaired the house and raised the stilts. The local residents demanded Herman appear at their local town hall to explain the water shortages. He told them the government knew about the water issues and given grants to fund the project.
A year went by and, preparing for the next hurricane season, Herman’s house was raised further on stilts, now thirty feet high. The beach under the house was gone, covered by the relentless ocean. In the community, everyone drank bottled water and washing was limited. All the lawns and flower beds were long dead.
When the worst hurricane of the season hit Herman was in his living room, enjoying the view as he sipped wine. The wind and waves were heavy, the stilts collapsed and Herman and his house were washed away. The data mining centre flooded and became useless.
The residents worried about their lost jobs and petitioned for government grants to restore the centre, but this time build it on stilts fifty feet high. When built, it looked like a church, and on Sundays people gathered around the barbed wire fences to pray.