The Screen

The most prized possession of the village was the screen. It stood fifteen feet tall and was twenty feet wide. No one could remember the screen's origin. Some people argued that it had always existed. Despite its mysterious origins, the importance of its function to the villagers was never in doubt or questioned.

In my own wanderings, I came upon the village and then the screen on a cold day in November. For several days I camped at the edge of the village. I saw the patterns of the villagers—coming and going to work and then home. Every night right before sunset the villagers would leave their homes and gather together in a wooded cove. I observed this pattern for a few days. My curiosity spurred, I sought the cove to see what fascination or spell it held for them. What did they do there? I wondered.

Deciding to abate my curiosity—and yet remain wisely cautious—I sought out the cove in the early morning. I knew that no one would be there at that time. The villagers would be at work. The cove itself consisted of a grove of large pine trees surrounded by the assorted native variety of ground cover. There was a lot of pesty poison ivy about, but the villagers had cleared a pathway making it safe for travel. Most likely for practical reasons, they had decorated the path with large, flattened rocks that were embedded into the often-travelled walkway. The pathway was accented by flowers that provided a splash of colors. It was a pleasant surprise to see this array of bright, cheery, colored life because the rest of the landscape was mostly wild and left unattended.

I followed the path for about ten minutes and then decided to rest and feel into the forest. Crows cawed above the tree tops. Were they warning me of something or just demanding a hello? Eventually the path ended by opening into the cove. The trees became fewer in number and that created an effect that resembled a patchwork quilt made up of sunbeams.

Entering this opening in the forest, I couldn't help but notice the screen. It reminded me very much of the drive-in screens where movies had been shown outdoors during the latter half of the twentieth century on Earth. I only use this descriptive pinpoint of time for fun. I know it is a ridiculous device but useful, considering the people on earth (at that time!) agreed to it. I can puzzle you further with the possibility that many other civilizations that may have existed long before or long after may have used the terminology: "the latter half of the twentieth century." This had made me wonder why people insist that time is an absolute reality. Why do they take it so seriously? It's only an absurdity. No doubt time is only a silly pun but the patterns of people's lives seem to be very real and go on with all the usual importance that they give it. The villagers' pattern of going to work every morning, returning late afternoon and gathering in this cove before sunset was a cycle no one questioned as an absurdity. It seemed real and proper to them.

I examined the screen. Yes, it was an exact duplicate of the movie screens of earth. Who knows, this screen could be the original patent. What is it doing here? What is its function for these simple people?

Casting my gaze to the area to the immediate south of the screen, I noted that the cove was aligned with several wooden benches. It reminded me of pews in a church. I further noted that on each bench the names of the family members were engraved into the wood. I saw that many of the families consisted of five members. I read some of the names out loud: "O'Hara, Radin, Takeni, Manered," and committed them to memory.

I was now quite interested in relaxing and sat down on the O'Hara bench. I let go of my bemused speculations. My breathing slowed and eventually stopped. Spirit relaxed its formed assumptions and the I of me lost its individuation as it immersed itself into eternity like a balloon breaking its casing and merging its air with the air of limitless sky. When the body is returned to its functioning capabilities, the bliss of unlimited sky travels as my body which is who I really am—BLISS. Perhaps this description is not completely on target. Give me another go at it and I'll try to come up with a description that hits the bull's-eye. I'll give it another try. I am the air in the balloon (and also the balloon) pretending to be encased. This encasing is a game I play to move about to exchange in play with other air that is pretending to be encased. Being a balloon is another one of those absurdities I'm fond of. Really now, there is only unlimited sky!

Let's get back to my original speculations about the screen and its use by the villagers. I was drawing a blank (a blank screen) as to the purpose or function of the screen. I reasoned that if I was welcomed into their company, perhaps they would include me in their evening gathering in the cove of the mysterious screen.

Persistently but slowly, I learned the ways of the villagers. They were consistently withdrawn but they tolerated my presence more and more. I noticed that they enjoyed giving each other gifts of food. It became my obsession to learn to cook their favorite dishes. I would present these dishes to them before it was time for them to prepare their final meal of the day. The men slowly warmed to me. It was their duty or chore to cook the evening meal; to be relieved on occasion pleased them. I had learned several varieties of dishes from main entrees to desserts, before the villagers finally invited me to their screen gatherings.