Unsigned Books

The Life Series

It must be a burden to know something nobody else in the whole would be able to grasp. You are the only being on the face of the Earth with a certain kind of knowledge and are unable to share it with anybody for they would not understand and probably call you a lunatic. That is, if you are lucky. The unlucky ones get a lifetime sentence to the pillory or stocks. Well, metaphorically speaking. We look upon the tortures of the Dark Ages as cruel and brutal, but what we do to people on the Internet isn’t a lot better than what people did in those days. Social Media are the boards around your wrists, and the comments are the dirt, filth and rubbish people throw at you. They get to insult you, ostracise you and threaten you from the safety of their homes and often anonymous, the cowards they are.  

“Why are we here?” The dark stranger asked the man sitting on the opposite side of the table. A long, grey beard and moustache hid the wizened face of a person said by many to hold the knowledge to life, the universe, and everything.  

“They serve good food here, I was told,” was the unsatisfying answer given. A weird look in the eyes of the stranger told the wise man that it was not the answer his visitor had been looking for. It was, nonetheless, the answer he got. “You have come for the same reason as everybody, and I will tell you what I told everybody. You will ask the same questions and you will get the same answers. You want to know about ‘the box of life and death’?” And from the floor the wise man picked up an ordinary cardboard box. He put it on the round table carefully so as not to damage it.  

“Is this it? Is this the box you talk about?” Slivers of doubt seeping through the words as they were uttered. To the stranger it was just a normal box like any other. Average in size and colour. No decorations and nothing to make it stand out from other boxes. A pretty dull box.  

“No, this one came in my mail the other day.” Another unsatisfactory answer that made the stranger sigh with impatience. “You seek answers yet are not satisfied with anything I say. Do not ask questions if you do not wish to hear what I have to say.” The man was stern but not angry, just factual. “For someone who has been looking for answers for his entire life, you seem overcome with impatience all of a sudden. If you feel that I am only wasting your time, feel free to leave. If you want to hear what I know, drink your tea, listen, and relax.” 

The stranger took a sip of his green tea and tried to sit back and relax. The wise man was right. Ever since his childhood he had had the feeling that he was crawling through a desert in search for a fountain of knowledge he seemed to be unable to find. Now, it felt he had reached the spring and was ready to jump into it even if it meant drowning in it. That would be folly. It would be best, indeed, to take slow sips. But taking sips was really hard after a life in a hot desert. “I take it then, that you brought this here box as an example. Please, tell me. I am all ears.” 

“Do not lie to me, young man. I know what ears look like, and you do not look like them at all.” This upset the stranger once more, for he felt this so-called wise man was taking the mickey out of him. Deliberately avoiding answering any question at all. “Your anger means nothing to me. Do you want to hear about this box, or would you rather spend the rest of your life crawling through a desert in search for the answers that I hold?” 

A quick internal debate led the stranger to cool down and he said onto the wise man that he was willing to open his mind and learn. He was scrutinised as the box was opened. To the stranger’s chagrin, it was empty. He did not say anything for fear of upsetting the wise man again. Instead, he tried to keep a poker face as to not give away his doubt and dismay.  

“Forget what you think you know for you have been lied to over and over again. Empty your mind and let me tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. My knowledge is free. You do not have to buy a book. I will not ask for or accept donations. And you should never ask anyone for money when sharing what you hear here today. That is, if you wish to share it. The Box of Life and Death has no use for money. People have a use for money. They like filling their pockets and will try anything to talk it out of yours. Anyone spreading word about The Box and asking for money, is a dishonest man. Heed those people.” The dark stranger felt ashamed. He had brought along enough for the wise man to never have to worry about money ever again. “Money does not you earn you a place on his right side nor does the lack of money earn you a place to his left. You cannot buy your way into anything. So, young man, those coins and bills in your pockets, keep them where they are. They will travel back home with you.” 

“But,” the dark strangers interjected. He did not get to finish his sentence, for the old man held his finger in front of his lips as a sign for him to not talk. “Now is not the time to talk. Now is a time to listen. You do not have to feel ashamed, for your feelings, your intentions, they do not matter to The Box. I am not insulted in any way, nor is The Box. You can say anything you like about The Box of Life and Death. Insult it as much as you like. Curse it, call it names, mock it if it makes you feel better. It will not hurt The Box.” And again, the dark stranger interrupted with a ‘but’, but the old man would still not let him finish.  

“People can be hurt. They can feel insulted. Those who really know about The Box do not care if you talk bad about it. For The Box does not care either. People who are hurt because you say bad things about ‘the box’, know too little about it or might feel insecure. It is a defence mechanism. An unnecessary primal reaction. Nothing matters to The Box. It did what it did and is no more. Do you understand?” 

At first, the dark stranger wanted to answer in the affirmative, but he knew the old man knew that it would be a lie. “No, I have no idea what you are talking about.” This satisfied the wise man. “You are beginning to learn, young man. Open your mind a little further, for I shall tell you more.” Another sip was taken from the tea. His mind was racing, and his nerves were on edge. He needed to drink more, but the old man closed his eyes and took a long sip of his tea that seemed endless. His patience was tested.  

And so is yours, dear reader, for this story needs to be continued some other time. Until we meet again.