The Guy and his Uncertain Future.
THE GUY
Haven’t seen you in a while.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
I’ve been around.
THE GUY
Aren’t you supposed to follow me everywhere?
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
I am your Uncertain Future. Therefore, by definition, I am only around when your future is uncertain.
THE GUY
Ah. I see.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Days that contain conundrums contain me. So here I am. Today.
THE GUY
Yes. Today.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
So what’s going on?
Suddenly, from nowhere, a box lands at The Guy’s feet.
It’s a box that looks exactly like the one from 3.4.2007.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Another good day, huh?
THE GUY
Yeah.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
So what’s the problem?
THE GUY
I don’t know who’s sending these.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
That is a problem.
The Guy picks up the box.
THE GUY
There is the thing I could return to. Because it’s there. Because it’s always there. Kind of lurking in the back of my head. Whispering to me, don’t let go don’t let go don’t let go.
There’s the thing close by. Which is nice. Which is… unexpected. But there is something about it that feels… like a risk. Like the kind of risk you think you can take, but you shouldn’t, but you want to, but you shouldn’t, but maybe you’re just being stupid and scared, and why not try it, but you don’t feel as though the ground won’t move beneath you do, and you don’t want to be on a piece of earth that can’t keep its space, so you shouldn’t, but… you want to.
And then there’s the thing at a great distance. Which feels… like something I’ve always been waiting for. Like the thing I might have prepared my whole life to receive. But it’s far away. At a great remove.
I don’t know…
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
I’m your Uncertain Future.
If I could tell you, I wouldn’t be so uncertain.
However, as a Future or any sort, I do have certain gifts that allow me the ability to offer you… insight.
Everything good is at a Great Distance.
Even if it’s just beside you in bed at night.
There’s always a distance to be traveled
to find what you want.
So travel.
It isn’t the distance you cover that matters in the end
but the fact you took the journey.
THE GUY
That’s true.
UNCERTAIN FUTURE
Of that, I am certain.
The Guy acknowledges for the first time in his life that it’s okay sometimes to be unsure of outcomes.
Maybe what’s been left behind was good, maybe it was exactly what he needed, but there’s no use dwelling on that now that the ties have been severed.
And maybe the thing close by isn’t as terrifying as he thinks it is (or maybe he’s exactly right) but there’s nothing really there other than two evenings watching TV and sort of eating barbecue.
And the thing at a great distance…
The Thing at a Great Distance shines more brightly with each day that passes.
The Guy holds this good day in his hands as though it were priceless. Which it is.
The lights go down.
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3 comments:
My box is done for the day, and it was packed with a lot of stuff, mostly smaller boxes that don't belong to me, but were nice to rummage through, unique in the sense that the picture of you within my mind is no longer so abstract as well as the redefinition of my past over the last month and a half. I've caught up to you now in one day. Hopefully these comments are what you envisaged when you started this project, and won't merely be spam within your inbox tomorrow morning.
I'm going to quote you. Assuming you weren't quoting someone else when you said
"It isn’t the distance you cover that matters in the end
but the fact you took the journey."
This one made me catch my breath...because I now know without a moments hesitation and without second guessing who/what the Thing at a Great Distance is...and I can't wait for us to unwrap this gift...this surprise...together!
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