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LOOKING FOR MR. D. 
(A Moral Fable) 
I. 
The search began at the Library 
Where I looked both high and low- 
All nine floors, plus Basement. 
No luck there. I searched Reference. 
No luck there either. Called College. 
Ditto there. Phoned Steenbock. He 
Was out, said the answering machine. 
"Gone to the farm to visit relatives," 
I was told by the New Information Desk Technician. 
II. 
My real intelligence told me otherwise. 
After all, how do you expect 
To keep them in town after they've seen 
The improvements? Already at the post- 
Exasperation level, I tried 
To call Mr. D. himself, when I found he was dead. 
So I left a message. Said I'd call him back. 
Totally despondent, I took to my bed. 
Ill. 
And fell into a deep sleep 
(Perchance to dream) during which 
Mr. D. appeared alive and kicking. 
He spoke: "If you really think about it 
It will happen." "Where?" I asked. 
Responded he: "Iowa." 
"Iowa?" I thought: I've been there; believe 
Me, folks, nothing is happening 
In Iowa. End of search. 
[1994] 
(Mr. D. refers to W Edwards Deming, 1900-1993, 
the father of total quality management, or TQM.) 
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