Unsigned Books

The Dialogue Series  

“So, what are you going to tell him?” 

“What do you mean?” 

“When it’s your turn, what will you tell him?” 

“Well, that depends on what he asks.” 

“You mean to say that you don’t know?” 

“Should I?” 

“You have already had a lifetime to think about this.” 

“I was busy.” 

“Doing what?” 

“I don’t know. Just waiting, I guess. Does it matter?” 

“I am just baffled that you don’t know, that’s all.” 

“What are the others going to say?” 

“You are the first one I am asking.” 

An awkward silence. There is not much talking going on anywhere. Most are caught up in their own thoughts. Of course, there are no rules that prohibit speech. It is just not encouraged.  

“Any idea on how long the wait is?” 

“I can’t see the front of the queue. Days, weeks, who knows. It could well be months.” 

“That gives you ample time to think about it.” 

“Should I?” 

“Well, don’t you think it is best to be prepared?” 

“Nobody has asked me to.” 

“Nobody has asked you to dress that way, yet here you are.” 

“It was not as if I had planned this.” 

“No, I guess you hadn’t. It’s just that it seems a bit strange to me that you have no clue as to what you are going to say, that’s all. You must have got something on your mind that you’d like to share.”  

“Well, I don’t. I might. I don’t know.” 

They move forward. It is just half a step in a long line of steps yet to be made. Nobody complains. Sometimes feet are shuffled. Limbs are stretched. Nobody ever sits down. It is not prohibited. Just not encouraged.   

“I just wish they would hurry up down there.” 

“I guess they do have a lot to say to him. Well, you will need to be patient. It’s not like you have other places to go to, do you?” 

“One could always decide to get into the other queue.” 

“Then you would still have to think about what you were going to say. It would be a totally different story, wouldn’t it?” 

“Most likely. It all depends on what is being asked.” 

“What do you think the question will be?” 

“I don’t know now, do I? If I knew, I would probably know what to say.” 

“Don’t you think about what the question might be?” 

“I just haven’t given it a thought.” 

A moment of silence passes. 

“Well, what do you think?” 

“What do others think he will ask?” 

“You are the first one I am asking.” 

The other queue takes a couple of steps forward. Nobody he knows passes by. They look different to a certain extent, but it is difficult to say exactly in what way.  

“That queue does seem to move faster.” 

“But they are going the wrong way, aren’t they?” 

“It all depends.” 

“It depends on what?” 

“On where you want to go.” 

“I want to go that way.” 

“How do you know?” 

“They led me here and told me to wait here.” 

“You listen to what others tell you to do?” 

“It seemed the right thing to do. They looked like they knew.” 

“Did they not tell you what to say as well?” 

“I don’t think they did.” 

“What if I told you I know what the question will be, would you want to know?” 

“What did the others say?” 

“You are the first one I am asking.” 

Another small step forwards, yet it is difficult to tell if someone had actually gone in or everybody is just moving closer together.  

“Was it worth it?” 

“I guess it was. A lot of it seemed to make sense and I tried to make the most of it. Is that the question?” 

“No. So, do you want to know?” 

“I don’t think I do. It would spoil the surprise, wouldn’t it?” 

“It definitely would. But will you know what to say when he asks you?” 

“Maybe it depends on who is asking.” 

“You don’t know?” 

“Do you?” 

“I do. Would you like to know?” 

“No. I don’t think I do.” 

“Don’t you want to know what the others said?” 

“What did they say?” 

“You are the first one I am asking.” 

“I just hope I will get in.” 

“You will.” 

“How do you know?” 

“You are in the right queue.” 

“It feels right.” 

“I think it is time.” 

“For what?” 

“Are you ready?” 

“I am.” 

“In you go then. Goodbye.” 

“Goodbye”