I am very familiar with the Arabic Numerical System. Seriously, I know how to use "Zero." Does YOUR number system have a non-numerical placeholder? I bet you're all Base-60'd like the Sumarians! HAH!
Thew story is that the old guy wanted to have a big gun collection, couldn't get the local permits, so he decided to show the fuckers by building a gigantic siege engine. Then people started showing up with old cars and pianos and paying him to launch them.