not a trick question: why must there be three - not two - servants?

The parable of the talents, from the Gospel of Matthew:

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.  And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.  

Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.  And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.  But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.

After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.  And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.  His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

flow

We make our great changes in life with wonder at the unexpectedness of precisely what we planned, at the sameness our mere consciousness imposes on altered surroundings, and at the world: which absorbs and becomes alteration in heaving tides.  We are ocean creatures after all.

mars

The more we research, the more we plan, the more we examine a major life choice, the more the honest person knows that certain mistakes have been avoided, certain advantages seen, but the thing itself is stubbornly unknown.  Garrison Keillor is right.  All marriages are arranged marriages.  All new careers are expeditions into the deep woods.

negotiation

One must be a thoroughly civilized savage either to thrive in a city or to relish application of the polishing force of social morality.  Lose the inner iron of savagery, and one becomes a servant, not in posture (as we all must often be) but in essence.  Let slip the clothing of civilization and one is revealed as a poorly beast, glabrous and limp.

tipple

To fight is to be in one's natural state. Ask a butterfly. To be in repose is to be Olympian. Ask the vacationer. 

judge's bench

Praise corrupts the decision maker, so decisions should not be made by the praised.  But we need praise and approval, we need to be valued.  The effect of praise is greater when it comes from those in a higher position, or from one's peers, and above all from one's trusted loved ones.  So important decisions are best made impartially, from a slight remove and at a slight elevation, by someone disinterested.  This same conclusion, of course, is reached by many other pats.

Great Hall, New York Hall of Science; TWA Flight Center

We used to be more modern.

a dog

My iPhone actually did eat my homework.

fools

How beautiful people are, even bad people. If I were given the choice of thinking, for eternity, of the best star, or the worst race, I should wish to contemplate one of our races. 

he is right

"Only in fairy tales are emperors told that they are naked" - Warren Buffet

conflation

In my mind's eye, reading Shakespeare, most characters are definite in their costume, hair, movement, but obscure in the face.  Falstaff is an exception; he is simply and always Rembrandt's middle self-portraits, dressed English.  No actor can shift my inner eye's conviction that he - is he.

watched

We, like water in the kettle, are alive between first heat and full boil.  Active waiting is life.  The purpose of heaven is now.

Mr. Dryden

Don't do something, just stand there.  It's a quip, but does seem to be a viable formula for success - once you're well stationed.