“The Inter-Net ‘Basement’”

A fellow wanted work to do,
He’d learned to read and write;
He couldn’t pound a nail in straight,
But PR was alright.

He figured out what contracts were –
Sub-contracts were okay,
So long as he got ten percent,
He’d then be on his way.

He had a brother who could saw,
Another who could wire;
A third a plumber was (of sorts),
If no good, he could hire –

Outsiders for that task, that is,
Markup that bill with ease;
By writing up a contract with
Whatever trades he pleased.

“Now I could hire my family,
But that would be a pain;
If each one had a business plan,
I’d by myself remain.

He went to Sam, and Bob, and Frank,
And told them of his plan
To fix up basements using them,
Low-balling then to land –

The contract with the client, then
Sub-contract out to them,
Who’d sub, to sub, to sub, to sub,
Then sub it out again.

“If each one took their ten percent,
And passed it up the line,
The bill at and would mighty be,
So let’s be more refined –

Let each one go one level down,
‘Sub-contract out the trades’,
With ten percent to do that task
(Each deal with brother made).

Then dad appeared, with uncle too,
Whole houses built by them;
“We’ll hire you boys to do our work,
And to you work extend.

“For we don’t do the work ourselves,
We always contract in;
So do your part the way you wish,
A network we’ll begin.”

So Paul got Bob to do some work,
Sub-contracting that way;
And Bob got Sam to do a part,
Who went on then to say –

“Hey dad, and uncle, do this part”,
“Okay, I’ll hire Paul,
Who’ll hire Frank to pound the nails,
Who thus will prosper all”.

Now client wanting basement done
Thought she could get “The Man”,
To do the work quick as a wink,
Instead she got a scam.

“They’re nice and all, but seems to be
A network, each with bills –
Sub-contracts for their ten percent –
(Coordination skills).

This project sucks; what started out
As them plus two or three,
Has mushroomed (what I did assume
Made ‘ass’ of ‘U’ and ‘me’).

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