"But why are there cracks?"
"Each of them is a single stone."
"Where do the stones come from?"
"Stones are made by the Earth. These stones..."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why does the Earth make stones?"
"Time and pressure."
"Not how. Why?"
"I don't know. But these stones are shaped by people."
"Why?"
"To pave the road."
"Why?"
"So we can walk on it."
"That stone is broken."
"It will be replaced."
"They have more stones?"
"They will make more."
"What if they don't?"
"What if they don't what?"
"What if they don't make more?"
"They will make more."
"But what if nobody does? Where will the road go."
"It will go up a little bit, and then to the right, and then we'll be home."
"No, not like that."
"There have been people replacing these broken stones for many years, and there will be people replacing them for many years to come."
"But what happens after many years?"
"The road may disappear."
"Then how will we get home?"
"We'll find a way."
"But what home isn't there anymore?"
"What?"
"If the road isn't here anymore, will home be here anymore?"
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
"I don't."
"You don't?"
"No. But I know that the road is here right now. And home is here right now. And you and I are here right now."
"But what about later?"
"Later is later. For now there is you, and me, and plenty of stones, and people to come replace them when they crack, and home, just up here and to the right."
"OK."
"OK."
"I'll race you there."
"Yes. Go
."
Poetic and sentimental, without being sappy. I dig it.
2nding Josh's comment: Pooh and Piglet could have had this conversation while walking in the 100 Acre Wood.
Oh I love this, it just rings so true. I can't believe this was written in 6 minutes, well done.
Good grief, Dave. Wow. How were you able to write this without having a kid?
(Definite A. A. Milne vibe for me here.)
Thanks, Galen and Rebecca and Josh!
I absolutely love the meaning behind the story, the emotion between the two characters and your style of writing. Bravo!
Very zen story, with a hint of humor. Nice.
Love it as a dialogue story and also as a very realistic story!
This story is glorious :) Haha, I like using that word.
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