The F9 key

You see, just today I was cleaning my room. I had already cleaned the floor and was now cleaning the desk when I wiped my keyboard. It is an old, heavy keyboard, a true IBM. And my view fell on the F9 key. It was dark. Darker than the other keys. It was dirty. And I thought "Why is this key dirty and not the other keys", for they were not as dark as the F9 key. And it came to me that this key was seldom used. It was not brushed over by my fingers several times a day. I could not even think of when I had last hit the key or of any situation when I would do so.

And so a dark thought formed within me: The key had no use to me. There were 101 other keys on the keyboard and they have more use, they are better keys to me, not as unneeded as this dirty one. So what about removing it? Why not just do away with it? Nobody will miss it. I won't miss it. I don't need it. Nobody will know.

BUT my children, don't think along these lines. For when the key is of no use to you, it will be for thy brother! There will be the time when thy brother dost come to thou, perhaps in some time of need, perhaps in times of joy, and he will bring with him a Knoppix DVD or a bootable USB stick or anything. And he will work at your machine. And he will be asking "Where is your F9 key, for I need it or my work shall not be done". And you will answer "I did away with it for I had no use for it". And he shall not finish his work and leave. And he shall be sad and you shall be sad and there be no joy. So avert from this path!

Thus I tell you: Keep your unneeded keys. Keep them together with the other keys on your keyboard, even if thou dost have no use for them, for because maybe thy brother wilt.

AMEN.