Pāhonoa te oro

The town finally installed a talking statue to “uplift morale.” It mostly insulted people. “Nice haircut,” it told the barber, “shame about the personality.” Still, crowds gathered daily, hoping for validation or at least creative humiliation. One evening, the mayor unveiled a plaque: Truth Never Lies. The statue paused, then said, “Except when programmed by insecure committees.” Awkward applause followed. A week later, someone asked, “What’s my future?” The statue replied, “Short.” The man laug