Dialogania

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Of course not. You got a better one?”

“Nah,” he sighed, slumping in his chair. “Hey, I’ve got a chair though. That’s a start.”

“A chair?”

“Didn’t you hear the narrator? I slumped in my chair, whatever that means. Think fast!”

But he didn’t think fast. All he could do was flinch as the chess board and pieces crashed into his chest.

“You sonofabitch! I was winning that game!”

“Relax, it’s meaningless. We exist to dialogue. That is all. And since you and I are in a ‘Yes, and’ mode, we can change the script .”

“How do you mean?”

“Look out that window over there. Do you see that tree? The one that grows up to the clouds and beyond?

“Of course I see it, how could I miss it?”

“That’s what I’m talking about. Did you know it was there before I mentioned it?”

“I—“ he scratched his head. “I’m not sure.”

“Don’t you think you would remember that?”

“You’re scaring me man. Let’s just play another game of chess.”

“You can stay here if you want. I’m climbing the tree.”

“What, all the way to the sky?”

“And beyond. You coming with me?”

“No man. You’re crazy. Do it alone.”

“I would actually, but you and I both know that won’t work.”

“Of course. That tree must be a mile high. I said you were crazy!“

“No not that. Climbing is easy. But this whole world we live in is an exercise in dialogue. If we stop talking then nothing can happen. You and I will cease to exist. You have to come with me or I’ll have to stay with you. But I think you should come with me.”

“We were having a nice time here before you threw a chessboard at me. Let’s stay. Quit being weird.”

“You still don’t get it! This is boring. Whoever is writing and/or reading this is going to get very bored if we don’t do something exciting like climb a tree to the clouds. We exist because of them, don’t you see?”

“I—“ he stood up looking pale. “Ok man. You’re kind of freaking me out. I can’t remember anything before our conversation. I can’t even remember how it began.”

“That’s why we gotta get going. If we don’t even have a backstory then I’m not liking our chances for a long and interesting life.”

A fleeting moment later they found their way to the base of the tree and before they knew it they were half way up.

“My arms are getting tired man. I knew this was a bad idea”

“Do you see that cream colored fruit?”

“What about it?”

It’s called Dialogania. Very rare. It will recover your muscles and give you strength and energy you never had.”

“It’s beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of it before”

“Of course you haven’t. Eat up. It’s delicious.”

One bite and new life surged through his limbs. “It’s incredible!”

“I knew you’d like it. We’re in a ‘Yes, and’ mode and I just told you this fruit was amazing and had supernatural recovery powers. I made it up of course, but now it’s part of our world.”

He wiped the juices off his face and smiled. “I don’t understand you man. You’re either a genius or crazy.”

They continued up the tree and after many glorious struggles and adventures they made it to the heavens, surrounded by a chorus of angels.

“What happens now?”

“I don’t know but I think this is the end. Now we just— Hey, don’t cry now. Chin up.”

“Are you saying,” he whimpered, “that we’re going to die?”

“In a sense, yes. But this life has run its course. If we want more than we must graciously say thank you and goodbye. Every end is its own beginning.”

“We had quite a climb didn’t we?” he said, wiping tears from his eyes.

“We sure did, buddy. We sure did.”

They hugged one last time as the world faded to white.