#!/bin/bash
# background-loop.sh

for i in 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10            # First loop.
do
  echo -n "$i "
done & # Run this loop in background.
       # Will sometimes execute after second loop.

echo   # This 'echo' sometimes will not display.

for i in 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20   # Second loop.
do
  echo -n "$i "
done  

echo   # This 'echo' sometimes will not display.

# ======================================================

# The expected output from the script:
# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 
# 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 

# Sometimes, though, you get:
# 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 
# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 bozo $
# (The second 'echo' doesn't execute. Why?)

# Occasionally also:
# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
# (The first 'echo' doesn't execute. Why?)

# Very rarely something like:
# 11 12 13 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 
# The foreground loop preempts the background one.

exit 0

#  Nasimuddin Ansari suggests adding    sleep 1
#+ after the   echo -n "$i"   in lines 6 and 14,
#+ for some real fun.