The Grasshopper, the Ant, and the Flu

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, feeling well, chirping and singing to his heart's content. A worker from A.N.T. ("Action Negates Trouble") passed by, bearing along with great toil vaccines, Tamiflu, and other medical supplies -- taking them to be stockpiled for the winter.

"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of overreacting and toiling and moiling in that way?"

"I am helping to lay up medical supplies in the event of a pandemic," said the A.N.T. worker, "and recommend you do the same."

"Why bother about a possible pandemic or the possibility of a bad, mutated winter flu?" said the Grasshopper. "We're all well right now and the Swine Flu is not all that bad and everyone overreacted -- come on!" But the A.N.T. worker went on its way and continued its toil.

When the winter came the Grasshopper began to cough and run a fever and ache all over; he had no vaccine and no Tamiflu, and found himself dying of flu, while it saw A.N.T. distributing every day medical supplies from the stockpile they had created during the summer.

Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.