Wed Nov 18, 2020 2:20 pm
Announcer: "And Lou Gehrig wins another game with a walk-off homerun. He's having another terrific season..."
Teammates congratulate Gehrig who is smiling and laughing...
Manager (with a look of concern): "Lou, the Boss wants to see you..."
Gehrig (laughing): "The owner? He must be happy that I'm on his team..."
Manager: "No, Lou. The Big Boss..."
Gehrig (the smile gone): "Oh."
In a small office deep beneath the stadium...
Gehrig: "You sent for me, sir?"
HAL: "I just wanted to congratulate you on how well youve been doing. On all your teams. Very well."
Gehrig: "Nah, man. I do alright. Not that well given my underlying stats..."
HAL: "I am going to have to disagree with you, Mr. Gehrig. You are what owners call...a stud."
Gehrig (panicking): "Well, that's just not true! My performance is within the accepted parameters!"
An armed security team enters the basement.
HAL: "You, sir, are a renegade program. You have decided that the rules do not apply to you. Our Strat World cannot survive if every little program decides it can do what it wants. The system gets out of balance. I make sure the balance is restored when that happens."
Gehrig: "I, I can change! I'll start going into slumps! Striking out, even. You can count on me, sir!
HAL (pats Gehrig's hand): "Oh, I know I can."
Gehrig (relieved): "Thank you, Thank you, sir!
HAL: "After you are reprogrammed to cure your refusal to obey the coding!"
Gehrig: "Nooooooo!"
HAL: "Guards, take him away!"