The ‘Post Turtles’

While stitching a cut on the hand of a 75 year old farmer, whose hand was caught in the squeeze gate

while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man. Eventually the topic got

around to politicians and their role as our leaders. The old farmer said, “Well, as I see it, most

politicians are ‘Post Turtles’.” Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a

‘post turtle’ was. The old rancher said, “When you’re driving down a country road and you

come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that’s a post turtle.” The old farmer

saw the puzzled look on the doctor’s face so he continued to explain. “You know he didn’t get

up there by himself, he doesn’t belong up there, he doesn’t know what to do while he’s up

there, he’s elevated beyond his ability to function, and you just wonder what kind of dumb idiot

put him up there to begin with.”