Monday, December 14, 2009

The journey. All aboard!

The following short story, originally written a few years ago, is a fictional case study, food for thought on some of the complex, somewhat zany, social dynamics of the era.


"Why are you so desperate?", asked Anne.

"Because I do not want to be alone", replied Mary.

"Why are you willing to settle for less than perfect", insisted Anne.

"Because I am in a race against time. And who know if my 'perfect' choice actually exists", argued Mary. "Most people live their lives in quiet desperation", she added. "So I am desperate not to be desperate alone".

"What makes you think that being desperate in a group, or with a partner, will make your desperation any lighter or more affordable?", asked Anne. "Unless the partnership is perfect".

"There is no such thing as a perfect partner or perfect partnership", proclaimed Mary. "It's all about making any partnership, any relationship work. A lot of hard work", she added.

"All work and no play", said Anne, somewhat sarcastically.

"I am not good in the searching game, what I want is a relationship, my dear friend", proposed Mary.

"A relationship, a relationship, your "kingdom" for a relationship", argued Anne.

"You mean my freedom", asked Mary.

"Dear Mary, we are born alone and we die alone. Life is a journey", said Anne.

"Yes, but I want to take this journey not alone, but with a companion". Sometimes Anne was a pain in the neck.

"As long as you can find the right one", proposed Anne.

"It's not enough to find the right person" proposed Mary. "Building a relationship, making it work takes a lot of effort, sometimes pain. But no pain, no gain, dearest Anne".

"Emotion and Logic, love and marriage, two cornerstones of a perfect relationship", proposed Anne.

"I will agree with you on that one, actually", said Mary. "Love is a prerequisite, but not sufficient to make a relationship work".

"Yes but if love and a relationship both involve 'pain', why bother with either of them", proposed Anne.

"With out pain, there is no gain dear", said Mary, sure of her convictions on that subject. "You are a hedonist, dear Anne. By seeking pleasure so much and avoiding pain, you are missing a main ingredient of life".

"You may be right, you may be wrong. You are an "investor" my dear Mary, and a romantic", said Anne.

"Actually, we both are romantics, dear friend", replied Mary, smiling.

"I believe in perfection and you believe in pleasure. Both are elusive. But it is the journey and the effort that count".

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